# ACV_verses

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And Eleazar the son of Aaron died. And they buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill-country of Ephraim.


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And it came to pass after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel asked of Jehovah, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?


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And Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites, and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.


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And Judah went up, and Jehovah delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they smote of them in Bezek ten thousand men.


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And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, and they fought against him, and they smote the Canaanites and the Perizzites.


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But Adoni-bezek fled, and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.


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And Adoni-bezek said, Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.


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And the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.


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And afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the hill-country, and in the South, and in the lowland.


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And Judah went against the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron (now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba), and they smote Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.


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And from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher.)


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And Caleb said, He who smites Kiriath-sepher, and takes it, I will give to him Achsah my daughter to wife.


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And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.


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And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field. And she alighted from off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, What would thou?


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And she said to him, Give me a blessing, since thou have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.


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And the sons of the Kenite, Moses' brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the sons of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad, and they went and dwelt with the people.


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And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they smote the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.


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Also Judah took Gaza with the border of it, and Ashkelon with the border of it, and Ekron with the border of it.


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And Jehovah was with Judah, and drove out those of the hill-country. But they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron.


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And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken, and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there.


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And the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.


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And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with thee.


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And he showed them the entrance into the city. And they smote the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man go and all his family.


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And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name of it Luz, which is the name of it to this day.


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And Manasseh did not drive out those of Beth-shean and its towns, nor of Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.


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And it came to pass, when Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to task work, and did not utterly drive them out.


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And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.


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Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became subject to task work.


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Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob,


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but the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.


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Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to task work.


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And the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill-country, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley,


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but the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim. Yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to task work.


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And the agent of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I made you go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers. And I said, I will never break my covenant with you.


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And ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. Ye shall break down their altars. But ye have not hearkened to my voice. Why have ye done this?


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Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you, but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.


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And it came to pass, when the agent of Jehovah spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.


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Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the sons of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.


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And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Jehovah that he had wrought for Israel.


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And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.


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And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them that did not know Jehovah, nor yet the work which he had wrought for Israel.


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And they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples that were round about them, and bowed themselves down to them. And they provoked Jehovah to anger.


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And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that despoiled them. And he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.


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Wherever they went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken, and as Jehovah had sworn to them. And they were exceedingly distressed.


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And yet they did not hearken to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Jehovah. They did not do so.


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And when Jehovah raised up judges for them, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For Jehovah regretted because of their groaning because of those who oppressed them and vexed them.


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But it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.


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And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he said, Because this nation has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not hearkened to my voice,


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I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died,


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that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.


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So Jehovah left those nations, without driving them out quickly. Neither did he deliver them into the hand of Joshua.


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Now these are the nations which Jehovah left to prove Israel by them, (even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan,


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only that the generations of the sons of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least to such as formerly knew nothing of that):


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namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.


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And they were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.


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And the sons of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


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And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.


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And the sons of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgot Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.


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Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia, And the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.


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And when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a savior to the sons of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.


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And the sons of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.


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And he gathered to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.


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But when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised up for them a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.


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And Ehud made for himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length. And he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.


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But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand to thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all who stood by him went out from him.


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And Ehud came to him. And he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God to thee. And he arose out of his seat.


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And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.


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And the handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his body, and it came out behind.


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Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.


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


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And they delayed till they were ashamed, and, behold, he did not open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key, and opened, and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.


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And it came to pass, when he came, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim. And the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.


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And he said to them, Follow after me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and did not allow a man to pass over.


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And they smote about ten thousand men of Moab at that time, every robust man, and every man of valor, and there escaped not a man.


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And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox-goad, and he also saved Israel.


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


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And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and he mightily oppressed the sons of Israel twenty years.


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And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.


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And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, Has not Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded, saying, Go and approach to mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun?


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And I will draw Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, to thee, to the river Kishon, with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into thy hand.


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


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And she said, I will surely go with thee. Notwithstanding, the journey that thou take shall not be for thine honor, for Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.


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And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. And there went up ten thousand men at his feet, and Deborah went up with him.


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


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


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And Deborah said to Barak, Up, for this is the day in which Jehovah has delivered Sisera into thy hand. Has not Jehovah gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.


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And Jehovah discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak. And Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet.


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But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, to Harosheth of the Gentiles. And all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. There was not a man left.


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However Sisera fled away on his feet 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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And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he turned in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.


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And he said to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.


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And he said to her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man comes and inquires of thee, and says, Is there any man here? that thou shall say, No.


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Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep, so he fainted and died.


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And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seek. And he came to her, and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples.


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And the hand of the sons of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.


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That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless ye Jehovah.


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Hear, O ye kings. Give ear, O ye rulers. I, even I, will sing to Jehovah. I will sing praise to Jehovah, the God of Israel.


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Jehovah, when thou went forth out of Seir, when thou marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, yea, the clouds dropped water.


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The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, even yon Sinai at the presence of Jehovah, 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 unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.


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The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, until that I, Deborah, arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.


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


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My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye Jehovah.


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Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they shall rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.


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Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song. Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam.


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Out of Ephraim, those whose root is in Amalek, after thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples, out of Machir, came down governors, and out of Zebulun those who handle the marshal's staff.


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And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, as was Issachar, so was Barak, into the valley they rushed forth at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.


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Why did thou sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.


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Gilead abode beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and abode by his creeks.


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Zebulun was a people who jeopardized their lives to the death, and Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.


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The kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no gain of money.


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


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Curse ye Meroz, said the agent of Jehovah. Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants of it, because they did not come to the help of Jehovah, to the help of Jehovah against the mighty.


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Blessed above women shall Jael be, 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-pin, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer. And with the hammer she smote Sisera; she struck through his head. Yea, 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 forth, and cried-the mother of Sisera 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 damsel, two damsels to 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 thine enemies perish, O Jehovah, but let those who love him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.


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And the sons of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.


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And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. And because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.


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And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the sons of the east, they came up against them.


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And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come to Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.


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For they came up with their cattle and their tents. They came in 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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that Jehovah sent a prophet to the sons of Israel. And he said to them, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage.


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


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And I said to you, I am Jehovah your God. Ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell, but ye have not hearkened to my voice.


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And the agent of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah that pertained 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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And the agent of Jehovah appeared to him, and said to him, Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.


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And Gideon said to him, Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, then why has all this befallen us? And where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? But now Jehovah has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.


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And Jehovah looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent thee?


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And he said to him, Oh, Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.


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And Jehovah said to him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shall smite the Midianites as one man.


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And he said to him, If now I have found favor in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou who talk with me.


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Depart not from here, I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.


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And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the flesh 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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And the agent of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.


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Then the agent of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the agent of Jehovah departed out of his sight.


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And Gideon saw that he was the agent of Jehovah. And Gideon said, Alas, O lord Jehovah! Inasmuch as I have seen the agent of Jehovah face to face.


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Then Gideon built an altar there to Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Take thy father's bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father has, and cut down the Asherah that is by it.


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And build an altar to Jehovah thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shall cut down.


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


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And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.


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


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Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out thy 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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And Joash said to all who stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? Or will ye save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death while it is morning. If he be a god, let him contend for himself because he has broken down his altar.


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Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him because he has broken down his altar.


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Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves together. And they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.


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


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


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behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor. If there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then I shall know that thou will save Israel by my hand as thou have spoken.


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And it was so, for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.


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And Gideon said to God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.


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And God did so that night, for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.


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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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And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people who are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, My own hand has saved me.


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Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand, and there remained ten thousand.


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And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people are yet too many. Bring them down to the water, and I will try them for thee there. And it shall be, that of whom I say to thee, This man shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee, and of whomever I say to thee, This man shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.


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So he brought down the people to the water. And Jehovah said to Gideon, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, him thou shall set by himself. Likewise everyone who bows down upon his knees to drink.


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And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men, but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.


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And Jehovah said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand. And let all the people go every man to his place.


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So the people took provision in their hand, and their trumpets. And he sent all the men of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the three hundred men. And the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.


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And it came to pass the same night, that Jehovah said to him, Arise, get thee down into the camp, for I have delivered it into thy hand.


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And thou shall hear what they say, and afterward thy hands shall be strengthened to go down into the camp. Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outermost part of the armed men who were in the camp.


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And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude, and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.


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And when Gideon came, behold, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. And he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream. And, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.


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And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else except the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. Into his hand God has delivered Midian, and all the army.


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And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation of it, that he worshiped. And he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise, for Jehovah has delivered the army of Midian into your hand.


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And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty pitchers, with torches inside the pitchers.


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And he said to them, Look on me, and do likewise, and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so ye shall do.


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When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, For Jehovah and for Gideon.


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


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And 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 cried out, The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.


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And they stood every man in his place round about the camp. And all the army ran, and they shouted, and put them to flight.


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And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah 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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And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.


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And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took the waters as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan.


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And 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, and pursued Midian. And they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.


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And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have thou done thus to us, that thou did not call us when thou went to fight with Midian? And they chided with him sharply.


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And he said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?


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God has delivered into your hand the rulers of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, and 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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And Gideon came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.


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And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.


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And the rulers of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand that we should give bread to thine army?


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And Gideon said, Therefore when Jehovah has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.


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And he went up from there to Penuel, and spoke to them in like manner, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.


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And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.


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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 sons of the east, for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men who drew a sword.


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And Gideon went up by the way of those who dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the army, for the army was confident.


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


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And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him. And he described for him the rulers of Succoth, and the elders of it, seventy-seven men.


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And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye taunted me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men who are weary?


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


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Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye killed at Tabor? And they answered, As thou are, so were they. Each one resembled the sons of a king.


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And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Jehovah lives, if ye had saved them alive, I would not kill you.


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And he said to Jether his firstborn, Up, and kill them. But the youth did not draw his sword, for he feared because he was yet a youth.


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Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us, for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.


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


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


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


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And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and cast in it every man the earrings of his spoil.


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And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.


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And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.


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So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.


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


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And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel turned again, and played the harlot after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.


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And the sons of Israel did not remember Jehovah 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, who is Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.


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And 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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Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Which is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy men, rule over you, or that one rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.


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And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the ears of 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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And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and unstable fellows who followed him.


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And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy men, upon one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.


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And 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.


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And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried out, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you.


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The trees went forth a time to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, Reign thou over us.


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But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.


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Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deed of his hands


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and ye have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem because he is your brother),


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if ye then have dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye 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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And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.


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And 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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that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother who killed them, and upon the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.


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And the men of Shechem set ambushes for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them, and it was told Abimelech.


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And 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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And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.


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


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And would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.


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And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.


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And he sent messengers to Abimelech privately, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem, and, behold, they are fortifying the city against thee.


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And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shall rise early, and rush upon the city, and, behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against thee, then thou may do to them as thou shall find occasion.


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


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


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And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there comes a people down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.


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And Gaal spoke again and said, See, there comes a people down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim.


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Then Zebul said to him, Where is now thy mouth, that thou said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou have despised? Go out now, I pray, and fight with them.


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And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.


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


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field, and they told Abimelech.


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And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field. And he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of the city. And he rose up against them, and smote them.


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And Abimelech, and the companies who were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field, and smote them.


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And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. And he took the city, and killed the people that were in it, and he beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.


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And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of El-berith.


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And Abimelech got 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 bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the people who were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.


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And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire upon them, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.


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But there was a strong tower inside the city. And all the men and women fled, and all those of the city, and shut themselves in, and got up to the roof of the tower.


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And 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 his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men not say of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.


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Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father, in slaying his seventy brothers.


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And God requited all the wickedness of the men of Shechem upon their heads. And the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came upon them.


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And after Abimelech there arose Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, to save Israel, and he dwelt in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.


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And 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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And the sons of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baalim, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook Jehovah, and did not serve him.


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And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon.


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And they vexed and oppressed the sons of Israel that year. Eighteen years they oppressed all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


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And the sons of Ammon passed over the Jordan to also fight against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was exceedingly distressed.


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And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, saying, We have sinned against thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baalim.


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And Jehovah said to the sons of Israel, Did not I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines?


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


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And the sons of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. Do thou to us whatever seems good to thee, only deliver us, we pray thee, this day.


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And they put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Jehovah. And his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.


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Then the sons of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.


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And the people, the rulers of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


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Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah.


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And Gilead's wife bore sons to him. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shall not inherit in our father's house, for thou are the son of another woman.


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Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelt in the land of Tob. And vain fellows were gathered to Jephthah, and they went out with him.


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And it was so, that, when the sons of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob.


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And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Did ye not hate me, and drive me out of my father's house? And why have ye come to me now when ye are in distress?


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And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, For that reason we turned again to thee now, that thou may go with us, and fight with the sons of Ammon. And thou shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


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And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the sons of Ammon, and Jehovah delivers them before me, shall I be your head?


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And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Jehovah shall be witness between us. Surely according to thy word so will we do.


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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 Jehovah in Mizpah.


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And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, What have thou to do with me, that thou have come to me to fight against my land?


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And the king of the sons of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.


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And he said to him, Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the sons of Ammon,


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but when they came up from Egypt, and 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, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land, but the king of Edom did not hearken. And in like manner he sent to the king of Moab, but he would not. And Israel abode in Kadesh.


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Then they went through the wilderness, and went 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 did not come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.


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And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon. And Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land to my place.


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But Sihon did not 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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And Jehovah, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.


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And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.


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So now Jehovah, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should thou possess them?


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Will thou not possess that which Chemosh thy god gives thee to possess? So whomever Jehovah our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.


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And now are thou anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?


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While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did ye not recover them within that time?


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I therefore have not sinned against thee, but thou do me wrong to war against me. Jehovah, the Judge, be judge this day between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.


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Then the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the sons of Ammon.


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And Jephthah vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If thou will indeed deliver the sons of Ammon into my hand,


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


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So Jephthah passed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them, and Jehovah delivered them into his hand.


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And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.


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And Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances. And she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.


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And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! Thou have brought me very low, and thou are one of those who trouble me, for I have opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I cannot go back.


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And she said to him, My father, thou have opened thy mouth to Jehovah. Do to me according to that which has proceeded out of thy mouth, inasmuch as Jehovah has taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the sons of Ammon.


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And she said to her father, Let this thing be done for me: Let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.


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And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months. And she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.


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And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed, and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,


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that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.


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And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward. And they said to Jephthah, Why did thou pass over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and did not call us to go with thee? We will burn thy house upon thee with fire.


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And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon, and when I called you, ye did not save me out of their hand.


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And when I saw that ye did not save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed opposite the sons of Ammon, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand. Why then have ye 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 smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, and in the midst of Manasseh.


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And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And it was so, that, when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are thou an Ephraimite? If he said, No,


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then they said to him, Say now Shibboleth, and he said Sibboleth, for he could not frame to pronounce it right, then they laid hold on him, and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand.


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And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.


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And he had thirty sons. And he sent abroad thirty daughters, and thirty daughters he brought in from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.


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And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons who rode on seventy donkey colts, and he judged Israel eight years.


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And 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.


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And the sons of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.


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And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren, and did not bear.


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And the agent of Jehovah appeared to the woman, and said to her, Behold now, thou are barren, and do not bear, but thou shall conceive, and bear a son.


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Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing,


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


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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the agent of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him from where he was, neither did he tell me his name,


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but he said to me, Behold, thou shall conceive, and bear a son. And now drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.


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Then Manoah entreated Jehovah, and said, Oh, Lord, I pray thee, let the man of God whom thou sent come again to us, and teach us what we shall do to the child that shall be born.


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And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, and the agent of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her.


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And the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said to him, Behold, the man has appeared to me, who came to me the other day.


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


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And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. What shall be the ordering of the child, and what shall we do to him?


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She may not eat of anything that comes of 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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And Manoah said to the agent of Jehovah, I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready a kid for thee.


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And the agent of Jehovah said to Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread, and if thou will make ready a burnt offering, thou must offer it to Jehovah. For Manoah did not know that he was the agent of Jehovah.


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And Manoah said to the agent of Jehovah, What is thy name, that, when thy words come to pass, we may do thee honor?


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So Manoah took the kid with the meal offering, and offered it upon the rock to Jehovah. And the agent did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on,


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for it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the agent of Jehovah 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 agent of Jehovah appeared no more to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the agent of Jehovah.


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But his wife said to him, If Jehovah were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, neither would he have shown us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.


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And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me to wife.


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Then his father and his mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brothers, or among all my people, that thou go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases me well.


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But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Jehovah, for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.


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


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And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he tore him apart as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.


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


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And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. And he came to his father and mother, and gave to them, and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.


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And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for so the young men used to do.


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And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If ye can declare it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment,


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but if ye cannot declare it to me, then ye shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said to him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.


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And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days declare the riddle.


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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said to Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to impoverish us? Is it not so?


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And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou do but hate me, and not love me. Thou have put forth a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?


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And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her because she pressed him greatly. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people.


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And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my riddle.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes of raiment to those who declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


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But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid. And he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber, but her father would not allow him to go in.


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And her father said, I truly thought that thou had utterly hated her, therefore I gave her to thy companion. Is not her younger sister fairer than she? Take her, I pray thee, instead of her.


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And Samson said to them, This time I shall be blameless in regard of the Philistines when I do them a mischief.


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And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails.


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And 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 oliveyards.


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


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And Samson said to them, If ye do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.


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And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.


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And the men of Judah said, Why have ye come up against us? And they said, We come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he has done to us.


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Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Know thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that thou have done to us? And he said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.


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And they said to him, We have come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.


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And they spoke to him, saying, No, but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand, but truly we will not kill thee. And 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 Jehovah came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.


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And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and took it, and smote a thousand men with it.


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And Samson said, With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have smitten a thousand men.


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And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place was called Ramath-lehi.


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And he was very thirsty, and called on Jehovah, and said, Thou have given this great deliverance by the hand of thy servant, and 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 there. And when he had drunk his spirit came again, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.


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And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here. And they encompassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, Not till morning light, then we will kill him.


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And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.


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And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.


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And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see in what his great strength lies, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him. And we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.


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And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, in what thy great strength lies, and with what thou might be bound to afflict thee.


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And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then I shall become weak, and be as another man.


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Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.


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Now she had an ambush abiding in the inner chamber. And she said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he broke the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.


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And Delilah said to Samson, Behold, thou have mocked me, and told me lies. Now tell me, I pray thee, with what thou might be bound.


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And he said to her, If they only bind me with new ropes with which no work has been done, then I shall become weak, and be as another man.


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So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him with it, and said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And the ambushment was abiding in the inner chamber. And he broke them off his arms like a thread.


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And Delilah said to Samson, Until now thou have mocked me, and told me lies. Tell me with what thou might be bound. And he said to her, If thou weave the seven locks of my head with the web.


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And she fastened it with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web.


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And she said to him, How can thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? Thou have mocked me these three times, and have not told me with what thy great strength lies.


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And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed to death.


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And he told her all his heart, and said to her, There has not come a razor upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.


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And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he has told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hand.


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And she made him sleep upon her knees, and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head. And she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.


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And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free, but he knew not that Jehovah was departed from him.


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And the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes. And they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass, and he did grinding in the prison-house.


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And 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.


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And when the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, Our god has delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country who has slain many of us.


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And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make sport to us. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house, and he made sport before them. And they set him between the pillars.


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And Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, Allow me that I may feel the pillars upon which the house rests, that I may lean upon them.


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Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, who beheld while Samson made sport.


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And Samson called to Jehovah, and said, O lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.


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


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And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might, and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those that he killed in his life.


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Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.


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And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son from Jehovah.


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And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son to make a graven image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to thee.


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And when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made of it a graven image and a molten image. And it was in the house of Micah.


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And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.


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And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.


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And the man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place. And he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.


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And Micah said to him, From where come thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.


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And Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy food. So the Levite went in.


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And Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.


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In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for them an inheritance to dwell in, for to that day their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.


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And the sons of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. And they said to them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, and lodged there.


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When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man the Levite. And they turned aside there, and said to him, Who brought thee here? And what are thou doing in this place? And what have thou here?


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And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest.


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And they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.


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Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were in it, how they dwelt in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure, for there was none in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything. And they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.


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And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good, and are ye idle? Be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.


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When ye go, ye shall come to a people secure. And the land is large, for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.


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And there set forth from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.


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And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim.


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


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And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.


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And the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.


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And the five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girded with weapons of war.


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And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What do ye?


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And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?


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And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.


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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 sons of Dan.


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And they cried out to the sons of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What troubles thee that thou come with such a company?


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And he said, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what have I more? And how do ye then say to me, What troubles thee?


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And the sons of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.


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And the sons of Dan went 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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And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and they burnt the city with fire.


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And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man, and it was in the valley that lies by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt in it.


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And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born to Israel. However the name of the city was Laish at first.


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And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.


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So they set up for them Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.


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And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.


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And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.


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And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house, and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.


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And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days. So they ate and drank, and lodged there.


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And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart. And the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way.


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So they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.


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And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart. And the damsel's father said, Strengthen thy heart, I pray thee, and tarry ye until the day declines. And they ate, both of them.


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And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, I pray you tarry all night. Behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here that thy heart may be merry, and tomorrow get early on your way that thou may go home.


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But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came opposite Jebus (the same is Jerusalem). And there were with him a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine was also with him.


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When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent, and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.


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And his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner that is not of the sons of Israel, but we will pass over to Gibeah.


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And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.


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So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.


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And they turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the street of the city, for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge.


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And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening. Now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.


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And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city. And the old man said, Where do thou go? And from where do thou come?


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And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem-judah to the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem-judah. And I am now going to the house of Jehovah, and there is no man that takes me into his house.


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Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man who is with thy servants. There is no want of anything.


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And the old man said, Peace be to thee. However let all thy wants lie upon me, only do not lodge in the street.


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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 making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who came into thy house, that we may know him.


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And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, I pray you, do not so wickedly, seeing that this man has come into my house. Do not this folly.


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Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine. I will bring them out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seems good to you, but to this man do not any such folly.


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But the men would not hearken to him. So the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth to them. And they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning, and when the day began to spring, they let her go.


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Then the woman came in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.


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And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way, and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.


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And he said to her, Up, and let us be going, but there was no answering. Then he took her up upon the donkey, and the man rose up, and got to his place.


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And when he came into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.


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And it was so, that all who saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, take counsel, and speak.


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Then all the sons of Israel went out. And the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Jehovah at Mizpah.


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And the chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew a sword.


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(Now the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the sons of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?


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And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.


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And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night. They thought to have me slain, and they forced my concubine, and she is dead.


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And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.


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And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn to his house.


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and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch provision for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.


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And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has come to pass among you?


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Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brothers the sons of Israel.


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And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the sons of Israel.


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And the sons of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew a sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.


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Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed. Every one could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.


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And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew a sword. All these were men of war.


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And the sons of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. And they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the sons of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first.


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And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin. And the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.


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And the sons of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty-two thousand men.


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And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.


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And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until evening. And they asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.


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And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the sons of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew the sword.


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Then all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until evening, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.


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And the sons of Israel asked of Jehovah (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,


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and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the sons of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver him into thy hand.


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And the sons of Israel went up against the sons of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.


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And the sons of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. And they began to smite and kill of the people as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in the field about thirty men of Israel.


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And the sons of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us as at the first. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.


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And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the ambushment of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.


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And there came opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe, but they knew not that evil was close upon them.


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And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel, and the sons of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand and a hundred men. All these drew the sword.


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So the sons of Benjamin saw that they were smitten, for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin because they trusted to the ambushment whom they had set against Gibeah.


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And the ambushment hastened, and rushed upon Gibeah. And the ambushment drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.


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Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushment was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.


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And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons, for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battle.


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But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven.


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And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that evil had come upon them.


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Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness. But the battle followed hard after them, and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of it.


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They enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trod them down at their resting-place, as far as opposite Gibeah toward the sunrise.


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And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.


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So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of valor.


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


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And the men of Israel turned again upon the sons of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the cattle, and all that they found. Moreover they set on fire all the cities which they found.


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Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to Benjamin to wife.


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And the people came to Bethel, and sat there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept bitterly.


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And they said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.


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And the sons of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that did not come up in the assembly to Jehovah? For they had made a great oath concerning him who did not come up to Jehovah to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.


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And the sons of Israel regretted for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.


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What shall we do for wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?


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And they said, Which one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Jehovah to Mizpah? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.


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For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.


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And the congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.


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And this is the thing that ye shall do: Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that has lain by man.


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And 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 to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.


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And the whole congregation sent and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them.


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And Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead. And even so they were not sufficient for them.


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


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And they said, There must be an inheritance for those who are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.


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However we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.


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And they said, Behold, there is a feast of Jehovah from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.


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and watch. And, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch for you every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.


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And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, that we will say to them, Grant them graciously to us, because we took not for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did ye give them to them, else ye would now be guilty.


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And the sons of Benjamin did so, and took for them wives, according to their number, of those who danced, whom they carried off. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them.


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And the sons of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.


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And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.


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And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.


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And they took wives for them of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth, and they dwelt there about ten years.


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And Mahlon and Chilion died, both of them, and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.


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Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread.


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And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.


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


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


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And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters. Why will ye go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


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Turn again, 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 ye therefore delay till they were grown? Would ye therefore stay from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Jehovah has gone forth against me.


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And they lifted up their voices, and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.


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And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Return thou after thy sister-in-law.


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And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee, for where thou go, I will go, and where thou lodge, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.


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Where thou die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts thee and me.


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So those two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they came to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the women said, Is this Naomi?


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And she said to them, Call me not Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.


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I went out full, and Jehovah has brought me home again empty. Why do ye call me Naomi, seeing Jehovah 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 barley harvest.


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And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.


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And 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 favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.


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And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And her chance was to land on the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.


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And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they answered him, Jehovah bless thee.


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And the servant who was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabite damsel who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.


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And she said, Let me glean, I pray you, and gather behind the reapers among the sheaves. So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she tarried a little in the house.


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Then Boaz said to Ruth, Do thou not hear, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pass from here, but abide here close by my maidens.


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Let thine eyes be on the field that they reap, and go thou after them. Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? And when thou are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of 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 favor in thy sight that thou should take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?


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And Boaz answered and said to her, It has been fully shown me all that thou have done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband, and how thou have left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and have come to a people that thou knew not formerly.


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Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou have come to take refuge.


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Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, because thou have comforted me, and because thou have spoken kindly to thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.


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And at mealtime Boaz said to her, Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers, and they passed her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left of it.


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And when she arose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her.


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And also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and do not rebuke 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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And she took it up, and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. And she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was satisfied.


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And her mother-in-law said to her, Where have thou gleaned today? And where have thou worked? Blessed be he who took knowledge of thee. And 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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And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of our near kinsmen.


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And Ruth the Moabitess said, Yes, he said to me, Thou shall keep close by my young men until they have ended all my harvest.


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


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So she kept close by the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest. And she dwelt with her mother-in-law.


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And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?


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And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing-floor.


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Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor. But do not make thyself known to the man until he shall have done eating and drinking.


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And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shall notice the place where he shall lie. And thou shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lie thee down. And he will tell thee what thou shall do.


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


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And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself, and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.


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And he said, Who are thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid, for thou are a near kinsman.


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And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter. Thou have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou did not follow young men, whether poor or rich.


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And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou say, for all the city of my people know that thou are a worthy woman.


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Remain this night, and it shall be in the morning that if he will perform to thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then I will do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Jehovah lives. Lie down until the morning.


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And she lay at his feet until the morning. And she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.


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And he said, Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her, and he went into the city.


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And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who are thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.


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And she said, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law.


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Then she said, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not rest until he has finished the thing this day.


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Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. And, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, to whom he said, Such man, stay, turn aside. Sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.


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And he said to the near kinsman, Naomi, who has come again out of the country of Moab, sells the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.


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And I thought to disclose it to thee, saying, Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou will redeem it, redeem it, but if thou will not redeem it, then tell me that I may know, for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.


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Then Boaz said, That day thou buy the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.


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And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself lest I mar my own inheritance. Take thou my right of redemption on thee, for I cannot 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 drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor. And this was the manner of attestation in Israel.


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And Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, 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 upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. Ye are witnesses this day.


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And all the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that has come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel, and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.


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And let thy house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee by this young woman.


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


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And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who has not left thee this day without a near kinsman. And let his name be famous in Israel.


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And he shall be to thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loves thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has borne him.


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And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.


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Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill-country of Ephraim. And his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.


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


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And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Jehovah, were there.


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And 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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And as he did so year by year when she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her. Therefore she wept, and did not eat.


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And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do thou weep? And why do thou not eat? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?


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So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah.


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And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou will indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but will give to thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.


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


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And Hannah answered and said, 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 Jehovah.


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Count not thy handmaid for an iniquitous woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken until now.


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Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou have asked of him.


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And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more sad.


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And they rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembered her.


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And it came to pass, when the time came about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.


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


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But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, Not until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and abide there forever.


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And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to thee. Remain until thou have weaned him, only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman remained and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.


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And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Jehovah in Shiloh, and the child was young.


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And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by thee here, praying to Jehovah.


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Therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he lives he is granted to Jehovah. And he worshiped Jehovah there.


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And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart exults in Jehovah. My horn is exalted in Jehovah. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in thy salvation.


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There is none holy as Jehovah, for there is none besides thee, neither is there any rock like our God.


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Talk no more so very proudly. Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.


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Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. Yea, the barren has borne seven, and she who has many sons 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 rulers, and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, and 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 by strength no man shall prevail.


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Those who strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in heaven. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, and he will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.


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And 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 flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand,


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and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took with it. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.


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And before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have boiled flesh from thee, but raw.


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And if the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as thy soul desires, then he would say, No, but thou shall give it to me now, and if not, I will take it by force.


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And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah, for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.


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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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And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed by this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went to their own home.


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And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.


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Now Eli was very old. And he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.


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If one man sins against another, God shall judge him, but if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they did not hearken to the voice of their father, because Jehovah intended to kill them.


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And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus says Jehovah, Did I reveal myself to the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?


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And did I 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? And did I give to the house of thy father all the offerings of the sons of Israel made by fire?


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Why do ye kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people?


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Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever, but now Jehovah says, Be it far from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.


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Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.


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And thou shall see an enemy in my habitation, in all that I shall give Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house forever.


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And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart. And all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.


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And this shall be the sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they shall die, both of them.


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And I will raise up for me a faithful priest who shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build for him a sure house, and he shall walk before my anointed forever.


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And it shall come to pass, that everyone who is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices that I may eat a morsel of bread.


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And the child Samuel served Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.


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And it came to pass 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 was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down in the temple of Jehovah where the ark of God was,


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And he ran to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he said, I did not call. Lie down again. And he went and lay down.


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And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And he answered, I did not call, my son. Lie down again.


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And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am, for thou called me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called the child.


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Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shall say, Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.


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And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant hears.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.


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In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the 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 upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.


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And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.


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And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.


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And he said, What is the thing that Jehovah has spoken to thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to thee.


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And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is Jehovah. Let him do what seems him good.


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And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.


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And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.


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And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.


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And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.


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And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among 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 Jehovah of hosts, 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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And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.


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And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What is the meaning of the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah came into the camp.


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And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing heretofore.


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


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


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And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his tent. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.


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


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And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.


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And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What does the noise of this tumult mean? And the man hastened, and came and told Eli.


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And the man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?


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And he who brought the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. And thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.


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And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from 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. And he had judged Israel forty years.


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And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth, for her pains came upon her.


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And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Fear not, for thou have brought forth a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.


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


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


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And when they arose early on the morning of the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of Dagon was left to him.


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Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.


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But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders of it.


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


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


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And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great discomfiture. And he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out upon them.


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So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to 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 again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.


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And the men who did not die were smitten with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.


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And the Philistines called for the priests and the psychics, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? Show us with what we shall sent it to its place.


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And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return for him a trespass offering. Then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.


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Then they said, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.


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Therefore ye shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land. And ye shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.


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


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Now therefore take and prepare for you a new cart, and two milk cows on which there has come no yoke. And tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them.


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And take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart. And put the jewels of gold, which ye return to him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side of it, and send it away, that it may go.


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And watch. If it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he has done to us this great evil, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.


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And the men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.


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And they put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.


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And the cows took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines went behind them to the border of Beth-shemesh.


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


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And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there where there was a great stone. And they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Jehovah.


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And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Jehovah.


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And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one.


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And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone on which they set down the ark of Jehovah, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.


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And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah. He smote of the people fifty thousand and seventy men. And the people mourned, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter.


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And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up from us?


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And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Jehovah. Come ye down, and fetch it up to you.


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


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And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long, for it was twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.


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


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And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.


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And when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.


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And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried to Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answered him.


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And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel, but Jehovah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them, and they were smitten down before Israel.


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And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until they came under Beth-car.


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Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Jehovah has helped us to now.


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


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And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath. And Israel delivered the border of it out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


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


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And his return was to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to Jehovah.


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Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.


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And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.


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And they said to him, Behold, thou are old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.


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But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.


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According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to thee.


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Now therefore hearken to their voice. However thou shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.


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And he said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.


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And he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. And he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.


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And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.


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And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.


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And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.


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And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.


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But the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us


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


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make for them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.


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Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.


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And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and fine looking. And there was not among the sons of Israel a man better looking than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.


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And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the donkeys.


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And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.


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


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And he said to him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey on which we go.


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Then Saul said to his servant, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What have we?


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And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.


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(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)


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Then Saul said to his servant, Well said. Come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.


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As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here?


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And they answered them, and said, He is. Behold, he is before thee. Make haste now, for he has come today into the city, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.


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As soon as ye have come into the city, ye shall straightaway find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice, and afterwards those who are bidden eat. Now therefore get you up, for at this time ye shall find him.


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And they went up to the city. And as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.


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Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. And he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.


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And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to thee! This man shall have authority over my people.


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Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.


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


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And as for thy donkeys that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them, for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?


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And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speak thou to me according to this manner?


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And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty men.


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And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.


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And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before thee and eat, because it has been kept for thee to the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.


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And when they came down from the high place into the city, he conversed with Saul upon the housetop.


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And they arose early. And it came to pass about the dawning of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.


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As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.


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Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah has anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?


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When thou are departed from me today, then thou shall find two men by Rachel's sepulcher in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. And they will say to thee, The donkeys which thou went to seek are found, and, lo, thy father has left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?


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Then thou shall go on forward from there, and thou shall come to the oak of Tabor. And there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine.


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And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shall receive from their hand.


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After that thou shall come to the hill of God where is the garrison of the Philistines. And it shall come to pass, when thou have come there to the city, that thou shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them, and they will be prophesying.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man.


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And let it be, when these signs have come to thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee, for God is with thee.


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And thou shall go down before me to Gilgal. And, behold, I will come down to thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Thou shall tarry seven days till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shall do.


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And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all those signs came to pass that day.


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And when they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him. And the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.


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And it came to pass, when all who knew him formerly saw, that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And a man from the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, Where did ye go? And he said, To seek the donkeys, and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.


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And 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 did not tell him.


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And he said to the sons of Israel, Thus says Jehovah, 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 ye have this day rejected your God who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses, and ye have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.


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And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near 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 Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come here? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the baggage.


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And they ran and fetched him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.


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And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Live, O king!


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Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.


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And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah, and mighty men went with him, whose hearts God had touched.


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But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.


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Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.


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And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out, and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.


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And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel, and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.


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Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.


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And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field, and Saul said, What troubles the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.


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And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was greatly kindled.


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And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth behind Saul and behind Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.


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And he numbered them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.


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And they said to the messengers who came, Thus ye shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.


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Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and ye shall do with us all that seems good to you.


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And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it came to pass, that those who remained were scattered so that not two of them were left together.


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And the people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death.


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And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today Jehovah has wrought deliverance in Israel.


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And all the people went to Gilgal. And there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal, and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.


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And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you.


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And now, behold, the king walks before you. And I am old and gray headed, and, behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth to this day.


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Here I am. Witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? And I will restore it to you.


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And they said, Thou have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have thou taken anything of any man's hand.


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And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.


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And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who 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 Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.


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


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


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And they cried to Jehovah, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.


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And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt in safety.


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And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, when Jehovah your God was your king.


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Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for. And, behold, Jehovah has set a king over you.


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If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then both ye and also the king who reigns over you shall be followers of Jehovah your God.


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But if ye will not hearken to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you as it was against your fathers.


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Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah that he may send thunder and rain, and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah in asking a king for you.


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


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And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to Jehovah thy God that we not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask a king for us.


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And Samuel said to the people, Fear not. Ye have indeed done all this evil, yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.


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For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you a people to himself.


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Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and the right way.


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Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you.


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Saul chose for him three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and on the mount of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.


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And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.


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And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.


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And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude. And they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.


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When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in 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 as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.


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And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.


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


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And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.


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And Samuel said, What have thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash,


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therefore I said, Now the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah. I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Thou have done foolishly. Thou have not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee. For now Jehovah would have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever,


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but now thy kingdom shall not continue. Jehovah has sought for him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou have not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.


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And Samuel arose, and got up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.


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And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.


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And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual,


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and another company turned the way to Beth-horon, and another company turned the way of the border that looks down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


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Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make for them swords or spears,


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but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.


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Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.


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So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But with Saul and with Jonathan his son there was found.


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Now it fell upon a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on yonder side. But he did not tell his father.


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And Saul abode in the outermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men,


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and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.


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And between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. And the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.


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The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.


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And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Jehovah will work for us, for there is no limitation to Jehovah to save by many or by few.


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And his armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart. Turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.


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If they say thus to us, Tarry until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.


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But if they say thus, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has delivered them into our hand, and this shall be the sign to us.


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And both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.


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And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.


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And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed them after him.


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And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.


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And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled. And the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling.


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And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went here and there.


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Then Saul said to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who has gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.


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And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the sons of Israel.


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And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hand.


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And Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.


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Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as formerly, and who went up with them into the camp, from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.


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Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed close after them in the battle.


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And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.


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And when the people came to the forest, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.


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But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath, therefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.


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Then one of the people answered, and said, Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day, and the people were faint.


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Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey.


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How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines.


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And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint,


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and the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.


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Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, ye have dealt treacherously. Roll a great stone to me this day.


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And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat. And sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.


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And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatever seems good to thee. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.


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And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.


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And Saul said, Draw near here, all ye chiefs of the people, and know and see how this sin has been this day.


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For, as Jehovah lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.


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Then he said to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to thee.


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Therefore Saul said to Jehovah, the God of Israel, Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, but the people escaped.


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Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. And, lo, I must die.


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And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it. As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he did not die.


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Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he put them to the worse.


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And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them.


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Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.


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And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


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And there was great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou to the voice of the words of Jehovah.


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Thus says Jehovah of hosts, I have remembered that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way when he came up out of Egypt.


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Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.


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


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And Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for ye showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


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And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


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But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.


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I regret that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And Samuel was angry, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.


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And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set up for him a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.


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And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah. I have performed the commandment of Jehovah.


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And Samuel said, What then means this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?


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And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed.


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Then Samuel said to Saul, Stop, and I will tell thee what Jehovah has said to me this night. And he said to him, Say on.


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And Samuel said, Though thou were little in thine own sight, were thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel.


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And Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.


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Why then did thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but did fly upon the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?


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And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


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But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.


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And Samuel said, Has Jehovah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.


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For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou have rejected the word of Jehovah, he has also rejected thee from being king.


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And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.


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And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou have rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected thee from being king over Israel.


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And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and has given it to a neighbor of thine, who is better than thou.


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Then he said, I have sinned. Yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God.


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Then Samuel said, Bring ye here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.


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And Samuel said, As thy sword has made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.


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And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will thou mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and go. I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for me a king among his sons.


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And Samuel said, How do I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.


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And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shall do. And thou shall anoint to me him whom I name to thee.


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And Samuel did that which Jehovah spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Do thou come peaceably?


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And he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.


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And it came to pass, when they came, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.


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But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For Jehovah sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.


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Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this man.


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And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these men.


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And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all thy sons here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.


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And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance, and fine to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he.


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Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.


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Let our lord now command thy servants, who are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp. And it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shall be well.


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Then one of the young men answered, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely man, and Jehovah is with him.


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And Jesse took a donkey with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.


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And David came to Saul, and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.


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And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.


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And it came to pass, when the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.


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Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle. And they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.


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And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.


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And 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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And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.


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And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail. And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.


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And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.


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And he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why have ye come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.


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If he is able to fight with me, and kill me, then we will be your servants, but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then ye shall be our servants, and serve us.


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And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.


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And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.


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Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name was Jesse. And he had eight sons, and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men.


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And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.


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And Jesse said to David his son, Take now for thy brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to thy brothers.


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And bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. And look how thy brothers fare, and take their pledge.


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Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.


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And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the place of the wagons as the army which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle.


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And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and saluted his brothers.


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And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words, and David heard them.


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And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man who has come up? Surely to defy Israel he has come up. And it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.


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And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?


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And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that kills him.


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And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why have thou come down? And with whom have thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the mischief of thy heart, for thou have come down that thou might see the battle.


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And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner, and the people answered him again after the former manner.


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And when the words were heard which David spoke, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him.


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And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.


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And Saul said to David, Thou are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.


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And David said to Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep, and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,


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I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and killed him.


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Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.


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And David said, Jehovah who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee.


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And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.


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And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he attempted to go, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. And David put them off of him.


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And he took his staff in his hand, and chose for him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet. And his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.


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And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.


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And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that thou come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.


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And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field.


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Then David said to the Philistine, Thou come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou have defied.


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This day Jehovah will deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee. And I will give the dead bodies of the armies of the Philistines this day to the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,


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and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand.


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And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.


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And David put his hand in his bag, and took from there a stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.


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So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.


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Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.


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And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines until thou come to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.


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And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.


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And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul lives, O king, I cannot tell.


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And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.


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And Saul said to him, Whose son are thou, young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.


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And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.


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And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his belt.


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And David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.


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And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.


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And the women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.


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And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands, and what can he have more but the kingdom?


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as he did day by day, and Saul had his spear in his hand.


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And Saul cast the spear, for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David turned away from his presence twice.


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Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.


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And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to thee for a wife. Only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.


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And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?


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But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.


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And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, Thou shall this day be my son-in-law a second time.


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And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Converse with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.


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And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?


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And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


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And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired.


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And David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.


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Then the rulers of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious.


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And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.


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And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill thee. Now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself.


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And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou are, and I will converse with my father of thee, and if I see anything, I will tell thee.


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And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against thee, and because his works have been very good toward thee.


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For he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all Israel. Thou saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will thou sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?


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And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan. And Saul swore, As Jehovah lives, he shall not be put to death.


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And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as beforetime.


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And there was war again. And David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him.


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And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing with his hand.


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And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall. And David fled, and escaped that night.


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And Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou will be slain.


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And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes.


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And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.


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And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at the head of it.


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And Saul said to Michal, Why have thou deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go. Why should I kill thee?


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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. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.


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And 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 upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.


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And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.


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Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.


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And he went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


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And he also 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?


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And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeks my life?


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And he said to him, Far from it. Thou shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me, and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.


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And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father knows well that I have found favor in thine eyes, and he says, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But truly as Jehovah lives, and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.


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And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.


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If thy father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.


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If he says thus, It is well. Thy servant shall have peace. But if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.


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Therefore deal kindly with thy servant, for thou have brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee. But if there be in me iniquity, kill me thyself, for why should thou bring me to thy father?


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And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee, for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would I not tell it to thee?


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And Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.


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And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah, the God of Israel-when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send to thee, and disclose it to thee?


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Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I not disclose it to thee, and send thee away that thou may go in peace. And Jehovah be with thee as he has been with my father.


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but also thou shall not cut off thy kindness from my house forever. No, not when Jehovah has cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.


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So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.


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And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to 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 thou will be missed because thy seat will be empty.


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And when thou have stayed three days, thou shall go down quickly, and come to the place where thou hid thyself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel.


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And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them, and come, for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah lives.


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But if I say thus to the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, go thy way, for Jehovah has sent thee away.


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And concerning the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me forever.


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And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall, and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.


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Nevertheless Saul spoke nothing that day, for he thought, Something has befallen him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.


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And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has the son of Jesse not come in to the food, neither yesterday, nor today?


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And he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me. And now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brothers. Therefore he has not come to the king's table.


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Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that thou have chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?


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For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, thou shall not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.


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And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? What has he done?


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And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him. By this Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father 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 done him shame.


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And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.


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And he said to his lad, Run, now find the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.


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And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?


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And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.


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And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. And they kissed each other, and wept one with another until David surpassed him.


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And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, inasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, forever. And he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.


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Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, Why are thou alone, and no man with thee?


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And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send thee, and what I have commanded thee, and I have assigned the young men to such and such a place.


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Now therefore what is under thy hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present.


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And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread. If only the young men have kept themselves from women.


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And David answered the priest, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days. When I came out the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?


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So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before Jehovah to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.


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Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the foremost of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.


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And David said to Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.


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And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou killed in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If thou will take that, take it, for there is no other except that here. And David said, There is none like that. Give it to me.


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And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?


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And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.


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Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?


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David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.


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And every man who was in distress, and every man who was in debt, and every man who was discontented, gathered themselves to him, and he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.


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And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.


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And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.


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And the prophet Gad said to David, Abide not in the stronghold. Depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.


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And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. 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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And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,


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that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse? And there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.


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Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.


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And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.


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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 came to the king, all of them.


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And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou 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 at this day?


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Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?


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Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me. Let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for thy servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.


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And the king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah.


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And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen ephod.


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And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, sons and sucklings, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.


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And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.


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Abide thou with me. Fear not, for he who seeks my life seeks thy life, for with me thou shall be in safeguard.


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And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.


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Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.


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And David's men said to him, Behold, 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 Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.


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And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.


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And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.


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And it was told Saul that David came to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars.


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And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him, and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring here the ephod.


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Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant has surely heard that Saul seeks 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 thy servant has heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.


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Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up.


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Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, and he ceased to go forth.


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And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.


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And David saw that Saul came out to seek his life, and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the forest.


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And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the forest, and strengthened his hand in God.


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And he said to him, Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee. And thou shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to thee. And that, Saul my father also knows.


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And those two made a covenant before Jehovah. And David abode in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house.


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Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?


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Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down, and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.


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Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he deals very shrewdly.


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See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come ye again to me of a certainty. And I will go with you, and it shall come to pass, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.


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And they arose, and went to Ziph before 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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And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David. Therefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.


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And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain. And David made haste to get away for fear of Saul. For Saul and his men encompassed David and his men round about to take them.


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But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Hasten thee, and come, for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.


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So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.


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And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, 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 upon the rocks of the wild goats.


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And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.


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And the men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shall do to him as it shall seem good to thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.


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And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since he is Jehovah's anointed.


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So David restrained his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.


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David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.


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Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave. And some bade me kill thee, but I spared thee. And I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed.


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Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand, for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not. Know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou hunt after my life to take it.


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Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee, but my hand shall not be upon thee.


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As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness, but my hand shall not be upon thee.


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After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom do thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.


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Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.


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And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.


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And he said to David, Thou are more righteous than I, for thou have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to thee evil.


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And thou have declared this day how that thou have dealt well with me, inasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killed me not.


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For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away well? Therefore Jehovah reward thee good for that which thou have done to me this day.


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And now, behold, I know that thou shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.


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Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that thou will not cut off my seed after me, and that thou will not destroy my name out of my father's house.


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And Samuel died. And all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.


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And there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel. And the man was very great in goods, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


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Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance, but the man was churlish and evil in his doings, and he was of the house of Caleb.


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And David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.


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And thus ye shall say to him who lives in prosperity, Peace be to thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be to all that thou have.


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And now I have heard that thou have shearers. Thy shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them all the while they were in Carmel.


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Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee. Therefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes, for we come in a good day. Give, I pray thee, whatever comes to thy hand to thy servants, and to thy son David.


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And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.


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And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants now-a-days who break away every man from his master.


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Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men of whom I know not from where they are?


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So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words.


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And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And there went up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred abode by the baggage.


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But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master, and he railed at them.


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But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither did we miss anything as long as we went with them when we were in the fields.


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Now therefore know and consider what thou will do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house. For he is such a worthless fellow that a man cannot speak to him.


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Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.


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And she said to her young men, Go on before me, behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.


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And it was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.


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Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him, and he has returned me evil for good.


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God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertains to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.


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And when Abigail saw David, she hastened, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.


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And she fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity, and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.


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Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord whom thou sent.


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Now therefore, my lord, as Jehovah lives, and as thy soul lives, since Jehovah has withheld thee from blood guiltiness, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.


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And now this present which thy servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.


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Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid. For Jehovah will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.


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And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God. And the souls of thine enemies, them he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.


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And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee prince over Israel,


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that this shall be no grief to thee, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that thou have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.


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And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me,


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and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, who have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.


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For in very deed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, lives, who has withheld me from hurting thee, unless thou had hastened and come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one man-child.


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So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. And he said to her, Go up in peace to thy house. See, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.


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And Abigail came to Nabal, and, behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.


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And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.


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And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil, and the evil-doing of Nabal Jehovah has returned upon his own head. And David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.


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And when the servants of David came to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee to him to wife.


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And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.


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And Abigail hastened, and arose, and rode upon a donkey, with five of her damsels who followed her. And she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.


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And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?


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Then Saul arose, and 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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And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.


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And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. And Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around about him.


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Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.


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So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the people lay round about him.


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Then said Abishai to David, God has delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day. Now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.


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And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not, for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?


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And David said, As Jehovah lives, Jehovah will smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.


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Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed. But now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.


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So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head, and they got away. And no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen upon them.


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Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off, a great space being between them.


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And David cried out to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answer thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are thou that cries to the king?


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And David said to Abner, Are not thou a valiant man? And who is like to thee in Israel? Why then have thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? For there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.


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This thing is not good that thou have done. As Jehovah lives, ye are worthy to die because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.


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And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.


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And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?


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Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah who has stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering, but if it be the sons of men, cursed be they before Jehovah. For they have driven me out this day that I should not cling to the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.


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Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Jehovah. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when a man hunts a partridge in the mountains.


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Then Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm because my life was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.


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And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! Let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.


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And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness, inasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed.


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And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.


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Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David. Thou shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.


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And 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, and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel, so I shall escape out of his hand.


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And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.


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And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.


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And David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country that I may dwell there, for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?


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And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.


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And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old as thou go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.


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And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the apparel, and he returned, and came to Achish.


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And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid today? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.


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And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has dwelt in the country of the Philistines.


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And Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant forever.


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And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shall go out with me in the army, thou and thy men.


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And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shall know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make thee my chief bodyguard forever.


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Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.


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And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.


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And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.


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Then Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor.


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And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night, and he said, Divine to me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to thee.


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And the woman said to him, Behold, thou know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?


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And Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.


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And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have thou deceived me? For thou are Saul.


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And the king said to her, Be not afraid, for what do thou see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.


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And he said to her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man comes up, and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Why have thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called thee, that thou may make known to me what I shall do.


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And Samuel said, Why then do thou ask of me, since Jehovah departed from thee, and has become thine adversary?


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And Jehovah has done to thee, as he spoke by me. And Jehovah has torn the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.


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Because thou obeyed not the voice of Jehovah, and did not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore Jehovah has done this thing to thee this day.


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Moreover Jehovah will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. Jehovah will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


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Then Saul fell straightaway his full length upon the earth, and was greatly afraid because of the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.


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And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was greatly troubled, and said to him, Behold, thy handmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to thy words which thou spoke to me.


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Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also to the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee, and eat, that thou may have strength when thou go on thy way.


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But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him, and he hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the ground, and sat upon the bed.


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And the woman had a fatted calf in the house. And she hastened, and killed it, and she took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it.


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And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.


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Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel.


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And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.


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Then the rulers of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day?


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But the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him. And the rulers of the Philistines said to him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what does this man reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men?


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Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?


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Then Achish called David, and said to him, As Jehovah lives, thou have been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the army is good in my sight, for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming to me to this day. Nevertheless the lords do not favor thee.


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And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have thou found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


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And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou are good in my sight, as an agent of God, notwithstanding the rulers of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.


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Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, and as soon as ye are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.


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So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


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And it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,


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and had taken captive the women and all that were in it, both small and great. They did not kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.


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And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire. And their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.


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Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.


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And David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.


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And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me here the ephod. And Abiathar brought there the ephod to David.


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And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for thou shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all.


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So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.


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But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.


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And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread. And he ate, and they gave him water to drink.


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And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him, for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.


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And David said to him, To whom do thou belong? And from where are thou? And 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 upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongs to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.


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And David said to him, Will thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God, that thou will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.


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And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and 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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And David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And there escaped not a man of them, except four hundred young men who rode upon camels and fled.


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And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them; David brought back all.


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And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.


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And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor. And they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people, he saluted them.


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Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows of those who went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered except to every man his wife and his children that he may lead them away, and depart.


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Then David said, Ye shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.


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And who will hearken to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle so shall his share be who remains by the baggage; they shall share alike.


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And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.


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And when David came to Ziklag, he sent from the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah:


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to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir,


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and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,


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and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,


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and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach,


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and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to frequent.


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Now the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.


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And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.


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And the battle went severely against Saul, and the archers overtook him, and he was greatly distressed because of the archers.


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Then Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.


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And when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.


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And 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 fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled. And the Philistines came and dwelt in them.


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And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.


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And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people.


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And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.


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And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him, that which the Philistines had done to Saul,


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all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.


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And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.


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And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag,


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it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head. And so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance.


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And David said to him, From where did thou come? And he said to him, I escaped out of the camp of Israel.


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And David said to him, How did the matter go? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead.


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And David said to the young man who told him, How do thou know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?


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And the young man who told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed close after him.


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And he said to me, Stand, I pray thee, 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 he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.


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And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they were fallen by the sword.


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And David said to the young man who told him, From where are thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.


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And David said to him, Why were thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?


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And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him so that he died.


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And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.


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(and he bade them teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):


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Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.


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Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.


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From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.


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Saul and Jonathan, men who were loved and pleasant, undivided; comely in their lives, and undivided in their death; swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.


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Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.


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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan. Very pleasant thou have been to me. Thy love to me was wonderful, exceeding the love of women.


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And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And 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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And David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.


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And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were those who buried Saul.


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And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.


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And now Jehovah show loving kindness and truth to you. And I also will reward you this kindness because ye have done this thing.


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Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.


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Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim.


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And he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.


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Ish-bosheth, 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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And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


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And 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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And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.


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Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.


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And each man caught his fellow 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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And the battle was very severe that day. And Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.


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And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.


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And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.


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And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.


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And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me. Why should I smite thee to the ground? How then would I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?


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However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him. And he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, 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 came to the hill of Ammah that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.


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And the sons 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 for ever? Know thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before thou bid the people return from following their brothers?


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And Joab said, As God lives unless thou had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every man from following his brother.


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So Joab blew the trumpet. And all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.


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And 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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And 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 smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.


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And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.


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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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and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite, and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur,


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And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.


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Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have thou gone in to my father's concubine?


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Then Abner was very angry for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? This day I show kindness to the house of Saul thy father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, and yet thou 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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And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? And saying, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee to bring about all Israel to thee.


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And he said, Well! I will make a league with thee, but one thing I require of thee. That is, thou shall not see my face unless thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou come to see my face.


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And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver to me my wife Michal whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.


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And 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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And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you.


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Now then do it, for Jehovah 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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And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner also went 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. And David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.


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And 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 thee, and that thou may reign over all that thy soul desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.


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And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, 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 that was with him came, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.


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Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have thou done? Behold, Abner came to thee. Why is it that thou have sent him away, and he is quite gone?


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Thou know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou do.


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And when Joab came out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah, but David knew it not.


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And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.


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And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.


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Let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house. And 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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And David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.


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And 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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Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the sons of iniquity, so did thou fall. And all the people wept again over him.


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And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day, but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun is down.


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And 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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And the king said to his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?


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And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. Jehovah reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.


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And 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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And 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 sons of Benjamin, for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin.


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Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in 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 came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.


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And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon.


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And they came there into the midst of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they smote 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 bedchamber, they smote 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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And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life. And Jehovah has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.


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And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,


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when he who told me, saying, 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 evil men have slain a righteous man in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?


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And 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 Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.


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Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.


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In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou who led out and brought in Israel. And Jehovah said to thee, Thou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou 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 Jehovah, 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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And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Unless thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shall not come in here, thinking, David cannot come in here.


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And David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and smite the lame and the blind, the hated by David's soul, because the blind and the lame say, He cannot come into the house.


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And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.


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And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they built David a house.


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And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.


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And David took for him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.


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And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,


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And 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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And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.


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And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there. And he said, Jehovah 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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And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shall not go up. Make a circuit behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.


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And it shall be, when thou hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shall bestir thyself, for then Jehovah has gone out before thee to smite the army of the Philistines.


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And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.


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And 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 Jehovah of hosts who sits above the cherubim.


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And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.


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And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.


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And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah with all manner of instruments of fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals.


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And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth to the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.


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And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error, and he died there by the ark of God.


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And David was displeased, because Jehovah had broken forth upon Uzzah. And he called that place Perez-uzzah, to this day.


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So David would not remove the ark of Jehovah to him into the city of David, but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


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And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.


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And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God. And 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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And it was so, that, when those who bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.


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So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.


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And it was so, as the ark of Jehovah 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 Jehovah, and she despised him in her heart.


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And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, 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 Jehovah.


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And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.


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And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion of flesh, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.


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Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel 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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And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over Israel. Therefore I will play before Jehovah.


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And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own sight, but of the handmaids of whom thou have spoken, of them I shall be had in honor.


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And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about,


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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 dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.


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In all places in which I have walked with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built for me a house of cedar?


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Now therefore thus thou shall say to my servant David, Thus says Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, that thou should be prince over my people, over Israel.


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And I have been with thee wherever thou went, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee. And I will make thee a great name, like the name of the great ones that are on the earth.


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And 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 sons of iniquity 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, and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah tells thee that Jehovah will make thee a house.


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When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy bowels, 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 sons 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 thee.


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And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure forever before thee; thy throne shall be established forever.


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Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah. And he said, Who am I, O lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that thou have brought me thus far?


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And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O lord Jehovah, but thou have spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and this too according to the manner of men, O lord Jehovah!


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For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, thou have wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.


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Therefore thou are great, O Jehovah God, for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


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And what one nation on the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for thy land, before thy people whom thou redeemed to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?


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And thou established to thyself thy people Israel to be a people to thee forever, and thou, Jehovah, became their God.


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And now, O Jehovah God, the word that thou have spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as thou have spoken.


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And let thy name be magnified forever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel, and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee.


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For thou, O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house. Therefore thy servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee.


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And now, O lord Jehovah, thou are God, and thy words are truth, and thou have promised this good thing to thy servant.


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Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee, for thou, O lord Jehovah, have spoken it. And with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.


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And after this it came to pass, that David smote 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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And he smote 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. And the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.


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David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.


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And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots.


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And when the Syrians of Damascus came to aid Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote 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. And Jehovah gave victory to David wherever he went.


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And 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 salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him, for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.


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These also king David dedicated to Jehovah with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued:


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of Syria, and of Moab, and of the sons of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.


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And David got a name for him when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.


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And he put garrisons in Edom. He put garrisons throughout all Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah 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.


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And 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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And 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 thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.


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And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son who is lame in his feet.


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And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.


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And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold, thy servant!


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And David said to him, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore to thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shall eat bread at my table continually.


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And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant that thou should look upon such a dead dog as I am?


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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 I have given to thy master's son.


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And thou shall till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants. And thou shall bring in the fruits that thy master's son may have bread to eat, but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall always eat bread 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 shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, the king said, he shall eat at my table as one of the king's sons.


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And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.


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So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet.


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And it came to pass after this, that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.


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And 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. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.


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But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think thou that David honors thy father, in that he has sent comforters to thee? Has not David sent his servants to thee 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. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.


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And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.


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And the sons 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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Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.


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And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother. And he put them in array against the sons of Ammon.


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And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.


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Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And Jehovah 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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And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


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And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.


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And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head.


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And it was told David. And he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.


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And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their army so that he died there.


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And when all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the sons of Ammon any more.


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And it came to pass, 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 sons of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.


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And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?


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And 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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And when Uriah came to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.


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And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and a gift from the king followed him.


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But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.


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And when they had told David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Have thou not come from a journey? Why did thou not go down to thy house?


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And Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths, 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 thou live, and as thy soul lives, I will not do this thing.


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And David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.


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And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.


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And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.


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And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.


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And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.


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And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. And there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite died also.


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And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou have made an end of 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 says to thee, Why did ye go so near to the city to fight? Did ye not know that they would shoot from the wall?


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Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did ye go so near the wall? Then thou shall say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were upon them even to the entrance of the gate.


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And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall. And some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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Then David said to the messenger, Thus thou shall say to Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage thou him.


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And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.


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And 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 Jehovah.


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And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And 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 nourished up. And it grew up together with him, and with his sons. It ate of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.


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And there came a traveler 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 came to him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man who came to him.


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And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.


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And Nathan said to David, Thou are the man. Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul.


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And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to thee such and such things.


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Why have thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? Thou have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be thy wife, and have slain him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.


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Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.


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Thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. And I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.


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And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away thy sin; thou shall not die.


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However, because by this deed thou have given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.


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And Nathan departed to his house. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it was very sick.


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David therefore besought God for the child. And David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the ground.


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And the elders of his house arose, and stood beside him, to raise him up from the ground, but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.


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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And 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 did not hearken to our voice, how will he then vex 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? And they said, He is dead.


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Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel. And he came into the house of Jehovah, and worshiped. 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 thing is this that thou have done? Thou fasted and wept for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou arose and ate bread.


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And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who knows whether Jehovah 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.


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And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him,


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And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, 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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And he took the crown of their king from off his head. And the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones. And it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceedingly much.


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And he brought forth the people that were in it, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.


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And Amnon was so frustrated 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 sly man.


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And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are thou emaciated this way from day to day? Will thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.


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And Jonadab said to him, Lie down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick. And when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, 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 feigned himself sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.


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So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.


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And she took the pan, and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have all men out from me. And they went out every man from him.


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And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.


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And 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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And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do thou this folly.


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And I, where shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.


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However he would not hearken to her voice, but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.


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Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.


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And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her.


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Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door after her.


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And she had a garment of various colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.


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And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors 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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And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now hold thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother. Do not take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.


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And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.


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And it came to pass 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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And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant has sheep-shearers. Let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.


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And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him. However he would not go, but blessed him.


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Then Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?


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And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Notice ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant.


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And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule, and fled.


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And it came to pass, 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.


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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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And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.


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Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead, for only Amnon is dead.


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But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill-side behind him.


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And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very much.


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But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.


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And the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.


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And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman who has a long time mourned for the dead.


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And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.


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And the king said to her, What troubles thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.


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And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.


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And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who smote his brother that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.


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And 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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And the king said, Whoever says anything to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.


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Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.


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Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.


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And the woman said, Why then have thou devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as he who is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.


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For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished be not 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 thy 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 thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be gracious, for as an agent of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. And Jehovah thy God be with thee.


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Then the king answered and said to the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, anything that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.


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And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken, for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid.


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Thy servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an agent of God, to know all things that are on the earth.


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And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.


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And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king. And Joab said, Today thy servant knows that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.


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And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and did not 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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And 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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And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of a fair countenance.


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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, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. And 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 thy servants set my field on fire?


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And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It were better for me to still be there. Now therefore let me see the king's face, and if there be 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.


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And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.


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And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.


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And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.


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Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or case might come to me, and I would do for him justice!


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And 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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And on this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


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And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Jehovah, in Hebron.


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For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.


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But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.


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And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem who were invited, and went in their simplicity. And they did not know anything.


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And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.


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And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.


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And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.


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And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.


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And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all 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 thou also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for thou are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to thine own place.


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Whereas thou came but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? Return thou, and take back thy brothers. Mercy and truth be with thee.


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And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah 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 thy servant will also be.


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And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.


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And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king himself also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.


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And, lo, 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 had finished passing out of the city.


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And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation.


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But if he says thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.


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The king said also to Zadok the priest, Are thou not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.


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And 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 every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.


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And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.


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And it came to pass, that, when David came to the top of the ascent, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and dirt upon his head.


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but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king. As I have been thy father's servant in time past, so I will now be thy servant, then thou will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.


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And have thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing thou shall hear out of the king's house, thou 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 ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear.


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And when David was a little past the top of the ascent, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.


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And the king said to Ziba, What do thou mean by these? And 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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And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore for me the kingdom of my father.


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Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is thine. And Ziba said, I do obeisance. Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.


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And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, cursing as he came.


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And 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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Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou have reigned. And Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son, and, behold, thou are taken in thine own mischief because thou 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? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.


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And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have thou done so?


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And 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? Let him alone, and let him curse, for Jehovah has bidden him.


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It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me, and that Jehovah will reward me good for his cursing of me this day.


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So David and his men went by the way, and Shimei went along on the hill-side opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.


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And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Live, O king. Live, O king.


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And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why did thou not go with thy friend?


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And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will abide.


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And again, whom should I serve? Is it not in the presence of his son? As I have served in thy father's presence, so I will be in thy presence.


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And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines that he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that thou are abhorred by thy father. Then the hands of all who are with thee will be strong.


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So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.


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And 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.


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Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night.


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And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid. And all the people who are with him shall flee. And I will only smite the king,


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and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seek is as if all returned, so all the people shall be in peace.


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And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken after this manner. Shall we do after his saying? If not, speak thou.


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Hushai said moreover, Thou know thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.


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Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place. And it will come to pass, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.


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And even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that thy father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.


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But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.


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So we shall come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon 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 gotten into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river until there be not one small stone found there.


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And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.


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Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus have I counseled.


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Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Do not 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.


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Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En-rogel. And a maid-servant used to go and tell them, and they went and told king David, for they might not be seen to come into the city.


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But a lad saw them, and told Absalom. And they went away quickly, both of them, 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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And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it. And nothing was known.


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And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David. And they said to David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water, for thus Ahithophel has counseled 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 was not gone over the Jordan.


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And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and got home to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself. And he died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.


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Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.


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And 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 Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.


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And it came to pass, when David came to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,


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brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and roasted grain, and beans, and lentils, and roasted pulse,


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and honey, and butter, and 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.


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And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.


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And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and 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. And the king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.


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But the people said, Thou 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 thou are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that thou be ready to help us out of the city.


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And the king said to them, What seems best to you I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.


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And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.


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And the people of Israel were smitten 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 face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.


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And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak. And he was taken up between sky and earth, and the mule that was under him went on.


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And Joab said to the man who told him, and, behold, thou saw it, and why did thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have given thee ten pieces of silver, and a belt.


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And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king charged thee 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 hid from the king), then thou thyself would have set thyself against me.


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Then Joab said, I will not delay thus with thee. And 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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And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.


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And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every man 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 valley, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And 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 Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.


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And Joab said to him, Thou shall not be the bearer of news this day, but thou shall bear news another day. But this day thou 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 thou have seen. And 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, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will thou run, my son, seeing that thou will have no reward for the news?


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But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.


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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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And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.


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And the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also brings news.


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And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.


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And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.


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And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.


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And, behold, the Cushite came. And the Cushite said, News for my lord the king, for Jehovah has avenged thee this day of all those who rose up against thee.


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And the king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.


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And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves for his son.


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And the people slipped away that day into the city, as people who are ashamed sneak away when they flee in battle.


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And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou have shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines,


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in that thou love those who hate thee, and hate those who love thee. For thou have declared this day that rulers and servants are nothing to thee. For this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased thee well.


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Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak graciously to thy servants. For I swear by Jehovah, if thou do not go forth, there will not remain a man with thee this night. And that will be worse to thee than all the evil that has befallen thee from thy youth until now.


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Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.


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And all the people were contending 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 fled out of the land from Absalom.


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And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?


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And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to bring him to his house.


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And say ye to Amasa, Are thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou not be captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab.


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And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, Return thou, and all thy servants.


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So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.


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And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.


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And 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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And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he came over the Jordan.


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And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither remember thou that which thy 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 thy 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 and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?


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And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?


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And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had neither dressed 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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And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?


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And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For thy servant said, I will saddle for me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go with the king, because thy servant is lame.


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And he has slandered thy servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is as an agent of God; do therefore what is good in thine eyes.


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For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet thou set thy servant among those who ate at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?


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And the king said to him, Why do thou speak any more of thy matters? I say, thou and Ziba divide the land.


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And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yea, let him take all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.


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And 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 of wealth.


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And the king said to Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.


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And 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 thy 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 thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?


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Thy servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king, and why should the king recompense it to me with such a reward?


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Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, thy servant Chimham, let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what shall seem good to thee.


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And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to thee. And whatever thou shall require of me, that I will do for thee.


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And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And 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. And all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.


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And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen thee away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?


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And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost, or has he given us any gift?


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And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye. Why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be had first in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.


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And 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, O Israel.


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So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri, but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.


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And 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 ward, and provided them with sustenance, but did not 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 the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be thou here present.


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So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together, but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.


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And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.


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And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and 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. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a belt with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath of it. And as he went forth it fell out.


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And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And 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 smote him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again, and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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And there stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.


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And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And 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 everyone who came by him stood still.


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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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And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites. And they were gathered together, and also went after him.


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And 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 the wall, to throw it down.


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Then a wise woman out of the city cried out, Hear, hear. Say, I pray you, to Joab, Come near here, that I may speak with thee.


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And he came near to her, and the woman said, Are thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.


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Then she spoke, saying, They were accustomed to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel, and so they ended the matter.


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I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. Thou seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?


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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. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.


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Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And 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 task work, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,


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And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.


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And the king called the Gibeonites, and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them, and yet Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons 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 ye may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?


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And 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. And he said, What ye shall say, that I will do for you.


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And 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 Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And 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 Jehovah'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 Merab the daughter of Saul whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


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And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the mountain before Jehovah, and they fell all seven together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.


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And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven. And she neither allowed the birds of the heaven to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.


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And 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 street 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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And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulcher of Kish his father. And they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.


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And the Philistines had war again with Israel. And David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And 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 girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, Thou shall no more go out with us to battle, that thou not quench the lamp of Israel.


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And 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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And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. And Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.


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And 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.


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And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah 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 savior. Thou save me from violence.


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In my distress I called upon Jehovah. Yea, I called to my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple, and 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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There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it.


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Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.


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Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.


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Therefore Jehovah has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his eyesight.


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With the merciful thou will show thyself merciful. With the perfect man thou will show thyself perfect.


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And the afflicted people thou will save, but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou may bring them down.


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As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Jehovah is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.


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And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise. Yea, they are fallen under my feet.


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For thou have girded me with strength to the battle. Thou have subdued under me those who rose up against me.


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Then I beat them small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.


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Thou have also delivered me from the strivings of my people. Thou have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.


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and who brings me forth from my enemies. Yea, thou lift me up above those who rise up against me. Thou deliver me from the violent man.


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He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.


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Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:


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The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me. He who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,


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he 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, through clear shining after rain.


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Truly 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, though he does not make it to grow.


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But the worthless shall be as thorns to be thrust away, all of them, because they cannot be taken with the hand.


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But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.


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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, against eight hundred slain at one time.


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And 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 were gone away.


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He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And Jehovah wrought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him only to take spoil.


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And after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where 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 Jehovah wrought a great victory.


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And 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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And David longed, and said, Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!


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And 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 Jehovah.


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And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this, to drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.


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And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.


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Was he not most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.


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And 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 also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.


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And he killed an Egyptian, a good-looking 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 honorable than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David set him over his guard.


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And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.


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And the king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.


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And Joab said to the king, Now Jehovah thy God add to the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold, 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. And 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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And 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 round about 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 to and fro through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


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And Joab gave 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.


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And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done, but now, O Jehovah, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.


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And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,


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Go and speak to David, Thus says Jehovah, I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them, that I may do it to thee.


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So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to thee in thy land? Or will thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now decide, and see what answer I shall return to him who sent me.


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And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait. Let us fall now into the hand of Jehovah, for his mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man.


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So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed. And there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.


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And when the agent stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Jehovah relented of the evil, and said to the agent who destroyed the people, It is enough. Now stay thy hand. And the agent of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the agent who smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely, but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.


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And Gad came that day to David, and said to him, Go up, rear an altar to Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


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And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor from thee, to build an altar to Jehovah that the plague may be halted from the people.


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And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the oxen for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.


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All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king. And Araunah said to the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee.


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And the king said to Araunah, No, but I will truly buy it from thee at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings to Jehovah my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


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And David built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Jehovah was entreated for the land, and the plague was halted from Israel.


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Now king David was old and stricken in years, and they covered him with clothes, but he did not get warm.


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Therefore his servants said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin. And let her stand before the king, and take care of him. And let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get warmth.


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So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


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And the damsel was very fair. And she took care of the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he prepared chariots for him, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.


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And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why have thou done so? And he was also a very handsome man. And he was born after Absalom.


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And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. And, following Adonijah, they helped him.


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But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.


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And Adonijah killed sheep and oxen 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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Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it?


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Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou may save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.


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Go and get thee in to king David, and say to him, Did thou not, my lord, O king, swear to thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?


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Behold, while thou yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.


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And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.


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And she said to him, My lord, thou swore by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.


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And he has slain oxen and 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 has not called Solomon thy servant.


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And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be considered offenders.


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And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


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And Nathan said, My lord, O king, have thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?


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For he has gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, Live, king Adonijah.


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But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, he has not called.


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Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou have not shown to thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?


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Then king David answered and said, Call Bathsheba to me. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.


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truly as I swore to thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead. Surely so I will do this day.


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Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever.


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And king David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.


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And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.


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And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. And blow ye the trumpet, and say, Live, king Solomon.


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Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne, for he shall be king in my stead. And I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Truly. Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, say so too.


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As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.


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So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.


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And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, Live, king Solomon.


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And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth quivered with the sound of them.


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And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And 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 thou are a worthy man, and bring good news.


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And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule.


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And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. And they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.


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And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.


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And also thus said the king, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who has given one of my seed to sit on my throne this day, my eyes even seeing it.


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And Adonijah feared because of Solomon. And he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon, for, lo, 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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And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him 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. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, Go to thy house.


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and keep the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou may prosper in all that thou do, and wherever thou turn thyself.


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That Jehovah may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel.


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Moreover thou also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even 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 upon his belt that was about his loins, 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 thy table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.


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And, behold, there is with thee 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 swore to him by Jehovah, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.


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Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for thou are a wise man, and thou will know what thou ought to do to him, and thou shall bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood.


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And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Do thou come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.


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And he said, Thou know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned about, and has become my brother's, for it was his from Jehovah.


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And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king (for he will not say no thee), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.


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Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And 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 thee; do not deny me. And the king said to her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not deny thee.


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And king Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why do thou 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 swore by Jehovah, 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 Jehovah 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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And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Get thee to Anathoth, to thine own fields, for thou are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou bore the ark of the lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou were afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.


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So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, that he might fulfill the word of Jehovah, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


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And the news came to Joab, for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he did not turn after Absalom. And Joab fled to the tent of Jehovah, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told king Solomon, Joab has fled to the tent of Jehovah, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.


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And Benaiah came to the tent of Jehovah, and said to him, Thus says the king, Come forth. And he said, No, but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.


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And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall upon him, and bury him, that thou may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.


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And Jehovah will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know it, namely, 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 upon the head of Joab, and upon 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 Jehovah.


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Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and killed him. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.


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And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the army. And the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.


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And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Build for thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth from there anywhere.


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For on the day thou go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know thou for certain that thou shall surely die; thy blood shall be upon thine own head.


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And Shimei said to the king, The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.


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And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.


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And Shimei arose, and 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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And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Did I not adjure thee by Jehovah, and protest to thee, saying, Know for certain, that on the day thou go out, and walk abroad anywhere, thou shall surely die? And thou said to me, The saying that I have heard is good.


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The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou know all the iniquity which thy heart is privy to, what thou did to David my father. Therefore Jehovah shall return thy iniquity upon thine own head.


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But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Jehovah forever.


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So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And he went out, and fell upon him so that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.


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And 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 Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.


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Only the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Jehovah until those days.


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And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father. Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.


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And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings upon that altar.


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In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.


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And Solomon said, Thou have shown to thy servant David my father great loving kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee. And thou have kept for him this great loving kindness, that thou have given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day.


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And now, O Jehovah my God, thou have made thy servant king instead of David my father. And I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.


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And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou have chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.


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Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this thy great people?


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And God said to him, Because thou have asked this thing, and have not asked for thyself long life, neither have asked riches for thyself, nor have asked the life of thine enemies, but have asked for thyself understanding to discern justice,


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behold, I have done according to thy word. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there has been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like thee.


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And I have also given thee that which thou have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like thee all thy days.


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And if thou will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David walked, then I will lengthen thy days.


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And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.


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And the one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. And I was delivered of a child with her in the house.


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And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also. And we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, except we two in the house.


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And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.


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And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, 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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And the other woman said, No, but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And the other woman said, No, but the dead is thy 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 that lives, and thy son is the dead. And the other says, No, but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.


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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 by no means kill it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine. Divide it.


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Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and by no means kill it; she is the mother of it.


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And 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.


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and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, and the king's friend;


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and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to task work.


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And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel who provided provisions 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 pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; even to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen 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 as many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.


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And 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 fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.


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For he had dominion over all the region on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River. And he had peace on all sides round about him.


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And Judah and Israel dwelt 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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And those officers provided provisions 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 they brought to the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.


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And God gave Solomon exceedingly much wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.


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For he was wiser than all men: than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was in all the nations round about.


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And 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 beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes.


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And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.


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And 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 was ever a devotee of David.


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Thou know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Jehovah his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.


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But now Jehovah my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.


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And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy place, he shall build the house for my name.


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Now therefore command thou that they cut for me cedar trees out of Lebanon. And my servants shall be with thy servants. And I will give thee wages for thy servants according to all that thou shall say, for thou know that there is not among us any that knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.


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And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.


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And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard that which thou have sent to me. I will do all thy 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. And I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that thou shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shall receive them. And thou shall accomplish my desire in giving food for my household.


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And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil; thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.


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And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two made a league together.


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And king Solomon raised a conscription out of all Israel, and the conscription was thirty thousand men.


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And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses. They were in Lebanon a month, and at home two months. And Adoniram was over the men subject to task work.


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And Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were hewers in the mountains,


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besides Solomon's chief officers who were over the work: three thousand and three hundred who bore rule over the people that labored in the work.


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And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with shaped stone.


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And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites fashioned them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.


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And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came 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 Jehovah.


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And the house which king Solomon built for Jehovah, the length of it was sixty cubits, and the breadth of it twenty, and the height of it thirty cubits,


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and the porch in front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length of it, according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubits was the breadth of it in front of the house.


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And against the wall of the house he built stories round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle. And he made side-chambers round about.


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The lowest story 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 round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.


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And the house, when it was being built, was built of stone made ready at the quarry. And there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was being built.


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The door for the middle side-chambers was in the right side of the house. And they went up by winding stairs into the middle story, and out of the middle into the third.


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And he built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.


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Concerning this house that thou are building, if thou will walk in my statutes, and execute my ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them, then I will establish my word with thee, which I spoke to David thy father.


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And he built the walls of the house inside 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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And he built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls of the ceiling. He built them for it inside, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.


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And there was cedar on the house inside, carved with knops and open flowers. All was cedar; there was no stone seen.


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And he prepared an oracle in the midst of the house inside, to set there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah.


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And inside the oracle was a space of twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height of it. And he overlaid it with pure gold. And he covered the altar with cedar.


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So Solomon overlaid the house inside with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across before the oracle, and he overlaid it with gold.


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And the whole house he overlaid with gold until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.


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And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub. From the outermost part of the one wing to the outermost part of the other were ten cubits.


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And he set the cherubim inside 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 each another in the middle of the house.


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And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside.


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And for the entrance of the oracle 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 upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold. And he spread the gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees.


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So 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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And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers. And he overlaid them with gold fitted upon the graven work.


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And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all the parts of it, and according to all the fashion of it. So he was seven years in building it.


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For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon. The length of it was a hundred cubits, and the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.


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And it was covered with cedar above over the forty-five beams that were upon the pillars, fifteen in a row.


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And all the doors and posts were made square with beams, and window was opposite window in three ranks.


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And he made the porch of pillars. The length of it was fifty cubits, and the breadth of it thirty cubits, and a porch in front of them, and pillars and a threshold in front of them.


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And he made the porch of 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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And his house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch was of the like work. He also made a house for Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken to wife), like this porch.


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All these were of costly stones, even of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed 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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And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.


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And the great court round about had three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams, like the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and the porch of the house.


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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 workman in brass. And he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.


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For he fashioned the two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece. And a line of twelve cubits encompassed each of them around.


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And he made two capitals of molten brass to set upon 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 checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon 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 round about upon the one network to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars. And so he did for the other capital.


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And there were capitals also above upon the two pillars, close by the protuberance which was beside the network. And the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about upon the other capital.


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And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. And he set up the right pillar, and called the name of it Jachin, and he set up the left pillar, and called the name of it Boaz.


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And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height of it was five cubits. And a line of thirty cubits encompassed it round about.


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And under the brim of it round about there were knops which encompassed it, for ten cubits, encompassing the sea round about. The knops were in two rows, cast when it was cast.


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It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east. And the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.


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And it was a handbreadth thick. And the brim of it was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.


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And he made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth of it, and three cubits the height of it.


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And the work of the bases was on this manner: They had panels, and there were panels between the ledges.


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And on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And upon the ledges there was a pedestal above. And beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.


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And every base had four brazen wheels, and axles of brass. And the four corners of it had supports. Beneath the laver were the molten supports with wreaths at the side of each.


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And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit. And the mouth of it was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half. And also upon the mouth of it were engravings. And their panels were foursquare, not round.


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And the four wheels were underneath the panels. And the axletrees of the wheels were in the base. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.


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And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel. Their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten.


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And there were four supports at the four corners of each base. The supports of it were of the base itself.


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And in the top of the base there was a round band half a cubit high. And on the top of the base the ledges of it and the panels of it were of the same.


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And on the plates of the ledges of it, and on the panels of it, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.


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And he made ten basins of brass. One basin contained forty baths. And every basin was four cubits. And upon every one of the ten bases one basin.


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And 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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And Hiram made the basins, and the shovels, and the bowls. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of Jehovah:


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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 upon the pillars,


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and the pots, and the shovels, and the bowls. And all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon in the house of Jehovah were of burnished brass.


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And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because they were very many; the weight of the brass could not be found out.


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And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Jehovah: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the showbread 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 firepans, 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, namely, of the temple, of gold.


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Thus all the work that king Solomon wrought in the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated-the silver, and the gold, and the vessels-and put them in the treasuries of the house of Jehovah.


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Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion.


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And 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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And they brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; even these the priests and the Levites brought up.


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And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.


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And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to its place, into the oracle of the house, to 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 the staves of it above.


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And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle. 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 tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb when Jehovah made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.


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And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah,


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so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud, for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.


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And the king turned his face around, and blessed all the assembly of Israel. And all the assembly of Israel stood.


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And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, 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 forth 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 in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.


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But Jehovah said to David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou did well that it was in thy heart.


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Nevertheless thou shall not build the house, but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.


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And Jehovah has established his word that he spoke, for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.


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And there I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.


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And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.


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And he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with thy servants, who walk before thee with all their heart,


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who have kept with thy servant David my father that which thou did promise him. Yea, thou spoke with thy mouth, and have fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.


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Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou have promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou have walked before me.


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Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spoke to thy servant David my father.


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But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. How much less this house that I have built!


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Yet have thou respect to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken to the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prays before thee this day,


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that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place whereof thou have said, My name shall be there, to hearken to the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.


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And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and when thou hear, forgive.


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If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before thine altar in this house,


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then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy 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 thy people Israel are smitten down before the enemy because they have sinned against thee, if they turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication to thee in this house,


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then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again to the land which thou gave to their fathers.


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When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin when thou afflict them,


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then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and send rain upon thy land, which thou have given to thy people for an inheritance.


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If there be famine in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there be,


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whatever prayer and supplication be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house,


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then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou know (for thou, even thou only, know the hearts of all the sons of men),


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Moreover concerning the foreigner who is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name's sake


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(for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine outstretched arm), when he shall come and pray toward this house,


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hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to thee for, that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as does thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.


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If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way thou shall send them, and they pray to Jehovah toward the city which thou have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name,


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If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sins not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, afar off or near,


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yet if they shall rethink themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to thee 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 thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who carried them captive, and pray to thee toward their land, which thou gave to their fathers, the city which thou have chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name,


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then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their case,


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and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions by which they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them


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(for they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou brought forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);


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that thine eyes may be open to the supplication of thy servant, and to the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken to them whenever they cry to thee.


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For thou separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spoke by Moses thy servant when thou brought our fathers out of Egypt, O lord Jehovah.


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And it was so, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to Jehovah, he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.


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Blessed be Jehovah, 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, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.


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And let these my words, with which I have made supplication before Jehovah, be near to Jehovah our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require,


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Let your heart therefore be perfect with Jehovah our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.


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And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Jehovah, twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of Jehovah.


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The same day the king hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah, for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar that was before Jehovah was too little to receive the burnt offering, and 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 Jehovah 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 Jehovah had shown to David his servant, and to Israel his people.


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And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Jehovah, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,


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And Jehovah said to him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, which thou have made before me. I have hallowed this house, which thou have built, to put my name there forever. And my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.


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And as for thee, if thou will walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances,


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then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom over Israel forever, according as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.


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But if ye shall turn away from following me, ye or your sons, and not 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 hallowed 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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And though this house is so high, yet shall every man who passes by it be astonished, and shall hiss. And they shall say, Why has Jehovah done thus to this land, and to this house?


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and they shall answer, Because they forsook Jehovah their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshiped them, and served them; therefore has Jehovah brought all this evil upon them.


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And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Jehovah and the king's house


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(now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), that king Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.


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And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him. And they did not please him.


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And he said, What cities are these which thou have given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul to this day.


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And this is the reason for the conscription which king Solomon raised: to build the house of Jehovah, 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 dwelt in the city, and given it for a portion to his daughter, Solomon's wife.


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and all the store-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 sons of Israel,


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their sons who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them Solomon raised a conscription of bondservants to this day.


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But of the sons of Israel Solomon made no bondservants, but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his rulers, 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 that labored 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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And three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built to Jehovah, burning incense therewith, upon the altar that was before Jehovah. So he finished the house.


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And 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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And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.


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And they came to Ophir, and fetched gold from there, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.


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And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she came to prove him with hard questions.


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And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she conversed with him of all that was in her heart.


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And Solomon answered to her all her questions; there was not anything hid from the king which he did not answer.


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and the food of his table, and the seating of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, there was no more spirit in her.


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And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.


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However I did not believe the words until I came, and my eyes had seen it. And, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.


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Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, who hear thy wisdom.


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Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel. Because Jehovah loved Israel forever, therefore he made thee king, to do justice and righteousness.


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And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices a 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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And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees and precious stones.


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And the king made pillars of the almug trees for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, also harps and psalteries for the singers. There have come no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day.


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And 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.


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Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty and 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 Arabia, and of the governors of the country.


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And king Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler.


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And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pounds 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 supports on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the supports.


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And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.


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And 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 accounted of nothing 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 the navy of Tarshish came, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.


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And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.


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And every man brought his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.


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And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. And he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.


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And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars he made to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.


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And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt. And the king's merchants received them in herds, each herd at a price.


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And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. And so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their means.


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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 Jehovah said to the sons of Israel, Ye shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clave to these in love.


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And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.


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For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods. And his heart was not perfect with Jehovah 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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And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and went not fully after Jehovah as did David his father.


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Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab on the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon.


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And Jehovah was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from Jehovah, 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 did not keep that which Jehovah commanded.


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Therefore Jehovah said to Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done by thee, and thou have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.


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Notwithstanding I will not do it in thy days, for David thy father's sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.


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However I will not rend away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.


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And Jehovah raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the king's seed in Edom.


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For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was gone up to bury the slain, and had smitten 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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And 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 provisions, and gave him land.


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And Hadad found great favor in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.


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And 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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And 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 thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seek to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing, however only let me depart.


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And God raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.


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And he gathered men to him, and became captain over a troop when David killed them of Zobah. And they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.


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And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad did. And he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.


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And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king.


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And this was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of David his father.


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And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. And Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph.


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And it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way. Now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the field.


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And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces, for thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee


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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 that they have forsaken me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon. And 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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And I will give one tribe to his son, 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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And I will take thee, and thou shall reign according to all that thy soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.


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And it shall be, if thou will hearken to all that I command thee, 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 thee, and will build thee a sure house as I built for David, and will give Israel to thee.


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Solomon therefore sought 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, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?


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And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.


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And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt 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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Thy father made our yoke grievous. Now therefore make thou lighter the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.


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And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye to me to return an answer to this people?


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And they spoke to him, saying, If thou 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 thy servants forever.


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But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that grew up with him, who stood before him.


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And he said to them, What counsel give ye, that we may return an answer to this people who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father put upon us lighter?


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And the young men that grew up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall thou say to this people that spoke to thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter to us; thus shall thou speak to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.


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And 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 bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.


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And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,


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and spoke to them after the counsel 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 did not hearken to the people, for it was a thing brought about by Jehovah, that he might establish his word, which Jehovah spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


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And when all Israel saw that the king did not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel. Now see to thine 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 task work. And all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David, but only the tribe of Judah.


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And when Rehoboam came 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 Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the sons of Israel. Return every man to his house, for this thing is of me. So they hearkened to the word of Jehovah, and returned and went their way according to the word of Jehovah.


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Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein. And he went out from there, and built Penuel.


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If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even 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. Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.


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And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi.


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And 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. So he did 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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And 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 sons of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.


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And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah to Bethel. And Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.


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And he cried against the altar by the word of Jehovah, and said, O altar, altar, thus says Jehovah: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name. And upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones they shall burn upon thee.


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And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which Jehovah has spoken: Behold, the altar shall be torn, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.


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And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him.


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The altar also was torn, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah.


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And the king answered and said to the man of God, Entreat now the favor of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me that my hand may be restored to me again. And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king's hand was restored to him again, and became as it was before.


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And the king said to the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.


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And the man of God said to the king, If thou will give me half thy house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place;


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for so it was charged me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Thou shall eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that thou came.


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Now there dwelt 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. The words which he had spoken to the king, they also told them to their father.


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And their father said to them, What way did he go? Now his sons had seen what way the man of God went, who came from Judah.


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And he said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled him the donkey, and he rode on it.


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And he went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, Are thou the man of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am.


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And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee. Neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place;


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for it was said to me by the word of Jehovah, Thou shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou came.


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And he said to him, I also am a prophet as thou are. And an agent spoke to me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.


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And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came to the prophet who brought him back.


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And he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, Thus says Jehovah, Forasmuch as thou have been disobedient to the mouth of Jehovah, and have not kept the commandment which Jehovah thy God commanded thee,


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but came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water, thy body shall not come to the sepulcher of thy fathers.


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And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, namely, for the prophet whom he had brought back.


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And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed him. And his body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.


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And, 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 dwelt.


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And 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 Jehovah. Therefore Jehovah has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him, and slain him, according to the word of Jehovah which he spoke to him.


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And 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 torn the donkey.


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And the prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it upon the donkey, and brought it back. And he came to the city of the old prophet, to mourn, and to bury him.


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And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulcher 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 Jehovah against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.


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After this thing Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again made from among all the people priests of the high places. Whoever would, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places.


