THE FIRST BOOK

OF SAMUEL

I SAMUEL II, III

Now Samuel began to minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 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. And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favour.

Now the word of the Lord was rare in those

days; there was no frequent vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of the Lord, that the Lord called Samuel. Howbeit Samuel did not know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me! And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt

say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.

And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath spoken unto thee? And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

I SAMUEL IX, X, XI

There was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish; and he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: yea, there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he. And the asses of 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 asses. And Saul passed through the hillcountry of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them

not.

And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. And the servant said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honour; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. And Saul said to his servant, Well said; come, let us go.

So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

And when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel, the man of God, came out against them, on his way to the high place. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before, saying, To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people. When therefore Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold, the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer. But as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?

And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still awhile, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God. Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, and said, Surely the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance. And thou shalt rule the people of the Lord, and shalt save them out of the hand of their adversaries. And thou shalt go on before me; and I will come unto thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

Then Samuel called the people together unto the Lord; but when they sought Saul, he could not be found. And it was told, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage. And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people. So they made Saul king before the Lord; and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

I SAMUEL X

Ezekiel xxxvi

Now as Samuel and Saul were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Stand thou still awhile, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God. And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, and said, Surely the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over

his inheritance.

And thou, when thou art departed from me, shalt meet a band of prophets; and they will be prophesying: and the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

And it was so, that, when Saul had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart. And as he went on his way, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? And they were all amazed.

Thus was fulfilled the word of the Lord, saying:

A new heart will I give you,

And a new spirit will I put within you:
And I will take away the stony heart,
And I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit within you,
That ye may fear me for ever.

I SAMUEL XV

And Samuel came unto Saul, and said to him, Hearken thou unto the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.