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1 Samuel 11-13
New American Standard Bible

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

11 Now (A)Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged (B)Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make (C)a covenant with us and we will serve you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make it with you on this condition, (D)that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and thereby I will inflict (E)a disgrace on all Israel.” 3 So (F)the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Allow us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.” 4 Then the messengers came (G)to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people (H)raised their voices and wept.

5 Now behold, Saul was coming from the field (I)behind the oxen, and Saul said, “What is the matter with the people that they weep?” So they reported to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then (J)the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and [a]he became very angry. 7 He then took a yoke of oxen and (K)cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “(L)Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen.” Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out (M)as one person. 8 He [b]counted them in (N)Bezek; and the (O)sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah, thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who had come, “This is what you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be saved.’” So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced. 10 Then the men of Jabesh said, “(P)Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good [c]to you.” 11 The next morning Saul put the people (Q)in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch, and struck and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “(R)Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ [d](S)Bring the men, so that we may put them to death!” 13 But Saul said, “(T)Not a single person shall be put to death this day, for today (U)the Lord has brought about [e]victory in Israel.”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to (V)Gilgal and (W)renew the kingdom there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king (X)before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also (Y)offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Samuel Addresses Israel

12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, (Z)I have listened to your voice for all that you said to me, and I (AA)have appointed a king over you. 2 Now, (AB)here is the king walking before you, but as for me, (AC)I am old and gray, and (AD)my sons are here with you. And (AE)I have walked before you since my youth to this day. 3 Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and (AF)His anointed. (AG)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed, or (AH)from whose hand have I taken a bribe to close my eyes with it? I will return it to you.” 4 And they said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us, or taken anything from anyone’s hand.” 5 So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that (AI)you have found nothing (AJ)in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who [f](AK)appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now then, take your stand, (AL)so that I may enter into judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord that He did for you and your fathers. 8 (AM)When Jacob went into Egypt and (AN)your fathers cried out to the Lord, then (AO)the Lord sent Moses and Aaron [g](AP)who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place. 9 But (AQ)they forgot the Lord their God, so (AR)He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and (AS)into the hand of the Philistines, and (AT)into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 (AU)They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have abandoned the Lord and have served (AV)the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but (AW)now save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ 11 Then the Lord sent (AX)Jerubbaal, [h](AY)Bedan, (AZ)Jephthah, and (BA)Samuel, and saved you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.

The King Confirmed

12 But when you saw (BB)that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon was coming against you, you said to me, ‘(BC)No, but a king shall reign over us!’ (BD)Yet the Lord your God was your king. 13 And now, (BE)behold, the king whom you have chosen, (BF)whom you have asked for, and behold, the Lord has [i]put a king over you. 14 (BG)If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the [j]command of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God. 15 But (BH)if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the [k]command of the Lord, then (BI)the hand of the Lord will be against you, (BJ)even as it was against your fathers. 16 Even now, (BK)take your stand and see this great thing which the Lord is going to do before your eyes. 17 (BL)Is it not the wheat harvest today? (BM)I will call to the Lord, that He will send [l]thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that (BN)your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the Lord, by asking for yourselves a king.” 18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent [m]thunder and rain that day; and (BO)all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “(BP)Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we do not die; for we have added to all our sins (BQ)this evil, by asking for ourselves a king.” 20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet (BR)do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Indeed, you must not turn aside, for then you would go after (BS)useless things which cannot benefit or save, because they are useless. 22 For (BT)the Lord will not abandon His people (BU)on account of His great name, because the Lord (BV)has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. 23 Furthermore, as for me, (BW)far be it from me that I would sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but (BX)I will instruct you in the good and right way. 24 (BY)Only [n]fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider (BZ)what great things He has done for you. 25 (CA)But if you still do evil, (CB)both you and your king (CC)will be swept away.”

War with the Philistines

13 Saul was [o]thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for [p]forty-two years over Israel.

2 Now Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand were with Saul in (CD)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan at (CE)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked (CF)the garrison of the Philistines that was in (CG)Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul (CH)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 And all Israel heard [q]the news that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel (CI)had become repulsive to the Philistines. Then the people were summoned [r]to Saul at Gilgal.

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and (CJ)people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of (CK)Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard-pressed), then (CL)the people kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of (CM)Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.

8 Now (CN)he waited for seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And (CO)he offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and (CP)Saul went out to meet him and to [s]greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed [t]time, and that (CQ)the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 I [u]thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not [v]asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” 13 But Samuel said to Saul, “(CR)You have acted foolishly! (CS)You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for the Lord would now have established your kingdom [w]over Israel (CT)forever. 14 But (CU)now your kingdom shall not endure. (CV)The Lord has sought for Himself a man [x]after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to (CW)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul [y]counted the people who were [z]present with him, (CX)about six hundred men. 16 Now Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were [aa]present with them were staying in (CY)Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 Then (CZ)[ab]raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three [ac]companies: one [ad]company turned [ae]toward (DA)Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another [af]company turned [ag]toward (DB)Beth-horon, and another [ah]company turned [ai]toward the border that overlooks the Valley of (DC)Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now (DD)no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make [aj](DE)swords or spears.” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21 The charge was [ak]two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the [al]cattle goads. 22 So it came about on the day of battle that (DF)neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. 23 And (DG)the garrison of the Philistines went out to (DH)the gorge of Michmash.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 11:6 Lit his anger burned exceedingly
  2. 1 Samuel 11:8 Lit mustered
  3. 1 Samuel 11:10 Lit in your sight
  4. 1 Samuel 11:12 Lit Give
  5. 1 Samuel 11:13 Or deliverance in
  6. 1 Samuel 12:6 Lit made
  7. 1 Samuel 12:8 Lit and they brought
  8. 1 Samuel 12:11 LXX and Syriac Barak
  9. 1 Samuel 12:13 Lit given
  10. 1 Samuel 12:14 Lit mouth
  11. 1 Samuel 12:15 Lit mouth
  12. 1 Samuel 12:17 Lit sounds
  13. 1 Samuel 12:18 Lit sounds
  14. 1 Samuel 12:24 Or revere
  15. 1 Samuel 13:1 As in some LXX mss, but very uncertain; MT one year old
  16. 1 Samuel 13:1 See Acts 13:21; Heb two years
  17. 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit saying
  18. 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit after
  19. 1 Samuel 13:10 Lit bless
  20. 1 Samuel 13:11 Lit time of days
  21. 1 Samuel 13:12 Lit said
  22. 1 Samuel 13:12 Or appeased
  23. 1 Samuel 13:13 Lit to
  24. 1 Samuel 13:14 Lit like His
  25. 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit mustered
  26. 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit found
  27. 1 Samuel 13:16 Lit found
  28. 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit destroyers
  29. 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit heads
  30. 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit head
  31. 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit to the way of
  32. 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
  33. 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
  34. 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
  35. 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
  36. 1 Samuel 13:19 Lit sword or spear
  37. 1 Samuel 13:21 Heb pim
  38. 1 Samuel 13:21 I.e., spiked sticks for driving cattle
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1 Samuel 11-13
New International Version

Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

11 Nahash[a](A) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.(B) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty(C) with us, and we will be subject to you.”

2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition(D) that I gouge(E) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace(F) on all Israel.”

3 The elders(G) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue(H) us, we will surrender(I) to you.”

4 When the messengers came to Gibeah(J) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept(K) aloud. 5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.

6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit(L) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen,(M) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,(N) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone(O) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.(P) 8 When Saul mustered(Q) them at Bezek,(R) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.

9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender(S) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”

11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;(T) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites(U) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

Saul Confirmed as King

12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who(V) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”

13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,(W) for this day the Lord has rescued(X) Israel.”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal(Y) and there renew the kingship.(Z)” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal(AA) and made Saul king(AB) in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.

Samuel’s Farewell Speech

12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened(AC) to everything you said to me and have set a king(AD) over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader.(AE) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons(AF) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.(AG) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey(AH) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe(AI) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done(AJ) any of these things, I will make it right.”(AK)

4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness(AL) against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything(AM) in my hand.(AN)”

“He is witness,” they said.

6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought(AO) your ancestors up out of Egypt. 7 Now then, stand(AP) here, because I am going to confront(AQ) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts(AR) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.

8 “After Jacob(AS) entered Egypt, they cried(AT) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent(AU) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “But they forgot(AV) the Lord their God; so he sold them(AW) into the hand of Sisera,(AX) the commander of the army of Hazor,(AY) and into the hands of the Philistines(AZ) and the king of Moab,(BA) who fought against them. 10 They cried(BB) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken(BC) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.(BD) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,[b](BE) Barak,[c](BF) Jephthah(BG) and Samuel,[d](BH) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

12 “But when you saw that Nahash(BI) king(BJ) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule(BK) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king(BL) you have chosen, the one you asked(BM) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear(BN) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel(BO) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against(BP) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

16 “Now then, stand still(BQ) and see(BR) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest(BS) now? I will call(BT) on the Lord to send thunder(BU) and rain.(BV) And you will realize what an evil(BW) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(BX) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(BY) of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray(BZ) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,(CA) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;(CB) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless(CC) idols.(CD) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake(CE) of his great name(CF) the Lord will not reject(CG) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make(CH) you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray(CI) for you. And I will teach(CJ) you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear(CK) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;(CL) consider(CM) what great(CN) things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist(CO) in doing evil, both you and your king(CP) will perish.”(CQ)

Samuel Rebukes Saul

13 Saul was thirty[e] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-[f] two years.

2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand(CR) were with him at Mikmash(CS) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah(CT) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost(CU) at Geba,(CV) and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet(CW) blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious(CX) to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines assembled(CY) to fight Israel, with three thousand[g] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand(CZ) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,(DA) east of Beth Aven.(DB) 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid(DC) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.(DD) 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad(DE) and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking(DF) with fear. 8 He waited seven(DG) days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered(DH) up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel(DI) arrived, and Saul went out to greet(DJ) him.

11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,(DK) 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,(DL) and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.(DM)’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

13 “You have done a foolish thing,(DN)” Samuel said. “You have not kept(DO) the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.(DP) 14 But now your kingdom(DQ) will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart(DR) and appointed(DS) him ruler(DT) of his people, because you have not kept(DU) the Lord’s command.”

15 Then Samuel left Gilgal[h] and went up to Gibeah(DV) in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.(DW)

Israel Without Weapons

16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah[i](DX) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. 17 Raiding(DY) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah(DZ) in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon,(EA) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim(EB) facing the wilderness.

19 Not a blacksmith(EC) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!(ED)” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles[j] sharpened. 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel[k] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel[l] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan(EE) had a sword or spear(EF) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

23 Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass(EG) at Mikmash.(EH)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash
  2. 1 Samuel 12:11 Also called Gideon
  3. 1 Samuel 12:11 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
  4. 1 Samuel 12:11 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac Samson
  5. 1 Samuel 13:1 A few late manuscripts of the Septuagint; Hebrew does not have thirty.
  6. 1 Samuel 13:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Acts 13:21); Masoretic Text does not have forty-.
  7. 1 Samuel 13:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew thirty thousand
  8. 1 Samuel 13:15 Hebrew; Septuagint Gilgal and went his way; the rest of the people went after Saul to meet the army, and they went out of Gilgal
  9. 1 Samuel 13:16 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts Geba, a variant of Gibeah
  10. 1 Samuel 13:20 Septuagint; Hebrew plow points
  11. 1 Samuel 13:21 That is, about 1/4 ounce or about 8 grams
  12. 1 Samuel 13:21 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams
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