Boaz marries Ruth.

CHAP IV.

1

Elkanah and his two wives.

in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daugh-day, that I have bought all that was Eliter? And she told her all that the man had melech's, and all that was Chilion's and done to her. Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 17 And she said, These six measures of 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the

barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.

18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day. CHAP. IV.

THE

HEN went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by ; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Beth-lehem:

12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judalı, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

13 T So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she 4 And I thought to advertise thee, say-bare a son. ing, Buy it before the inhabitants, and be- 14 And the women said unto Naomi, fore the elders of my people. If thou wilt Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not thee this day without a kinsman, that his redeem it, then tell me, that I may know : name may be famous in Israel. for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter-in-law, which loveth 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buy- thee, which is better to thee than seven est the field of the hand of Naomi, thou sons, hath borne him. must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid wife of the dead, to raise up the name of it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. the dead upon his inheritance. 17 And the women her neighbours

6 ¶ And the kinsman said, I cannot re- gave it a name, saying, There is a son deem it for myself, lest I mar mine own born to Naomi; and they called his name inheritance redeem thou my right to thy-Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father self; for I cannot redeem it. of David.

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

18 Now these are the generations of Pharez Pharez begat Hezron,

19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,

20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9 ¶ And Boaz said unto the elders, and 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this begat David.

1 The First Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called, The First

OW

CHAP. 1.

Book of the

Now there was a certain man of Ra

and his name was Elkanah, the son of Je roham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

KINGS.

children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city

LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

2 And he had two wives; the name of 4¶ And when the time was that Elkanah the one was Hannah, and the name of offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

Hannah's prayer.

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy house, went up to offer unto the LoRr the portion; for he loved Hannah; but the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. LORD had shut up her womb. 22 But Hannah went not up; for she

6 And her adversary also provoked her said unto her husband, I will not go up unsore, for to make her fret, because the til the child be weaned, and then I will LORD had shut up her womb. bring him, that he may appear before the 7 And as he did so year by year, when LORD, and there abide for ever. she went up to the house of the LORD, SO 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto she provoked her; therefore she wept, and her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry did not eat. until thou have weaned him; only the

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, LORD establish his word. So the woHannah, why weepest thou? and why eat-man abode, and gave her son suck until est thou not? and why is thy heart griev- she weaned him.

ed? am not I better to thee than ten sons? 24 ¶ And when she had weaned him, 9 So Hannah rose up after they had she took him up with her, with three buleaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk: locks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle (now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a of wine, and brought him unto the house post of the temple of the LORD:) of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and young.

prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O the child to Eli. LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on 26 And she said, O my lord, as thy soul the affliction of thy handmaid, and re-liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood member me, and not forget thy hand-by thee here, praying unto the LORD. maid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid 27 For this child I prayed; and the a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD hath given me my petition which I LORD all the days of his life, and there asked of him: shall no razor come upon his head.

28 Therefore also I have lent him to 12 And it came to pass, as she conti- the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be nued praying before the LORD, that Eli lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the marked her mouth. LORD there.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Countnot thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken

hitherto.

CHAP. II.

AND Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because 1 rejoice in thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none besides thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in 5 They that were full have hired out peace and the God of Israel grant thee themselves for bread; and they that were thy petition that thou hast asked of him. hungry ceased: so that the barren hath 18 And she said, Let thy handmaid borne seven; and she that bath many chilfind grace in thy sight. So the woman dren is waxed feeble went her way, and did eat, and her coun- 6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive : tenance was no more sad. he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dung20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the hill, to get them among princes, and to time was come about after Hannah had make them inherit the throne of glory: for conceived, that she bare a son, and called the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, his name Samuel, saying, Because I have and he hath set the world upon them. asked him of the LORD. 9 He will keep the feet of his saints,

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;

The sin of Eli's sons

CHAP. III.

They are reproved. for by strength shall no man prevail. against the LORD, who shall entreat for 10 The adversaries of the LORD shall him? Notwithstanding,they hearkened not be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall unto the voice of their father, because the he thunder upon them: the LORD shall LORD would slay them.

judge the ends of the earth; and he shall 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and give strength unto his king, and exalt the was in favour both with the LORD, and also horn of his Anointed. with men.

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his 27 ¶ And there came a man of God unto house. And the child did minister unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the the LORD before Eli the priest. LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?

12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

13 And the priest's custom with the 28 And did I choose him out of all the people was, that, when any man offered tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook an ephod before me? and did I give unto of three teeth in his hand; the house of thy father all the offerings

14 And he struck it into the pan, or made by fire of the children of Israel? kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice flesh-hook brought up the priest took for and at mine offering, which I have comhimself. So they did in Shiloh unto all manded in my habitation; and honourest the Israelites that came thither. thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before 16. And if any man said unto him, Let me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be them not fail to burn the fat presently, and it far from me; for them that honour me then take as much as thy soul desireth; I will honour, and they that despise me then he would answer him, Nay; but shall be lightly esteemed. thou shalt give it me now and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

31 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.

32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my 18 ¶ But Samuel miristered before the habitation, in all the wealth which God LORD, being a child, girded with a linen shall give Israel: and there shall not be ephod. an old man in thy house for ever. 19 Moreover his mother made him a 33 And the man of thine, whom I shall little coat, and brought it to him from year not cut off from mine altar, shall be to conto year, when she came up with her hus-sume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart: band, to offer the yearly sacrifice. and all the increase of thy house shall

20 T And Eli blessed Elkanah and his die in the flower of their age. wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed 34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, of this woman for the loan which is lent that shall come upon thy two sons, on to the LORD. And they went unto their Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they own home. shall die both of them.

21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and will build him a sure house; and he shall 22 T Now Eli was very old, and heard walk before mine Anointed for ever. all that his sons did unto all Israel; and 36 And it shall come to pass, that every how they lay with the women that assem-one that is left in thy house, shall come bled at the door of the tabernacle of the and crouch to him for a piece of silver congregation. and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' such things? for I hear of your evil deal-offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. ings by all this people.

CHAP. III.

port i sons; fork is 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD AND the child Samuel ministered unto people to transgress.

the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days;

25 If one man sin against another, the there was no open vision. udge shall judge him: but if a man sin

2 And it came to pass at that time, when