The Philistines discomfited.

CHAP. VIII, IX.

The manner of a king. and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly 9 Now therefore hearken unto their unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the voice: howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. them, and shew them the manner of the 10 And as Samuel was offering up the king that shall reign over them. burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near 10 T And Samuel told all the words of to battle against Israel: but the LORD the LORD unto the people that asked of thundered with a great thunder on that day him a king.

upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; 11 And he said, This will be the manand they were smitten before Israel. ner of the king that shall reign over you: 11 And the men of Israel went out of He will take your sons, and appoint them Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and for himself, for his chariots, and to be his smote them, until they came under Beth-car. horsemen; and some shall run before his 12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set chariots. it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to 14 And the cities which the Philistines be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to had taken from Israel were restored to 1s-be bakers."

rael, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the 14 And he will take your fields, and coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the your vineyards, and your olive-yards, hands of the Philistines: and there was even the best of them, and give them to his peace between Israel and the Amorites. servants.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the

days of his life.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to 16 And he went from year to year in his officers, and to his servants. circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Miz- 16 And he will take your men-servants, peh, and judged Israel in all those places. and your maid-servants, and your good17 And his return was to Ramah; for liest young men, and your asses, and put there was his house; and there he judged them to his work. Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

CHAP. VIII.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day be

AND it came to pass, when Samuel was cause of your king which ye shall have

old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day,

19 Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, 20 That we also may be like all the nabut turned aside after lucre, and took tions; and that our king may judge us, and bribes, and perverted judgment. go out before us, and fight our battles. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered 21 And Samuel heard all the words of themselves together, and came to Samuel the people, and he rehearsed them in the unto Ramah, ears of the LORD.

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearkold, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: en unto their voice, and make them a king. now make us a king to judge us like all And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, the nations. Go ye every man unto his city. CHAP. IX.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel,

OW there was a man of Benjamin,

when they said, Give us a king to judge Nose name was Kish, the son of

us: and Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Sanuel, Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of BechoHearken unto the voice of the people in rath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a all that they say unto thee: for they have mighty man of power.

not rejected thee, but they have rejected 2 And he had a son, whose name was me, that I should not reign over them. Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: 8 According to all the works which they and there was not among the children of have done since the day that I brought Israel a goodlier person than he: from his them up out of Egypt even unto this day, shoulders and upward he was higher than wherewith they have forsaken me, and any of the people

served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 3 And the asses of Kish, Saul's father,