Study Desk

he chose him thre thousande me out of Israel: two thousande were with Saul at Michmas vpon the mount of Bethel, and one thousande with Ionathas at Gibea of BenIamin. As for the other people, he let them go euery one vnto his tente.

And all Israel herde saye: Saul hath smytten the Philistynes watch, for Israel stanke before the Philistynes. And all the people cried after Saul vnto Gilgal.

Whan the men of Israel sawe that mysfortune laye vpon the neckes of the (for the people was come therto) they crope in to caues and dennes, in to rockes, and holes and welles.

But the Hebrues wente ouer Iordane in to ye lande of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul he was yet at Gilgal, and all the people were fayntharted after him.

Samuel sayde vnto Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and not kepte the commaundement of the LORDE thy God, which he commaunded the. For (yf thou haddest not done this) he had prospered thy kyngdome vpo Israel for euer:

but now shall not thy kyngdome contynue. The LORDE hath soughte him out a man after his owne hert: him hath the LORDE commaunded to be prynce ouer his people, for thou hast not kepte yt the LORDE commaunded ye.

But there was not a smyth founde in all the lode of Israel: for ye Philistynes thoughte: The Hebrues mighte happly make swerdes and speares.

Now whan the daye of the battayll came, there was nether swerde ner speare founde in the hande of all the people, that was with Saul and Ionathas: but for Saul and Ionathas his sonne there was somwhat founde.

And Ionathas sayde vnto his wapen bearer: Come, let vs go ouer to ye watch of these vncircumcised, peraduenture the LORDE shall worke with vs, For it is no harde matter for the LORDE to helpe by many or by fewe.

But yf they saye: Come vp to vs, we wyll go vp to them, the hath the LORDE delyuered them in to oure hande, and this shalbe a token for vs.

Then saide Saul vnto Ahia: Brynge hither the Arke of God (for at that tyme was the Arke of God with the children of Israel.)

and whan the people came in to the wodd, beholde, the hony flowed, but no man put of it to his mouth with his hade: for the people were afraied because of the ooth.

As for Ionathas he had not herde, that his father had charged the people, and he put forth his staff that he had in his hande, and dypped the ende of it in ye hony combe, and turned his hande to his mouth, and his eyes were lighted.

For as truly as God the Sauioure of Israel lyueth, & though it be in my sonne Ionathas, he shal dye. And no man answered him of all the people.

But the people sayde vnto Saul: Shulde Ionathas dye, that hath done so greate health in Israel this night? God forbyd. As truly as the LORDE lyueth, there shal not one heer of his heade fall vpon ye earth: for with God hath he wroughte at this tyme. So the people delyuered Ionathas, that he dyed not.

There was a mightie sore warre against the Philistynes, as loge as Saul lyued. And where Saul sawe a man that was stronge and mete for ye warre, he toke him to him.

Samuel sayde vnto Saul: The LORDE sent me to anoynte the for to be kynge ouer his people of Israel: heare now therfore the voyce of the wordes of the LORDE.

Thus sayeth ye LORDE Zebaoth: I haue remembred what Amaleck dyd vnto Israel, & how he layed wayte for him in ye waye, whan he wente out of Egipte:

and sayde vnto ye Kenites: Get you hence, departe, and go downe from ye Amalechites, yt I smyte you not with them, for ye shewed mercy vnto all the children of Israel, wha they departed out of Egipte. So the Kenites gat them awaye from amonge the Amalechites.

It repenteth me that I made Saul kynge, for he hath turned him selfe backe fro me, and not cofirmed my wordes. Therfore was Samuel angrye, & cried vnto the LORDE all that nighte.