World English Bible

1 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul,

2 and he said:

“Yahweh is my rock,

my fortress,

and my deliverer, even mine;

3 God is my rock in whom I take refuge;

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my high tower, and my refuge.

My savior, you save me from violence.

4 I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 For the waves of death surrounded me.

The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

6 The cords of Sheolwere around me.

The snares of death caught me.

7 In my distress, I called on Yahweh.

Yes, I called to my God.

He heard my voice out of his temple.

My cry came into his ears.

8 Then the earth shook and trembled.

The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken,

because he was angry.

9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils.

Consuming fire came out of his mouth.

Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down.

Thick darkness was under his feet.

11 He rode on a cherub, and flew.

Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness a shelter around himself:

gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

13 At the brightness before him,

coals of fire were kindled.

14 Yahweh thundered from heaven.

The Most High uttered his voice.

15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them;

lightning, and confused them.

16 Then the channels of the sea appeared.

The foundations of the world were laid bare by Yahweh’s rebuke,

at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

17 He sent from on high and he took me.

He drew me out of many waters.

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

19 They came on me in the day of my calamity,

but Yahweh was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a large place.

He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness.

He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.

22 For I have kept Yahweh’s ways,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all his ordinances were before me.

As for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also perfect toward him.

I kept myself from my iniquity.

25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness,

According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful.

With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect.

27 With the pure you will show yourself pure.

With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.

28 You will save the afflicted people,

But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.

29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh.

Yahweh will light up my darkness.

30 For by you, I run against a troop.

By my God, I leap over a wall.

31 As for God, his way is perfect.

Yahweh’s word is tested.

He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.

32 For who is God, besides Yahweh?

Who is a rock, besides our God?

33 God is my strong fortress.

He makes my way perfect.

34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet,

and sets me on my high places.

35 He teaches my hands to war,

so that my arms bend a bow of brass.

36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation.

Your gentleness has made me great.

37 You have enlarged my steps under me.

My feet have not slipped.

38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them.

I didn’t turn again until they were consumed.

39 I have consumed them,

and struck them through,

so that they can’t arise.

Yes, they have fallen under my feet.

40 For you have armed me with strength for the battle.

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,

that I might cut off those who hate me.

42 They looked, but there was no one to save;

even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.

43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth.

I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.

44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people.

You have kept me to be the head of the nations.

A people whom I have not known will serve me.

45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me.

As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me.

46 The foreigners will fade away,

and will come trembling out of their close places.

47 Yahweh lives!

Blessed be my rock!

Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

48 even the God who executes vengeance for me,

who brings down peoples under me,

49 who brings me away from my enemies.

Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me.

You deliver me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations,

and will sing praises to your name.

51 He gives great deliverance to his king,

and shows loving kindness to his anointed,

to David and to his offspring,forever more.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/2SA/22-526de41184c3f18673a7138bd9711d39.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse says,

the man who was raised on high says,

the anointed of the God of Jacob,

the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 “Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me.

His word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said,

the Rock of Israel spoke to me,

‘One who rules over men righteously,

who rules in the fear of God,

4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises,

a morning without clouds,

when the tender grass springs out of the earth,

through clear shining after rain.’

5 Most certainly my house is not so with God,

yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant,

ordered in all things, and sure,

for it is all my salvation, and all my desire,

although he doesn’t make it grow.

6 But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away,

because they can’t be taken with the hand,

7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear.

They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.

10 He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.

11 After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.

13 Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15 David longed, and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.

17 He said, “Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

19 Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.

20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.

21 He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/2SA/23-8ba8724a48c15c1ce239c24f475e84ce.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Again Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

2 The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, “Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the sum of the people.”

3 Joab said to the king, “Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”

4 Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.

5 They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer;

6 then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and around to Sidon,

7 and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.

8 So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 Joab gave up the sum of the counting of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 David’s heart struck him after he had counted the people. David said to Yahweh, “I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.”

11 When David rose up in the morning, Yahweh’s word came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,

12 “Go and speak to David, ‘Yahweh says, “I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.”’”

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”

14 David said to Gad, “I am in distress. Let us fall now into Yahweh’s hand; for his mercies are great. Let me not fall into man’s hand.”

15 So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and seventy thousand men died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba.

16 When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough. Now withdraw your hand.” Yahweh’s angel was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.”

18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, “Go up, build an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

19 David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded.

20 Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Then Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

David said, “To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.”

22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.

23 All this, O king, does Araunah give to the king.” Araunah said to the king, “May Yahweh your God accept you.”

24 The king said to Araunah, “No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekelsof silver.

25 David built an altar to Yahweh there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/2SA/24-391a9bd8399ca1a9a4a2ea7fcb6493f5.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahwehof Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.

4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb.

6 Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because Yahweh had shut up her womb.

7 As he did so year by year, when she went up to Yahweh’s house. Her rival provoked her; therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.

8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of Yahweh’s temple.

10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, weeping bitterly.

11 She vowed a vow, and said, “Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”

12 As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli saw her mouth.

13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

14 Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”

15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.

16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”

17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the Godof Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”

18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.

19 They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Yahweh, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her.

20 When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel,saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh.”

21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah didn’t go up; for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and stay there forever.”

23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish his word.”

So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephahof meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.

25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.

26 She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh.

27 I prayed for this child; and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him.

28 Therefore I have also given him to Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to Yahweh.” He worshiped Yahweh there.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/1-b86e8a311c91f0db9c0340be3adac8a3.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Hannah prayed, and said:

“My heart exults in Yahweh!

My horn is exalted in Yahweh.

My mouth is enlarged over my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 There is no one as holy as Yahweh,

For there is no one besides you,

nor is there any rock like our God.

3 “Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly.

Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth,

For Yahweh is a God of knowledge.

By him actions are weighed.

4 “The bows of the mighty men are broken.

Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.

Those who were hungry are satisfied.

Yes, the barren has borne seven.

She who has many children languishes.

6 “Yahweh kills, and makes alive.

He brings down to Sheol,and brings up.

7 Yahweh makes poor, and makes rich.

He brings low, he also lifts up.

8 He raises up the poor out of the dust.

He lifts up the needy from the dunghill,

To make them sit with princes,

and inherit the throne of glory.

For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s.

He has set the world on them.

9 He will keep the feet of his holy ones,

but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;

for no man shall prevail by strength.

10 Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces.

He will thunder against them in the sky.

“Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth.

He will give strength to his king,

and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.

12 Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know Yahweh.

13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;

14 and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.

15 Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

16 If the man said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as your soul desires”; then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.”

17 The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised the offering of Yahweh.

18 But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child, clothed with a linen ephod.

19 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.

20 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May Yahweh give you offspringfrom this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.” Then they went to their own home.

21 Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

23 He said to them, “Why do you do such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

24 No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey.

25 If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.

26 The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh, and also with men.

27 A man of God came to Eli, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Did I reveal myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?

28 Didn’t I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? Didn’t I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

29 Why do youkick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?’

30 “Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever.’ But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be lightly esteemed.

31 Behold,the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father’s house, that there will not be an old man in your house.

32 You will see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which I will give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.

33 The man of yours, whom I don’t cut off from my altar, will consume your eyesand grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.

34 “‘This will be the sign to you, that will come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will both die.

35 I will raise me up a faithful priest, that will do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house; and he will walk before my anointed forever.

36 It will happen, that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and will say, “Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/2-83181ea7f0e87e0ca52a61f26c4fff02.mp3?version_id=206—

1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was precious in those days. There visions were not frequent.

2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

3 and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple, where God’s ark was;

4 Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”

5 He ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.”

He went and lay down.

6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!”

Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”

7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him.

8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.”

Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”

11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.

14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!”

He said, “Here I am.”

17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”

18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him.

He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.

21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by Yahweh’s word.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/3-0603e8b44aa2709fecd27398e512274c.mp3?version_id=206—

1 The word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

2 The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. When they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.

3 When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of Yahweh’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” They understood that Yahweh’s ark had come into the camp.

7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” They said, “Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before.

8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

9 Be strong, and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!”

10 The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter; for thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.

11 God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 A man of Benjamin ran out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with dirt on his head.

13 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for God’s ark. When the man came into the city and told about it, all the city cried out.

14 When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, “What does the noise of this tumult mean?”

The man hurried, and came and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old. His eyes were set, so that he could not see.

16 The man said to Eli, “I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army.”

He said, “How did the matter go, my son?”

17 He who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and God’s ark has been captured.”

18 When he made mention of God’s ark, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered. When she heard the news that God’s ark was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth; for her pains came on her.

20 About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Don’t be afraid; for you have given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it.

21 She named the child Ichabod,saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”; because God’s ark was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel; for God’s ark has been taken.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/4-9543f8a45ffda9b820fa881bcc549c3b.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Now the Philistines had taken God’s ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

2 The Philistines took God’s ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 When they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh’s ark; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

6 But Yahweh’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.

7 When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god.”

8 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.

9 It was so, that after they had carried it there, Yahweh’s hand was against the city with a very great confusion; and he struck the men of the city, both small and great so that tumors broke out on them.

10 So they sent God’s ark to Ekron.

As God’s ark came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.”

11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.

12 The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/5-ec03500cf3a4c2c181772681d55d67ab.mp3?version_id=206—

1 Yahweh’s ark was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2 The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with Yahweh’s ark? Show us how we should send it to its place.”

3 They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return a trespass offering to him. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”

4 Then they said, “What should the trespass offering be which we shall return to him?”

They said, “Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his hand from you, from your gods, and from your land.

6 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed?

7 “Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;

8 and take Yahweh’s ark, and lay it on the cart. Put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.

9 Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil; but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us. It was a chance that happened to us.”

10 The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.

11 They put Yahweh’s ark on the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their tumors.

12 The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

13 The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone. Then they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.

15 The Levites took down Yahweh’s ark, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.

16 When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, on which they set down Yahweh’s ark. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

19 He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into Yahweh’s ark, he struck fifty thousand seventy of the men. Then the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.

20 The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?”

21 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back Yahweh’s ark. Come down, and bring it up to yourselves.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/6-fdcd4f42ba00026cbd834e54ecf742a9.mp3?version_id=206—

1 The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark.

2 From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long; for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.

3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

4 Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.

5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.”

6 They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

7 When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

9 Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him.

10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.

11 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer,saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.”

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. Yahweh’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

17 His return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/9/32k/1SA/7-3ab80aab6d3b0fade8fbc008b2c0ae8c.mp3?version_id=206—