that it may go. And see, if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. And the men did so ; 125 and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: and they put the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumours. And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the high way, lowing 130 as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh. And they 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.1 And the 135 cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for a burnt offering unto the LORD. And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of 140 the people seventy men and the people mourned, because the LORD had smitten the people with a great slaughter. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, 145 saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you. And the men of Kiriathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2

1 For and rejoiced to see it read and came rejoicing to meet it (S). 2 For looked into read looked at.

150

LESSON XLII

SAMUEL AND SAUL

By God's command Samuel anoints Saul to be king over Israel, but he does it in secret. Soon afterwards Saul wins a victory over the Ammonites, and is acknowledged by the people as their king.

1 SAMUEL IX. 1-XI. 15

91 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, a mighty man of valour.1 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he from his shoulders 5 and upward he was higher than any of the people. And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them 10 not then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take 15 thought for us. And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honour ; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what 20 shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver :

1 For a mighty man of valour read a man of much wealth (R).

that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they 25 went unto the city where the man of God was. As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the 30 people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place: as soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at 35 this time ye shall find him. And they went up to the city; and as they came within the city,1 behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

15 Now the LORD had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, To-morrow about this time I will send thee 40 a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel, and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people,2 because their cry is come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man of whom I 45 spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day and in the morning I 50 will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, 55 of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner? And Samuel took

:

1 For within the city read within the gate.

2 For my people read the affliction of my people (S).

Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber,1 60 and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it,2 and set it before Saul. And Samuel 65 said, Behold that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he3 communed with Saul upon the housetop. And they arose early and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that 70 Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still at this time, 75 that I may cause thee to hear the word of God. [10 1] Then

Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that the LORD hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance ? 4 When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's 80 sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and taketh thought for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to 85 the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of

1 For the guest-chamber read the banqueting hall.

2 For that which was upon it read the fat tail.

3 For he communed . . . early read they spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down to sleep (R).

4 For Is it not inheritance? read Hath not the LORD anointed thee to be prince over his people Israel? And thou shalt have authority over the LORD's people, and shalt save them out of the hand of their enemies. And this shall be to thee the sign that the LORD hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance (S).

wine and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hand. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God,1 where is the garrison 2 of the 90 Philistines and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery,3 and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp,a before them; and they shall be prophesying

and the spirit of the LORD will come mightily upon thee, 95 and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart and all those signs 100 came to pass that day. And when they came thither to the hill,5 behold, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people 105 said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.6 110 14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel. And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses 115 were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

11 1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead and all the men of Jabesh said unto

1 For the hill of God read Gibeah of God (R).

2 For garrison read governor.

4 For harp read lyre.

For the high place read the house.

3 For psaltery read harp.

5 For the hill read Gibeah (R).

7 For then read And it came to pass after a month that (S).