Saul

47So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

Saul now ruled as king over Israel. He fought his enemies on every side. He fought Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Everywhere he went, he beat them.

48And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

He gathered an army and beat the Amalekites. He saved Israel from the people who had been robbing them.

49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishui, and Melchishua. He had two daughters. The older one was Merab, and the younger one was Michal.

50And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The leader of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

51And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

Saul's father was Kish. Abner's father was Ner, and Ner's father was Abiel.

52And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

There was hard fighting against the Philistines all through Saul's life. Whenever Saul saw a strong or brave man, he took him into his army.

1Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

Samuel was a prophet, a man who told people what God said. He said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to pour oil on your head. That made you king over Israel, God's people. So now listen to what the LORD tells you."

2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

"The LORD, who rules over armies, says this: I remember what the Amalekites did. They hid and attacked Israel on the road up from Egypt."

3Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

"Now go and attack the Amalekites. Destroy everything they have. Do not let anyone go. Put to death men and women, children and babies. Kill their cattle and sheep, their camels and donkeys."

4And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

So Saul called his soldiers together. He counted them at a place called Telaim. There were 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 more men from Judah.

5And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

Saul came to a city of the Amalekites. He waited quietly in the valley, ready to attack.

6And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Saul sent word to the Kenites, another group of people. He said, "Move away from the Amalekites, or I will destroy you with them. You were kind to Israel when they came out of Egypt." So the Kenites moved away.

7And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites. He fought them from Havilah all the way to Shur, near Egypt.

8And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

He caught Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive. He put all the other people to death with the sword.

9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

But Saul and his men let Agag live. They also kept the best sheep and cattle, the fat calves and the lambs. They kept everything that was good. They only destroyed what was weak and worth nothing.

10Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,

Then the LORD spoke to Samuel. He said:

11It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

"I am sorry that I made Saul king. He has turned away from me. He has not done what I told him to do." This upset Samuel. He cried out to the LORD all night long.

12And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

Samuel got up early to go and meet Saul. Someone told him, "Saul went to Carmel. He set up a stone there to honor himself. Then he moved on down to Gilgal."

13And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

Samuel came to Saul. Saul said to him, "May the LORD bless you! I have done what the LORD told me to do."

14And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Samuel said, "Then why do I hear sheep? Why do I hear cattle mooing?"

15And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

Saul said, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites. They kept the best sheep and cattle as a gift for the LORD your God. We destroyed all the rest."

16Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

Then Samuel said, "Stop. Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." Saul said, "Tell me."

17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

Samuel said, "You once thought you were small and not important. But God made you the leader of all the tribes of Israel. The LORD poured oil on you and made you king."

18And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

"The LORD sent you out with a job to do. He said, 'Go and destroy the Amalekites, who do evil. Fight them until they are gone.'"

19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

"So why did you not obey the LORD? You rushed to grab the things they left behind. You did what the LORD says is wrong."

20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

Saul said to Samuel, "But I did obey the LORD! I went where he sent me. I brought back Agag the king. I destroyed the Amalekites."

21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

"The soldiers took some sheep and cattle from the things we captured. They took the best ones, to give as a gift to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Samuel said, "What does the LORD want more? Animals burned as gifts, or a person who obeys him? Listen: obeying is better than giving gifts. Doing what God says is better than the finest sheep."

23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

"Refusing to obey is as bad as using magic. Being stubborn is as bad as praying to false gods. You said no to the LORD's word. So he says you are no longer king."

24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I did wrong. I broke the LORD's command and your words. I was afraid of the people, so I did what they wanted."

25Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

"Now please forgive me. Come back with me, so I can worship the LORD."

26And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

Samuel said to Saul, "I will not go back with you. You said no to the LORD's word. So the LORD says you are no longer king over Israel."

27And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

Samuel turned to walk away. Saul grabbed the edge of Samuel's robe, and it tore.

28And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

Samuel said to him, "Today the LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you. He has given it to a man near you who is better than you."

29And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

"God is the Strength of Israel. He does not lie, and he does not change his mind. He is not a person who changes his mind."

30Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

Saul said, "I have sinned. But please show me respect in front of the leaders and all Israel. Come back with me, so I can worship the LORD your God."

31So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

32Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." Agag came to him calmly. He thought, "The worst is over. I will not die."

33And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Samuel said, "Your sword took children away from their mothers. Now your own mother will lose her child." Then Samuel cut Agag to pieces at Gilgal, before the LORD.

34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

Then Samuel went home to Ramah. Saul went up to his own house in Gibeah.

35And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel never went to see Saul again for the rest of his life. But Samuel was sad about Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

God's Spirit left Saul. And a harmful spirit sent from God troubled him.

15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

Saul's servants said to him, "Look, a harmful spirit from God is troubling you."

16Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

"Sir, tell us to go find a man who plays the harp well. When the harmful spirit from God comes on you, he will play. Then you will feel better."

17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

Saul said to his servants, "Find me a man who plays well. Bring him to me."

18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

One of the servants answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse from Bethlehem. He plays well. He is brave and strong, and a fighter. He speaks wisely, and he looks fine. And God is with him."

19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse. He said, "Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep."

20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

Jesse loaded a donkey with bread. He also sent a bag of wine and a young goat. He sent them to Saul with his son David.

21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

David came to Saul and began working for him. Saul liked him very much. David became the one who carried Saul's weapons.

22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

Then Saul sent word to Jesse. He said, "Please let David stay and work for me. I am pleased with him."

23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David took his harp and played. Then Saul felt better and the harmful spirit left him.

31And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

Someone heard what David said and told Saul. So Saul sent for him.

32And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

David said to Saul, "No one should lose courage because of this man. I am your servant, and I will go fight him."

33And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

Saul said to David, "You cannot go and fight this Philistine. You are only a boy. He has been a soldier since he was young."

34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

David said to Saul, "I take care of my father's sheep. Sometimes a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock."

35And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

"I went after it and hit it. I pulled the lamb out of its mouth. If it turned on me, I grabbed its hair, hit it, and killed it."

36Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

"I killed both the lion and the bear. This Philistine will end up like one of them. He has made fun of the armies of the living God."

37David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

David said more: "The LORD saved me from the paw of the lion and the bear. He will save me from this Philistine too." Saul said, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."

38And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

Saul dressed David in his own war clothes. He put a bronze helmet on David's head. He put armor on him too.

39And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

David tied Saul's sword on over the armor and tried to walk. He had never worn such things before. He said to Saul, "I cannot walk in these. I am not used to them." So he took them off.

40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

David took his shepherd's stick in his hand. He picked five smooth stones from the little stream. He put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag. With his sling in his hand, he walked toward the Philistine.

55And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

Saul had watched David go out to fight the Philistine. He said to Abner, the leader of his army, "Abner, whose son is this boy?" Abner said, "As surely as you live, my king, I do not know."

56And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.

The king said, "Then find out whose son this young man is."

57And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

David came back from killing the Philistine. He was still holding Goliath's head in his hand. Abner took him and brought him to Saul.

58And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse, from Bethlehem."

6And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

David had killed the Philistine giant. As the soldiers came home, women came out of every town in Israel. They came to meet King Saul. They sang and danced with happy songs. They played small drums and other instruments.

7And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

The women sang back and forth to each other. They sang, "Saul has killed thousands, and David has killed tens of thousands."

8And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

Saul was very angry. The song upset him. He said, "They say David killed tens of thousands. They only say I killed thousands. The next thing they will give him is my kingdom!"

9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

From that day on, Saul watched David closely. He did not trust him anymore.

10And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

The next day a bad spirit from God came over Saul. He raved and shouted inside the house. David played the harp for him, the way he always did. Saul had a spear in his hand.

11And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

Saul threw the spear. He thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David got out of the way. This happened two times.

12And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

Saul was afraid of David. The LORD was with David, and the LORD had left Saul.

13Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

So Saul sent David away from him. He put David in charge of a thousand soldiers. David led those men out to battle and back home again.

14And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

David did well in everything he did, because the LORD was with him.

15Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

Saul saw how well David did everything. That made Saul even more afraid of him.

16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

But all the people of Israel and Judah loved David. He led them out to battle and brought them home again.