The Readable Bible: 1 Samuel 2 Samuel

1 Samuel 2 Samuel

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1 Samuel 2 Samuel

A Turning Point

Translated and Edited by Rodney S. Laughlin Brendan I. Kennedy, PhD

The Readable Bible: 1 and 2 Samuel

Iron Stream

An imprint of Iron Stream Media 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 www.ironstreammedia.com

Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin

The Readable Bible text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred verses without express written permission of the publisher provided that (a) the verses quoted do not account for more than 25 percent of the total work in which they are quoted, (b) no more than 25 percent of a book of the Bible is quoted, (c) all quotations conform accurately to The Readable Bible text, and (d) one of the following credit lines appears on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked TRB are taken from The Readable Bible®. Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin, Leawood, Kansas. Used by permission of Iron Stream Media.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Readable Bible®. Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin, Leawood, Kansas. Used by permission of Iron Stream Media.

When quotations from The Readable Bible text are used in not-for-sale media (e.g., church bulletins, orders of service, newsletters, digital presentations), a copyright notice is not required, but the initials “TRB” must appear at the end of each quotation. Websites and blogs may quote up to five hundred verses without express written permission provided they include the initials “TRB” at the end of each quotation and provided that the verses quoted account for not more than 25 percent of any web page upon which they appear and that no more than 25 percent of a book of the Bible is quoted.

Quotations not covered by the above guidelines must be approved in writing by Iron Stream Media. Send requests to info@ironstreammedia.com or to the address above.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022938636

Cover design: twoline | | Studio

Interior designer/illustrator: Clyde Adams (www.clydeadams.com)

Map geographic features courtesy of Bible Mapper (www.biblemapper.com).

Typeface: Veritas AE from Altered Ego Fonts, a division of Aespire

Part 2. The Ark and the Philistines

The Ark Is Captured

and His Sons Die

Battle of Ebenezer

Curse of the Ark

Return of the Ark

Travels of the Ark

Israel Returns to the Lord

Defeats the Philistines

Samuel’s Circuit

Part 3. Samuel and Saul

Israel Asks for a King

1 Samuel 4

6

6

1 Samuel 5

Samuel 6

7

8

8

9

1 Samuel 7

10

10

11

1 Samuel 8

12 Map: Saul’s Search and Anointing 13

1 Samuel 9

Saul Chosen as King 13 Saul Meets Samuel the Prophet

1 Samuel 10

Saul Anointed as King

14

15 Map: Saul Rescues Jabesh Gilead 17

1 Samuel 11

Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead and Is Crowned King 17

1 Samuel 12

Samuel Addresses the Sin of Begging for a King 18

1 Samuel 13

God Rejects Saul Because of Disobedience 20 Map: Saul and Jonathan Defeat the Philistines

21 Note: Israelite Weapons

1 Samuel 14

Saul and Jonathan Defeat the Philistines

21

22 Map: Kingdom of Saul

24

1 Samuel 15

Defeats

as King

Part 4. Saul and David

1 Samuel 16

Samuel Anoints David

Saul’s Torment, David’s Service

David Defeats Goliath

David Defeats Goliath and the

1 Samuel 17

28

1 Samuel 18

Saul Becomes Afraid of David 33 David Marries Saul’s Daughter

1 Samuel 19

Saul’s Attempts to Kill David.............................................................

Samuel 20

Jonathan Protects David 36 Map: David’s Flees from Saul (I )

1 Samuel 21

39 David Deceives King Achish

David Flees to Ahimelech

Samuel 22

40 Saul Murders Ahimelech and the Priests

David Flees to a Stronghold

Saul Pursues David

David’s Respect for God’s Anointed

David Flees from Saul

David and Saul Reconcile

David’s Dispute with Nabal

Samuel 23

Samuel 24

1 Samuel 25

Samuel

David Spares

Lives

Engages

Philistine

Defeats

Philistines

Laments

Song of

Anointed

Samuel

Part 1. David Becomes King of Judah

Samuel

Samuel

Samuel

Samuel

Samuel

Samuel 1

Samuel

of

Israel

Part 2. Northern Israel

Samuel 3

Abner Defects to David

Abner

Baanah and Recab Murder Ish-Bosheth, and David Kills Them

Note About Mephibosheth

David Anointed King of Northern Israel

Map: David Defeats the Philistines

2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 5

Part 3. David Captures Jerusalem and Is Promised a “Throne Forever”

David Defeats the Philistines

65

Table: David’s Children Born in Jerusalem 66

2 Samuel 6

David Brings the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem 67

2 Samuel 7

Nathan Speaks to David About the Temple 68 David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

69 Map: David Secures His Kingdom 70

2 Samuel 8

David Secures His Kingdom 71 Table: David’s Staff 1

2 Samuel 9

72

David Blesses Saul’s Grandson Mephibosheth......................................... 72 Map: David Defeats the Aramean-Ammonite Coalition 73

2 Samuel 10

Victory Over Ammon and Aram 74

Part 4. David Sins and Pays the Price

2 Samuel 11

David Kills to Cover His Sin 75

Samuel 12

The Lord Punishes David 76 Map: David’s Kingdom

David Secures Rule over Ammon

78

79

Samuel 13

Amnon Rapes His Sister Tamar

Absalom Takes Revenge

Joab Facilitates Absalom and David’s Reconciliation

Samuel 14

Samuel 15

81

Absalom Conspires Against David...................................................... 83 David Flees

David Defeats Absalom

Betrays David

David Gives Mephibosheth’s Inheritance to Ziba

David Allows Shimei’s Cursing

Counsels Absalom

2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 17

Hushai Counsels Absalom and Warns David 87 David Flees to Mahanaim

Samuel 18

88

David Defeats Absalom

89

Samuel 19

David Is Restored to His Palace in Jerusalem 91

Samuel 20

Joab’s Victory over Sheba 93

Sheba’s Rebellion

David’s Staff 2

The Gibeonites Get Revenge

Samuel 21

94

96

96

Saul’s Bones Recovered 97 More War with the Philistines

Samuel 22

97

David’s Song of Praise 98

Samuel 23

David’s Last Words

Israel’s Leading Warriors......................................................102

Samuel 24

David’s Census Brings a Plague

David’s Prayer and Offering Ends the Plague

To the Reader

One day I was standing in an airport bookstore looking for a book to read. I asked myself, “Why am I looking for something to read when I have a Bible in my briefcase?” I answered, “The Bible is hard to read. I want to read something easier.” Then I asked myself, “Why is it so hard to read? You’re a seminary graduate, a former pastor, a Bible teacher!” Thus began a quest that has led to The Readable Bible—the Bible as it would look if Moses, Joshua, Matthew, Mark, Paul, and the other writers had been sitting in front of a computer when God spoke through them.

It seems to me that the Bible is hard to read because all material is presented in sentence format. Today we use tables to present census information and charts for genealogies. When we want something built, we draw up a specification document. Law codes are organized in outline form. We use bullet points, bold text, and other aids to help us grasp information. Yet in today’s Bibles, all the information is still presented in sentence format in plain text. Surely those men of old would have used modern formats if they had known about them when God spoke through them. Modern formatting does not change the information; it simply presents it in a way that makes it easier to grasp. The Readable Bible brings you the biblical text in modern formats.

You may struggle with the idea of Scripture in modern formats. Actually, all of today’s Bibles present the text in a form much different from that of the original manuscripts. Consider how many format changes that were developed over the past two thousand years led to the format considered normal today. Each change was radical in its time:

• Vowels: The earliest Hebrew manuscripts have no vowels; they were added hundreds of years later.

• Capital Letters: The Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament manuscripts have no uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Punctuation: The original manuscripts have no punctuation (no commas or periods!).

• Chapter Numbers: These were not common in Bibles until the thirteenth century AD.

• Verse Numbers: The first verse-numbering system was developed over a thousand years after the last Bible book was written. It had one-third of today’s verse numbers, making verses three or four times longer. Today’s Christian Bible numbering system was not developed until the sixteenth century.

• Paragraphs: The first paragraphed King James Bible was published in the mid-1800s.

So presenting the words of Scripture in tables, cascading the text of long, complex sentences, and using other modern formatting techniques is simply continuing the long-term trend of making the Bible easier to understand.

Our hope is that people who have never read the Bible will decide to read this version because it is so approachable. Please give a copy to someone who struggles to understand the Bible and, especially, to those who do not read the Bible.

Acknowledgments

My thanks to all the members of our editing team, our volunteer development team, and the many others who have donated funds and worked to bring The Readable Bible to completion.

A big “thank you” to my designer and partner in this project, Clyde Adams, for joining me in this faith venture. He has turned the translation into well-laid-out text and my formatting concepts into reality. The maps, tables, charts, book layout, and cover are all his work.

Most of all, I thank my wife, Rebecca, for her ideas, her love, and her strong support of this endeavor over the past twelve years.

Dedication

And now I dedicate to our Lord this translation of his holy Word, humbly asking him to grant that it may bring forth fruit to his glory and the building up of his people.

Spring

Introduction to 1 and 2 Samuel

The books of Samuel mark a turning point in the story of God’s relationship with Israel. The ideal from the books of Exodus through Judges and Ruth had been for God to be the king of Israel, ruling through his written Law and through charismatic figures, whom he appointed from time to time to meet specific challenges Israel would face. But the people, frustrated by the inability of the judges to produce a lasting peace, did not trust God. So they sought to have a king like the pagan nations around them. This led to the establishment of a human monarchy. The book of Samuel not only tells the story of Samuel but also how God installed Saul as the first king and then David as the second king, and how they ruled.

After being Israel’s prophet for many years, Samuel became their last judge. The leadership of judges proved to be ineffective over the long run. Under them Israel suffered military defeats and kept falling into idolatry. So God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as king to lead Israel in war and promote and enforce the Law so that Israel would be the righteous people God intended them to be. Saul proves to be unsuitable through his own disobedience, so God orders Samuel to anoint David as king. The rest of 1 and 2 Samuel follows David as he rises to the throne without doing violence to Saul or his family, and then it chronicles David’s great successes and spectacular failures as king.

The time period of the books of Judges and Samuel also marks a turning point in technology. Iron tools and weapons were arriving in the ancient Near East and replacing the inferior bronze and stone implements Israel had been using. The Philistines, Israel’s enemies throughout Judges and Samuel, had learned blacksmithing before Israel, which gave them significant technological advantages in warfare and agriculture. God uses David to bring about victory and deliverance for Israel in spite of this handicap, proving that God’s power is more important than man’s inventions.

David is considered to be one of the great heroes of Israel’s history. However, like Moses, David was far from perfect, but he always repented and learned from his mistakes. He was intimately familiar with God’s loyal love, great patience, and boundless mercy, and his confidence in the goodness of the Lord provides a timeless example for us to follow.

Before You Read

Words in italics are additions to the biblical text. In the context of commands, rules, and regulations, “shall,” “must,” and “are/is to” are equal terms, all the same strength.

Read lists from top to bottom in the first column then read the next column.

We encourage you to read “Translation Notes” and “Format and Presentation Notes” in the back of the book. They are easy reading and will increase your understanding of the text.

Please browse the glossary before you begin reading. You will find helpful information about words that appear frequently in this book, as well as important explanations of the words “L” and “Yahweh.”

1 Samuel

Part 1. The Beginning of Samuel’s Ministry

1 Samuel 1

Hannah Prays for a Son

1 There was a man from Ramathaim in Zuph in the mountains of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives. The first was named Hannah, and the second was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 This man went up from his town year after year to worship and sacrifice to the L of Armies at Shiloh.a The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the L there. 4 Each day when Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave portions of meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 He gave a double portion to Hannah, however, because he loved her, though the L had kept her from having children.b 6 Hannah’s rival wife kept provoking her to make her miserable, because the L had kept her from having children. 7 This happened year after year. Every time she went up to the house of the L, Peninnah provoked her until she wept and would not eat.

8 Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying. Why are you not eating? Why is your heart so sad? Am I not as good as ten sons to you?”

9 Hannah got up after the sacrificial meal at Shiloh.c Eli the priest was sitting in his chair at the doorpost of the L’s house.d 10 She was deeply distressed, and she wept bitterly as she prayed to the L 11 She made a vow, saying, “O L of Armies, if you truly see your maidservant’s distress, then remember me and do not forget your maidservant. Please give your maidservant a son.e I will give him to the L for his whole life, and a razor will never be used on his head.”f

12 Eli was watching her mouth as she prayed a very long prayer before the L.

Hannah prayed many words from her heart; although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 He said to her, “How long will you stay drunk? Put away your wine!”

13

15 Hannah answered, “No, my lord. I’m a woman with a hardened spirit. I haven’t drunk wine or beer, and I’ve poured out my soul before the L 16 Don’t call your maidservant a worthless woman,g because I’m now speaking up about my many complaints and frustrations.”

17 Eli replied, “Go in peace. May the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.”

18 She answered, “May your maidservant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer downcast.h

a Shiloh, where the meeting tent and the ark of the covenant were, was the center of Israel’s worship.

b Literally, “had closed her womb.” And verse 6.

c Literally, “after she ate and drank at Shiloh.” Septuagint: “and drank after the festival.”

d From some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac text; Masoretic text: “the temple.”

e Literally, “a male seed.”

f Never cutting his hair was a sign of the child’s special status as dedicated to the Lord’s service.

g Literally, “Do not place your maidservant before the daughters of Belial.”

h From the Septuagint; Masoretic text: “and her face was not with her anymore.”

Samuel Born and Dedicated to God

19 Elkanah and Hannah got up early in the morning and worshiped before the L and then returned home to Ramah. Elkanah had intimate relations with his wife Hannah, and the L remembered her. 20 In the course of time, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel (i.e., God Listened), because she said, “I asked the L for him.”

21 Elkanah and his whole family went up to offer the yearly sacrifice to the L and to pay his vow, 22 but Hannah did not go up. She said to her husband, “I will not go until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him, and he will appear before the L. He will stay there always.”

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do as you see fit.a Stay until you have weaned him, and may the L confirm his word.” The woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 When the boy was young, when she had weaned him, she took him upb to Shiloh along with a three-year-old bull,c a basketful d of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the L 25 They sacrificed the bull and brought the boy to Eli. 26 She said, “Excuse me, my lord. As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the L. 27 I prayed for this boy, and God granted what I requested from him! 28 So now I dedicate him to the L. He will be dedicated to the L for as long as he lives.” And Eli worshiped the L there.

2 1 Samuel

Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving

1 Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the L; My strengthe is lifted high in him. My mouth boasts over my enemy, For I rejoice in your salvation.

2 “There is no one holy like the L.

Indeed, there is no one like you; There is no rock like our God.

3 “Do not multiply your proud boasting, Nor let your mouth speak arrogantly, For the L is a God who knows, And deeds are weighed by him.

4 “The warriors’ bows are shattered, But those who stumble arm themselves with power.

a Literally, “Do what is good in your eyes.”

b From the Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic text: “took him with her.”

c From the Septuagint; Masoretic text: “three bulls.”

d Literally, “an ephah.”

e Literally, “my horn.”

5

Those who were full hired themselves out for food, But the hungry hunger no longer.

The barren woman gives birth seven times, And she who has many children grows feeble.

6 “The L brings death and life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up to life.

7 The L sends poverty and wealth; He brings people low but also raises them high. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them with princes and makes them inherit a glorious throne.

“The foundations of the earth belong to the L, And he has set the earth upon them.

9 He guards the stepsa of his godly ones, But the wicked will be silent in darkness. For people do not prevail through power.

10 “The L will shatter those who oppose him. He will thunder against them from the heavens. The L will judge everyone, to the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, And he will increase the strengthb of his anointed one.”

Samuel’s Growth; the Sinfulness of Eli’s Sons

11 Elkanah went home to Ramah, and the boy served the L under the direction of Elic the priest.

12 Eli’s sons were worthless men; they did not know the L. 13 This was what those priests did to the people: A servant of the priest would come with a threepronged fork in his hand to everyone who offered a sacrifice while they were boiling the meat. 14 He would thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron, or pot. The priest would take for himself whatever the fork brought up. They treated all the Israelites who came to offer sacrifices at Shiloh like this. 15 Also, the priest’s servant would come before they offered up the fat and say to the one offering the sacrifice, “Give the priest some meat for roasting, because he will not accept boiled meat for you, only raw.” 16 If the person replied, “I must certainly offer the fat up today, and then take whatever you want,” then the priest’s servant would say, “No! Give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” 17 The sins of the young men before the L were very great, because they treated the L’s offering with contempt.

18 But Samuel, a young boy dressed in a linen ephod, was serving the L 19 His mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him year after year when she went up with her husband to maked the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli would bless

a Literally, “the feet.”

b Literally, “lift up the horn.”

c Literally, “before Eli.”

d Literally, “for.”

Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the L give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the L.” Then they went home.a 21 And the L acted on Hannah’s behalf; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up before the L

Prophecy Against Eli’s Descendants

22 When Eli was very old, he heard about all that his sons were doing to all Israel when they sacrificed at Shiloh, and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the meeting tent.b 23 He asked them, “Why are you doing these things? I’ve heard about your wicked deeds from all these people. 24 No, my sons, the report I hear spreading among the L’s people isn’t good. 25 If someone sins against another person, God may mediate for them; but if someone sins against the L, who can intercede for them?” But they didn’t listen to their father’s rebuke, for the L desired to put them to death. 26 But the young man Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor both with the L and with people.

27 A man of God came to Eli and said, “The L says this: ‘Did I not certainly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt, in bondage in Pharaoh’s house? 28 Didn’t I choose Levi for myself, out of all the tribes of Israel, to be priests, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before me? And didn’t I give all of the burnt offerings of the Israelites to your tribe? c 29 Why do you show contempt for d the sacrifices and offerings that I have commanded in my dwelling? You are honoring your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the best parts of every offering made by my people Israel!’

30 “Therefore the L, the God of Israel, says this: ‘I promised to your family and your tribe that they would servee before me forever. But now the L declares: Far be it from me! Those who honor me, I will honor, and those who show contempt for me will get no respect. 31 ‘Look, days are coming when I will cut down your descendants and the descendants of your tribe f so that there will be no old people in your family. 32 You will see distress in my dwelling, despite all the good I will do for Israel. And there will never be an old man in your family. 33 Any man from your family whom I do not cut off will bring grief and sadness to you.g All your descendantsh will die by the hand of men. 34 What happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day.

a Literally, “went to his place.”

b Possibly a reference to cultic prostitution being mixed with the worship of the Lord.

c Literally, “your ancestor’s family.”

d Literally, “Why do you kick?” Feet were considered to be dirty and shameful.

e Literally, “would walk about.”

f From the Septuagint; literally, “cut off your seed and the seed of your father’s house”; Masoretic text: “forearm” instead of “seed.”

g Literally, ““will cause your eyes to fail and your soul to ebb.”

h Literally, “All the increase of your family.”

35 ‘But I will raise up a faithful priest for myself, one who will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build a faithful family for him, and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36 Anyone left in your family will come and bow before him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please assign me to some priestly duty so that I can eat a bit of food.”

3 God Calls Samuel

1 The young man Samuel served the L under the direction of Eli.a (The word of the L was rare in those days, and visions were not widespread.)

2 Once in those days Eli was lying down in his place. (Now Eli’s eyes had begun to grow dim, so he could barely see.) 3 The lamp of the L had not yet burned out.b Samuel was lying down in the L’s house where the ark of God was. 4 The L called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 The L called, “Samuel,” again.

So he got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

Eli said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Lie down again.” 7 (Samuel did not yet know the L, and the L’s word was not yet revealed to him.)

8 The L called to Samuel a third time. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the L was calling the young man. 9 He said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, O L, for your servant is listening.’ ” Samuel went back and lay down in his place.

10 The L came and stood there, and he called like he had before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 The L said to Samuel, “Look, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear of it tingle. 12 At that time I will confirm to Eli all that I said about his family, from beginning to end. 13 I have told him that I will judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about: His sons blasphemed, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the family of Eli that their sin would never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”

15 Samuel lay down until morning, then he got up and opened the doors to the house of the L.

Now Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about his vision. 16 Then Eli called to Samuel, “Samuel, my son!”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

a Literally, “before Eli.”

b “Not yet burned out”; probably early morning, when the oil in the lamp was almost gone.

17 Eli asked, “What did the L say to you? a Don’t hide it from me. May God deal with you, and even more, if you hide one word out of everything he said to you.”

18 So Samuel told him everything; he didn’t hide anything from him. Eli said, “It’s the L. Let him do what is good in his eyes.”

19 Samuel grew up, and the L was with him. He didn’t let any of his predictions prove to be false.b 20 All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was a faithful prophetc of the L. 21 The L continued to appear at Shiloh, for he revealed himself to Samuel there through his word. 4:1a Samuel’s word went outd to all Israel.

Part 2. The Ark and the Philistines

4 1 Samuel The Ark Is Captured

4:1b The Israelites went out to fight the Philistines and encamped at Ebenezer (i e , Stone of Help). The Philistines were encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines arranged themselves for battle against the Israelites, and as the battle spread, the Israelites were defeated by them. They killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. 3 The people went back to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “Why has the L defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s bring the ark of the covenant of the L from Shiloh. It will come among our warriors and save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent messengers to Shiloh and brought back the ark of the covenant of the L of Armies, who sits between the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As the ark of the covenant of the L came into the camp, all Israel gave such a loud shout that the ground shook. 6 The Philistines heard the sound of the shout and said, “What is this noise of loud shouting in the Hebrew camp?” Then they knew that the ark of the L had come into the camp. 7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp. Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can rescue anyone from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness!”

9 But their leader said, “Take courage and be men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews like they are now slaves to you. Be men and fight them!”

Eli and His Sons Die

10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated. They fled in disorder, each to his own home.e It was a huge slaughter. Thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell slain, 11 the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.

a Literally, “What is the word he spoke to you?”

b Literally, “He let none of his words fall to the ground.”

c Or “was confirmed as a prophet.”

d Literally, “came.”

e Literally, “tent.”

BATTLE OF EBENEZER

Aphek?

Shiloh Ebenezer?

Battle of Ebenezer

4:1

Ashdod

Ashkelon

Gaza

Ekron Azekah

MILES

JORDAN RIVER

Philistines camp at Aphek. Israelites camp at Ebenezer. Philistines kill 4,000 Israelites.

4:4 Israelites bring ark of the covenant to their camp.

4:10 Israelites defeated, flee, 30,000 killed, ark of the covenant captured.

5:1 Ark of the covenant taken to Ashdod. Israel Victory Site

DEAD SEA

12 A Benjamite ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh that day with torn clothes and dust on his head.a 13 He arrived, and to his surprise, Eli was sitting in his chair by the side of the road watching closely, for his heart trembled with worry about the ark of God. The man came to tell the news in the city, and everyone cried out in dismay. 14 Eli heard the sound of the outcry and said, “What is this tumultuous noise?”

The man hurried to Eli and told him. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old. His eyes had failedb such that he could not see. 16 The man told Eli, “I have come from the battle line. I fled from the battle today.”

Eli answered, asking, “What happened, my son?”

17 The one who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a terrible slaughter among the people. Not only that, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain, and the ark of God has been taken!” 18 When he was informed about the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair beside the gate. His neck was broken, and he died because he was an old man and he was heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the report that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she knelt down and gave birth but was overcome by her labor. 20 As she was dying, those in attendance told her, “Do not fear. You have given birth to a son!” But she did not answer or pay attention.c

21–22 She named the boy Ichabod (i.e., No Glory), saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” on account of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her fatherin-law and husband.

a “Torn clothes and dust on his head”: outward signs of deep distress and mourning.

b Literally, “were set.”

c Literally, “or set her heart to it.”

Curse of the Ark

1 The Philistines captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of their god Dagon, and they placed it next to Dagon. 3 The residents of Ashdod got up early the next day and discovered Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the L! So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. 4 But when they got up early in the morning, they were surprised to see Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the L again! His head and his two hands were broken off and laying on the threshold of the temple; only his body remained. 5 For this reason the priests and all who enter the temple of Dagon do not step on the threshold of the temple of Dagon in Ashdod, even to this day.

6 Now the hand of the L was heavy on the people of Ashdod. He ravaged them and afflicted everyone in Ashdod and its surrounding territory with tumors.a 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, for his powerb is severe on us and on our god Dagon.” 8 They sent messengers and called all the lords of the Philistines together to ask them, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”

They said, “Move the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.” So they moved it. 9 After it was moved, the hand of the L was upon the city and caused a great uproar. He afflicted the people of that city, from small to great, and tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when the ark came there, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us to kill us and our people!” 11 They sent messengers and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to tell them, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. Return it to its place! Then it won’t kill us and our people,” for there was a deadly tumult throughout the city. The hand of God was very heavy upon them. 12 Those who had not died were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

6 1 Samuel

Return of the Ark

1 After the ark of the L had been in the Philistines’ country for seven months, 2 they called for their priests and diviners and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the L? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”

3 They responded, “If you send the ark of the God of Israel back, do not send it by itself. By all means send it back with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand was not lifted from you.”

4 The Philistines asked, “What should be the guilt offering that we send?”c

a Or “hemorrhoids.” Also in 1 Samuel 5:9, 12; 6:4–5, 11, 17.

b Literally, “his hand.” And verses 9 and 12.

c Literally, “What is the guilt offering that we will return to him?”

Shiloh

Ark Movements

4:4 Moved from Shiloh to Ebenezer.

5:1 Captured by the Philistines and taken to Ashdod.

5:8 Moved to Gath.

5:10 Moved to Ekron.

6:11 Sent to Israelites at Beth Shemesh.

7:1 Moved to Kiriath Jearim.

They said, “Five golden tumorsa and five golden mice, according to the number of Philistine rulers,b for the samec plague has struck all of you and your lords. 5 Make golden images of the tumors and of the mice that are ravaging the land, and give glory to Israel’s god. Maybe he will ease his hand off of you, your gods, and your land.

6 Why harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When he dealt harshly with them, didn’t they send the people on their way, and they left?

7 Now take and prepare a new cart and hitch to it two milking cows that have never been yoked. Take their calves away and pen them up at home. 8 Take the ark of the L and put it on the cart along with the articles of gold that you are returning to him as a guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away so it can go. 9 Watch. If it heads directly home,d toward Beth Shemesh, then we know that he has brought this great calamity on us. If it does not, then we will know that his hand has not struck us; it happened to us by chance.”

10 So the Philistine men did this. They took two milking cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. 11 They put the ark of the L on the cart along with the box containing the golden mice and the images of the tumors. 12 The cows went straight on the way up to Beth Shemesh, staying perfectly on the road,e mooing as they went. They did not turn aside to the right or the left. The lords of the Philistines followed them up to the border of Beth Shemesh.

a Or “hemorrhoids.” And verses 5, 11, and 17.

b See verses 16–18.

c Literally “the one.”

d Literally, “to the road to its own territory.”

e Literally, “they went straight ahead.”

13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley. They looked up,a saw the ark, and rejoiced at the sight. 14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh and stopped there. There was a large rock there. They split the wood of the cart and offered up the cows as a burnt offering to the L 15 The Levites took down the ark of the L and the box with the golden articles in it and put them on the large rock. That day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to the L.

16 The five lords of the Philistines watched all this and returned to Ekron that same day. 17 Now these are the golden tumors that the Philistines sent to the L as a guilt offering: one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. 18 And the number of the golden mice was according to the fortified cities and villages belonging to the five Philistine lords. The large rock on which the Levites placed the ark of the L is still there to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

19 God struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the L. He struck seventy menb from among the people, and they mourned because of the great slaughter the L had inflicted upon them.

20 Then the people of Beth Shemesh wondered, “Who can stand before the L, this holy God? To whom should we givec the ark?” 21 They sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim to say, “The Philistines returned the ark of the L to us. Come down and take it up to where you live.”

7 1 Samuel

Israel Returns to the Lord

1 People from Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the L. They brought it up to the house of Abinadab on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard it.

2 From that day the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim for a long time: twenty years. And the whole nation of Israel longed for d the L.

3 Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the L with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and Ashtoreths from among you. Fix your hearts on the L and serve him only. Then he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites removed their Baal idols and their Ashtoreths and served the L only.

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all the Israelites at Mizpah, and I will pray to the L on their behalf.” 6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out as an offering before the L. They observed a fast that day and said, “We have sinned against the L.” Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

Samuel Defeats the Philistines

7 The Philistines heard that the Israelites had assembled at Mizpah, so the lords of the Philistines went up with their armies against them. The Israelites heard about

a Literally, “They raised their eyes.”

b A few Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic text: “50,070.”

c Literally, “To whom shall it go up from us.”

d Or “turned to.”