American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, {Or, over}beside me, and slay me; for {Or, giddiness}anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
So I stood {Or, over}beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.
And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on {In 1 Chronicles 27:18, Elihu.}Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.
But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
Then Jesse made {In 2 Samuel 13:3, Shimeah. In 1 Chronicles 2:13, Shimea.}Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit {Hebrew: around.}down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal {Hebrew: fair of eyes.}of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah {Or, terrified}troubled him.
And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the 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.
And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and {Or, skilful}prudent in {Or, business}speech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him.
Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a {Or, skin}bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, {Or, over}beside me, and slay me; for {Or, giddiness}anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
So I stood {Or, over}beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning {Or, a man; for…the man.}man; for he himself knew what was in man.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down {Or, wounded}slain in mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and {In chapter 14:49. Ishvi.}Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and {Or, make a mock of me}abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.
And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and {Or, make a mock of me}abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.