The Death of Saul and His Sons

31¹ Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel: and the men of Israel went in flight before the Philistines, falling down wounded in Mount Gilboa. ² And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and they put to death Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. ³ And the fight was going badly for Saul, and the archers came across him, and he was wounded by the archers. ⁴ Then Saul said to the servant who had the care of his arms, Take out your sword and put it through me, before these men without circumcision come and make sport of me. But his servant, full of fear, would not do so. Then Saul took out his sword, and falling on it, put an end to himself. ⁵ And when his servant saw that Saul was dead, he did the same, and was united with him in death. ⁶ So death overtook Saul and his three sons and his servant on the same day. ⁷ And when the men of Israel across the valley and on the other side of Jordan saw that the army of Israel was in flight and that Saul and his sons were dead, they came out of their towns and went in flight; and the Philistines came and took them for themselves.

⁸ Now on the day after, when the Philistines came to take their goods from the dead, they saw Saul and his three sons dead on the earth in Mount Gilboa. ⁹ And cutting off his head and taking away his war-dress, they sent word into the land of the Philistines round about, to take the news to their gods and to the people. ¹⁰ His war-dress they put in the house of Astarte; and his body was fixed on the wall of Beth-shan. ¹¹ And when the people of Jabesh-gilead had news of what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² All the fighting men got up and, travelling all night, took Saul's body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh and had them burned there. ¹³ And their bones they put in the earth under a tree in Jabesh; and for seven days they took no food.

The LORD Calls Samuel

3¹ Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision. ² And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,) ³ And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, ⁴ The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I. ⁵ And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed. ⁶ And again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest again. ⁷ Now at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him. ⁸ And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's. ⁹ So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed. ¹⁰ Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open.

¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning. ¹² In that day I will do to Eli everything which I have said about his family, from first to last. ¹³ And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over them. ¹⁴ So I have made an oath to the family of Eli that no offering of meat or of meal which they may make will ever take away the sin of his family. ¹⁵ And Samuel kept where he was, not moving till the time came for opening the doors of the house of God in the morning. And fear kept him from giving Eli an account of his vision. ¹⁶ Then Eli said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering said, Here am I. ¹⁷ And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you. ¹⁸ Then Samuel gave him an account of everything, keeping nothing back. And he said, It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.

¹⁹ And Samuel became older, and the Lord was with him and let not one of his words be without effect. ²⁰ And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord. ²¹ And the Lord was seen again in Shiloh; for the Lord gave to Samuel in Shiloh the revelation of his word.