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Judges

Judges 20

War against Benjamin

1 All the Israelites from Dan to Beer-shebaand from the land of Gilead came out, and the community assembled as one body before theLordat Mizpah.

2 The leadersof all the people and of all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 armed foot soldiers.

3 The Benjaminites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.

The Israelites asked, “Tell us, how did this outrage occur? ”

4 The Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, answered: “I went to Gibeah in Benjamin with my concubine to spend the night.

5 Citizens of Gibeah ganged up on me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, but they raped my concubine, and she died.

6 Then I took my concubine and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout Israel’s territory, because they committed a horrible shamein Israel.

7 Look, all of you are Israelites. Give your judgment and verdict here and now.”

8 Then all the people stood united and said, “None of us will go to his tent or return to his house.

9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go against it by lot.

10 We will take 10 men out of every 100 from all the tribes of Israel, and 100 out of every 1,000, and 1,000 out of every 10,000 to get provisions for the people when they go to Gibeah in Benjamin to punish them for all the horror they did in Israel.”

11 So all the men of Israelgathered united against the city.

12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this outrage that has occurred among you?

13 Hand over the perverted menin Gibeah so we can put them to death and eradicate evilfrom Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not obey their fellow Israelites.

14 Instead, the Benjaminites gathered together from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the Israelites.

15 On that day the Benjaminites rallied 26,000 armed menfrom their cities, besides 700 choice men rallied by the inhabitants of Gibeah.

16 There were 700 choice men who were left-handed among all these people; all could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.

17 The Israelites, apart from Benjamin, rallied 400,000 armed men, every one an experienced warrior.

18 They set out, went to Bethel, and inquired of God.The Israelites asked, “Who is to go first to fight for us against the Benjaminites? ”

And theLordanswered, “Judah will be first.”

19 In the morning, the Israelites set out and camped near Gibeah.

20 The men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin and took their battle positions against Gibeah.

21 The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah and slaughtered 22,000 men of Israel on the field that day.

22 But the Israelite army rallied and again took their battle positions in the same place where they positioned themselves on the first day.

23 They went up, weptbefore theLorduntil evening,and inquired of Him: “Should we again fight against our brothers the Benjaminites? ”

And theLordanswered: “Fight against them.”

24 On the second day the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites.

25 That same day the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah to meet them and slaughtered an additional 18,000 Israelites on the field; all were armed men.

26 The whole Israelite army went to Bethel where they wept and sat before theLord.They fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to theLord.

27 Then the Israelites inquired of theLord. In those days, the ark of the covenantof God was there,

28 and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron,was serving before it. The Israelites asked: “Should we again fight against our brothers the Benjaminites or should we stop? ”

TheLordanswered: “Fight, because I will hand them over to you tomorrow.”

29 So Israel set up an ambusharound Gibeah.

30 On the third day the Israelites fought against the Benjaminites and took their battle positions against Gibeah as before.

31 Then the Benjaminites came out against the people and were drawn away from the city.They began to attack the people as before, killing about 30 men of Israel on the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah through the open country.

32 The Benjaminites said, “We are defeating them as before.”

But the Israelites said, “Let’s flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”

33 So all the men of Israel got up from their places and took their battle positions at Baal-tamar, while the Israelites in ambush charged out of their places west ofGeba.

34 Then 10,000 choice men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was about to strike them.

35 TheLorddefeated Benjamin in the presence of Israel, and on that day the Israelites slaughtered 25,100 men of Benjamin; all were armed men.

36 Then the Benjaminites realized they had been defeated.

The men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin, because they were confident in the ambush they had set against Gibeah.

37 The men in ambush had rushed quickly against Gibeah; they advanced and put the whole city to the sword.

38 The men of Israel had a prearranged signal with the men in ambush: when they sent up a great cloud of smoke from the city,

39 the men of Israel would return to the battle. When Benjamin had begun to strike them down, killing about 30 men of Israel, they said, “They’re defeated before us, just as they were in the first battle.”

40 But when the column of smoke began to go up from the city, Benjamin looked behind them, and the whole city was going up in smoke.

41 Then the men of Israel returned, and the men of Benjamin were terrified when they realized that disaster had struck them.

42 They retreated before the men of Israel toward the wilderness,but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the citiesslaughtered those between them.

43 They surrounded the Benjaminites, pursued them, and easily overtook them near Gibeah toward the east.

44 There were 18,000 men who died from Benjamin; all were warriors.

45 Then Benjamin turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,and Israel killed 5,000 men on the highways. They overtook them at Gidom and struck 2,000 more dead.

46 All the Benjaminites who died that day were 25,000 armed men; all were warriors.

47 But 600 men escaped into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and stayed there four months.

48 The men of Israel turned back against the other Benjaminites and killed them with their swords — the entire city, the animals, and everything that remained. They also burned down all the cities that remained.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/JDG/20-c87c28d9c9a696461b5ba6ccc4ce7d68.mp3?version_id=72—

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Judges

Judges 21

Brides for Benjamin

1 The men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah: “None of us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite in marriage.”

2 So the people went to Bethel and sat there before Goduntil evening. They wept loudly and bitterly,

3 and cried out, “Why,LordGod of Israel, has it occurredthat one tribe is missing in Israel today? ”

4 The next day the people got up early, built an altar there,and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

5 The Israelites asked, “Who of all the tribes of Israel didn’t come to theLordwith the assembly? ” For a great oath had been taken that anyone who had not come to theLordat Mizpah would certainly be put to death.

6 But the Israelites had compassion on their brothers, the Benjaminites, and said, “Today a tribe has been cut off from Israel.

7 What should we do about wives for the survivors? We’ve sworn to theLordnot to give them any of our daughters as wives.”

8 They asked, “Which city among the tribes of Israel didn’t come to theLordat Mizpah? ” It turned out that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp and the assembly.

9 For when the people were counted, no one was there from the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.

10 The congregation sent 12,000 brave warriorsthere and commanded them: “Go and kill the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword,including women and children.

11 This is what you should do: Completely destroy every male, as well as every female who has slept with a man.”

12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young women, who had not had sexual relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

13 The whole congregation sent a message of peaceto the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon.

14 Benjamin returned at that time, and Israel gave them the women they had kept alive from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough for them.

15 The people had compassion on Benjamin, because theLordhad made this gap in the tribes of Israel.

16 The elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who are left, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed? ”

17 They said, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.

18 But we can’t give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Anyone who gives a wife to a Benjaminite is cursed.”

19 They also said, “Look, there’s an annual festival to theLordin Shiloh,which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

20 Then they commanded the Benjaminites: “Go and hide in the vineyards.

21 Watch, and when you see the young women of Shiloh come out to perform the dances,each of you leave the vineyards and catch a wife for yourself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

22 When their fathers or brothers come to us and protest, we will tell them, ‘Show favor to them, since we did not get enough wives for each of them in the battle. You didn’t actually give the women to them, soyou are not guilty of breaking your oath.’ ”

23 The Benjaminites did this and took the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities,and lived in them.

24 At that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and family. Each returned from there to his own inheritance.

25 In those days there was no king in Israel;everyone did whatever he wanted.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/JDG/21-9aed8e1c2d35e6af810475da572d478d.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ruth

Ruth 1

Naomi’s Family in Moab

1 During the timeof the judges,there was a famine in the land.A man left Bethlehemin Judah with his wife and two sons to live in the land of Moab for a while.

2 The man’s name was Elimelech,and his wife’s name was Naomi.The names of his two sons were Mahlonand Chilion.They were Ephrathitesfrom Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the land of Moab and settled there.

3 Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons.

4 Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about 10 years,

5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two children and without her husband.

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

6 She and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that theLordhad paid attention to His people’s need by providing them food.

7 She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah.

8 She said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home.May theLordshow faithful love to you as you have shown to the dead and to me.

9 May theLordenable each of you to find securityin the house of your new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly.

10 “No,” they said to her. “We will go with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sonswho could become your husbands?

12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons,

13 would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying?No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share,because theLord’s hand has turned against me.”

14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god.Follow your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth replied:

Do not persuade me to leave you

or go back and not follow you.

For wherever you go, I will go,

and wherever you live, I will live;

your people will be my people,

and your God will be my God.

17 Where you die, I will die,

and there I will be buried.

May Yahweh punish me,

and do so severely,

if anything but death separates you and me.

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

19 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrivaland the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi? ”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,”she answered,“for the Almightyhas made me very bitter.

21 I went away full, but theLordhas brought me back empty.Why do you call me Naomi, since theLordhas pronounced judgment onme, and the Almighty has afflicted me? ”

22 So Naomi came back from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/RUT/1-ce7141347e70592d38b2e862bc4571f8.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ruth

Ruth 2

Ruth and Boaz Meet

1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side named Boaz. He was a prominent man of noble characterfrom Elimelech’s family.

2 Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grainbehind someone who allows me to? ”

Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happenedto be in the portion of land belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “TheLordbe with you.”

“TheLordbless you,”they replied.

5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this? ”

6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.

7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters? ’ She came and has remained from early morning until now, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter.Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants.

9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you?When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

10 She bowed with her face to the groundand said to him, “Why are you so kind to notice me, although I am a foreigner? ”

11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know.

12 May theLordreward you for what you have done,and may you receive a full reward from theLordGod of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

13 “My lord,” she said, “you have been so kind to me, for you have comforted and encouragedyour slave, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz told her, “Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce.” So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.

15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her even gather grain among the bundles, and don’t humiliate her.

16 Pull out some stalks from the bundles for her and leave them for her to gather. Don’t rebuke her.”

17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about 26 quartsof barley.

18 She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Then she brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave it to her.

19 Then her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May theLordbless the man who noticed you.”

Ruth told her mother-in-law about the men she had worked with and said, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.”

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by theLord,who has not forsaken hiskindness to the living or the dead.”Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers.”

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.’ ”

22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to workwith his female servants, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.”

23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s female servants and gathered grain until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished.And she lived withher mother-in-law.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/RUT/2-5d465d9f13373366365ef7f47f9783ca.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ruth

Ruth 3

Ruth’s Appeal to Boaz

1 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find security for you, so that you will be taken care of?

2 Now isn’t Boaz our relative?Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

3 Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”

5 So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”

6 She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her.

7 After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits,he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley. Then she went in secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

8 At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman!

9 So he asked, “Who are you? ”

“I am Ruth, your slave,” she replied. “Spread your cloakover me,for you are a family redeemer.”

10 Then he said, “May theLordbless you,my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before,because you have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor.

11 Now don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you say,since all the people in my townknow that you are a woman of noble character.

12 Yes, it is true that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer than I am.

13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, that’s good.Let him redeem you. But if he doesn’t want to redeem you, as theLordlives,I will. Now lie down until morning.”

14 So she lay down at his feet until morning but got up while it was still dark.Then Boaz said, “Don’t let it be known that awoman came to the threshing floor.”

15 And he told Ruth, “Bring the shawl you’re wearing and hold it out.” When she held it out, he shoveled six measures of barley into her shawl, and shewent into the town.

16 She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who asked her, “How did it go,my daughter? ”

Then Ruth told her everything the man had done for her.

17 She said, “He gave me these six measures of barley, because he said,‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”

18 Naomi said, “My daughter, wait until you find out how things go, for he won’t rest unless he resolves this today.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/RUT/3-feb2c4c5fcca56d65281bc8a4ceef7c7.mp3?version_id=72—

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Ruth

Ruth 4

Ruth and Boaz Marry

1 Boaz went to the gate of the townand sat down there. Soon the family redeemer Boaz had spoken about came by. Boaz called him by name and said, “Comeover here and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Then Boaz took 10 men of the town’s eldersand said, “Sit here.” And they sat down.

3 He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling a piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4 I thought I should inform you:Buy it back in the presence of those seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, do so. But if you donot want to redeem it, tell me so that I will know, because there isn’t anyone other than you to redeem it, and I am next after you.”

“I want to redeem it,” he answered.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquireRuth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”

6 The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”

7 At an earlier period in Israel, a man removed his sandaland gave it to the other party in order to make any matter legally binding concerning the right of redemption or the exchange of property. This was the method of legally binding a transaction in Israel.

8 So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, “Buy back the property yourself.”

9 Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I am buying from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon.

10 I will also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to perpetuate the deceased man’s name on his property, so that his name will not disappear among his relatives or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.”

11 The elders and all the people who were at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May theLordmake the woman who is entering your house like Rachel and Leah,who together built the house of Israel. May you be powerful in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

12 May your house become like the house of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah,because of the offspring theLordwill give you by this young woman.”

13 Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he was intimate with her, theLordenabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Praise theLord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel.

15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,has given birth to him.”

16 Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him.

17 The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed.He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

David’s Genealogy from Judah’s Son

18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez:

Perez fathered Hezron.

19 Hezron fathered Ram,

who fathered Amminadab.

20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon,

who fathered Salmon.

21 Salmon fathered Boaz,

who fathered Obed.

22 And Obed fathered Jesse,

who fathered David.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/RUT/4-353f1ec06a63d2816a48ffeab7e9078e.mp3?version_id=72—

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1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1

Hannah’s Vow

1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophiminthe hill country of Ephraim.His name was Elkanahson of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives,the first named Hannahand the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

3 This man would go up from his town every yearto worship and to sacrificeto theLordof Hosts at Shiloh,where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were theLord’s priests.

4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meatto his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters.

5 But he gave a doubleportionto Hannah, for he loved her even though theLordhad kept her from conceiving.

6 Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because theLordhad kept Hannah from conceiving.

7 Whenever she went up to theLord’s house,her rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah wept and would not eat.

8 “Hannah, why are you crying? ” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than 10 sons? ”

9 Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of theLord’s tabernacle.

10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to theLordand wept with many tears.

11 Making a vow,she pleaded, “Lordof Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction,remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son,I will give him to theLordall the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”

12 While she continued praying in theLord’s presence, Eli watched her lips.

13 Hannah was praying silently,and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk

14 and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk?Get rid of your wine! ”

15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before theLord.

16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”

17 Eli responded, “Go in peace,and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.”

18 “May your servant find favor with you,”she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before theLord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah.Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and theLordremembered her.

20 After some time,Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,because she said, “I requested him from theLord.”

21 When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrificeand his vow offering to theLord,

22 Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in theLord’s presenceand to stay there permanently.”

23 Her husband Elkanah replied, “Do what you think is best,and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May theLordconfirm yourword.”So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull,half a bushelof flour, and a jar of wine.Though the boy was still young,she took him to theLord’s house at Shiloh.

25 Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

26 “Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live,my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to theLord.

27 I prayed for this boy,and since theLordgave me what I asked Him for,

28 I now give the boy to theLord. For as long as he lives, he is given to theLord.”Then hebowed in worship to theLordthere.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/1-7116b4e74f4331e0b63ed62deb2e0ba5.mp3?version_id=72—

Categories
1 Samuel

1 Samuel 2

Hannah’s Triumphant Prayer

1 Hannah prayed:

My heart rejoices in theLord;

my horn is lifted up by theLord.

My mouth boasts over my enemies,

because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 There is no one holy like theLord.

There is no one besides You!

And there is no rock like our God.

3 Do not boast so proudly,

or let arrogant words come out of your mouth,

for theLordis a God of knowledge,

and actions are weighed by Him.

4 The bows of the warriors are broken,

but the feeble are clothed with strength.

5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food,

but those who are starving hunger no more.

The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,

but the woman with many sons pines away.

6 TheLordbrings death and gives life;

He sends some to Sheol, and He raises others up.

7 TheLordbrings poverty and gives wealth;

He humbles and He exalts.

8 He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the garbage pile.

He seats them with noblemen

and gives them a throne of honor.

For the foundations of the earth are theLord’s;

He has set the world on them.

9 He guards the stepsof His faithful ones,

but the wicked perish in darkness,

for a man does not prevail by his own strength.

10 Those who oppose theLordwill be shattered;

He will thunder in the heavens against them.

TheLordwill judge the ends of the earth.

He will give power to His king;

He will lift up the horn of His anointed.

11 Elkanah went home to Ramah,but the boy served theLordin the presence of Eli the priest.

Eli’s Family Judged

12 Eli’s sons were wicked men;they had no regard for theLord

13 or for the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling

14 and plunge it into the container or kettle or cauldron or cooking pot.The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

15 Even before the fat was burned,the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you — only raw.”

16 If that man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,”the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force! ”

17 So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of theLord, because they treated theLord’s offering with contempt.

18 The boy Samuel served in theLord’s presenceand wore a linen ephod.

19 Each year his mother made him a little robeand took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife:“May theLordgive you children by this woman in place of the one shehas given to theLord.”Then they would go home.

21 TheLordpaid attention to Hannah’s need,and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of theLord.

22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israeland how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

23 He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people.

24 No, my sons, the report I hear from theLord’s people is not good.

25 If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him, but if a man sins against theLord, who can intercede for him? ”But they would not listen to their father, since theLordintended to kill them.

26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with theLordand with men.

27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him,“This is what theLordsays: ‘Didn’t I reveal Myself to your ancestral house when it was in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace?

28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I selected your houseto be priests, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence.I also gave your house all the Israelite fire offerings.

29 Why, then, do all of you despise My sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship?You have honored your sons more than Me,by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of My people Israel.’

30 “Therefore, this is the declaration of theLord, the God of Israel:

‘Although I said

your family and your ancestral house

would walk before Me forever,

theLordnow says, “No longer! ”

I will honor those who honor Me,

but those who despise Me will be disgraced.

31 “ ‘Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestral family, so that none in your family will reach old age.

32 You will see distress in the place of worship,in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.

33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from My altar will bring griefand sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.

34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas:both of them will die on the same day.

35 “ ‘Then I will raise up a faithful priestfor Myself. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him,and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.

36 Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/2-f15215f6f49c91b4b81ada417f92dac0.mp3?version_id=72—

Categories
1 Samuel

1 Samuel 3

Samuel’s Call

1 The boy Samuel served theLordin Eli’s presence.In those days the word of theLordwas rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.

2 One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing,was lying in his room.

3 Before the lamp of God had gone out,Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of theLord, where the ark of God was located.

4 Then theLordcalled Samuel,and he answered, “Here I am.”

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Once again theLordcalled, “Samuel! ”

Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel had not yet experienced theLord, because the word of theLordhad not yet been revealed to him.

8 Once again, for the third time, theLordcalled Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that theLordwas calling the boy.

9 He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak,Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 TheLordcame, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel! ”

Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

11 TheLordsaid to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder.

12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end.

13 I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are defiling the sanctuary,and he has not stopped them.

14 Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.”

15 Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of theLord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,

16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” answered Samuel.

17 “What was the message He gave you? ” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.”

18 So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is theLord. He will do what He thinks is good.”

19 Samuel grew,and theLordwas with him,and He fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied.

20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of theLord.

21 TheLordcontinued to appear in Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/3-ff3f8b7b9a2757f93698198d78362ee0.mp3?version_id=72—

Categories
1 Samuel

1 Samuel 4

1 And Samuel’s words came to all Israel.

The Ark Captured by the Philistines

Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle andcamped at Ebenezerwhile the Philistines camped at Aphek.

2 The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did theLordlet us be defeated today by the Philistines?Let’s bring the ark of theLord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then itwill go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of theLordof Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of the covenant of theLordentered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.

6 The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, “What’s this loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp? ” When the Philistines discovered that the ark of theLordhad entered the camp,

7 they panicked. “The gods have entered their camp! ” they said. “Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.

8 Woe to us, who will rescue us from the hand of these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

9 Show some courage and be men, Philistines!Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews just as they served you.Now be men and fight! ”

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated,and each man fled to his tent.The slaughter was severe — 30,000 of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.

11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Eli’s Death and Ichabod’s Birth

12 That same day, a Benjaminite man ranfrom the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn,and there was dirt on his head.

13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road watching,because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion? ” The man quickly came and reported to Eli.

15 At that time Eli was 98 years old, and his gaze was fixedbecause he couldn’t see.

16 The man said to Eli, “I’m the one who came from the battle.I fled from there today.”

“What happened, my son? ”Eli asked.

17 The messenger answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate,and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel 40 years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her.

20 As she was dying,the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son! ”But she did not respond or pay attention.

21 She named the boy Ichabod,saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,”referring to the capture of the ark of Godand to the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “because the ark of God has been captured.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/4-ea0599b9ebf1005b091d1fe1bcc05a77.mp3?version_id=72—