Israel

Then all the children of Israel went out, and the Congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, vnto the Lord in Mizpeh.

(Now the children of Beniamin heard that the children of Israel were gone vp to Mizpeh) Then the children of Israel saide, Howe is this wickednesse committed?

Behold, ye are al children of Israel: giue your aduise, and counsell herein.

Nowe therefore deliuer vs those wicked men which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away euill from Israel: but the children of Beniamin would not obey the voyce of their brethren the children of Israel.

But ye children of Beniamin gathered them selues together out of the cities vnto Gibeah, to come out and fight against the children of Israel.

And the children of Israel arose, and went vp to the house of God, and asked of God, saying, Which of vs shall goe vp first to fight against the children of Beniamin? And the Lord said, Iudah shalbe first.

Then the children of Israel arose vp earely and camped against Gibeah.

(For the children of Israel had gone vp and wept before the Lord vnto the euening, and had asked of the Lord, saying, Shall I goe againe to battel against the children of Beniamin my brethren? and the Lord said, Go vp against them)

Then the children of Israel came neere against the children of Beniamin the second day.

Also the second day Beniamin came forth to meete them out of Gibeah, and slewe downe to the grounde of the children of Israel againe eighteene thousand men: all they could handle the sword.

Then al the children of Israel went vp and all the people came also vnto the house of God, and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vnto the euening, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings before the Lord.

And the children of Israel asked the Lord (for there was the Arke of the couenat of God in those dayes,

And the children of Israel went vp against the children of Beniamin the third day, and put theselues in aray against Gibeah, as at other times.

(For the children of Beniamin sayd, They are fallen before vs, as at the first. But the children of Israel saide, Let vs flee and plucke them away from the citie vnto the hie wayes)

And the Lord smote Beniamin before Israel, and the children of Israel destroyed of the Beniamites the same day fiue and twenty thousand and an hundreth men: all they could handle the sword.

Then the children of Israel said, Who is he among all the tribes of Israel, that came not vp with the Congregation vnto the Lord? for they had made a great othe concerning him that came not vp to the Lord to Mizpeh, saying, Let him die the death.

And the children of Israel were sory for Beniamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

Howbeit we may not giue them wiues of our daughters: for the childre of Israel had sworne, saying, Cursed be he that giueth a wise to Beniamin.

So the children of Israel departed thence at that time, euery man to his tribe, and to his familie, and went out from thence euery man to his inheritance.

And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest, to offer vpon mine altar, and to burne incense, and to weare an Ephod before me, and I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offrings made by fire of the children of Israel.

Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serued the Lord onely.

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drewe water and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and sayd there, We haue sinned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

When the Philistims heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the princes of the Philistims went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraide of the Philistims.

And the children of Israel sayd to Samuel, Cease not to crie vnto the Lord our God for vs, that hee may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistims.

And he had a sonne called Saul, a goodly yong man and a faire: so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he: from the shoulders vpwarde he was hier then any of the people.