¹ And there was a man^◦ of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a man^◦ of Benjamin, mighty of valor.

² And he had^◦ a son, and his name was Saul, a young·​·man and good; and there was not^◦ a man^◦ of the sons of Israel better than he; from his shoulder and upwards he was taller than any of the people.

³ And the she·​·donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were·​·lost. And Kish said to^▵ Saul his son, Take now^◦ one of the lads with^◦ thee, and arise, go^◦ seek the she·​·donkeys.

⁴ And he crossed into Mount Ephraim, and crossed into the land of Shalishah, and found them not; and they crossed into the land of Shaalim, and there they were not^◦: and he crossed into the land of Benjamin and found them not.

⁵ They^◦ were come to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his lad who was with him, come, and let us return; lest my father stop being anxious for the she·​·donkeys, and be·​·anxious for us.

⁶ And he said to him, Behold now^◦, there is in this city a man^◦ of God, and the man^◦ is honored^◦*; all that he speaks, coming comes to be. Now let us go^◦ thither; perhaps he will tell us our way which we shall go^◦.

⁷ And Saul said to his lad, But behold, we go^◦, and what shall we bring to the man^◦? For the bread is·​·spent from our vessels and there is not^◦ a present^◦ to bring to the man^◦ of God; what have we with^◦ us?

⁸ And the lad answered Saul again, and said, behold, there is found in my hand the fourth of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man^◦ of God, and he will tell to us our way.

⁹ Before, in Israel, when a man^◦ went to inquire of God, he said thus: Let us go to^◦ the seer; for he who is called the prophet today was formerly called the seer.

¹⁰ And Saul said to his lad, Thy word is good; come, let us go^◦. And they went^◦ to^▵ the city, where the man^◦ of God was.

¹¹ They^◦ were going·​·up in going·​·up to the city, and they^◦ found damsels going·​·out to draw^◦ water, and said to them, Is^◦ the seer in this place?

¹² And they answered them and said, He is^◦; behold, he is before you; make·​·haste now, for he came this day to the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high·​·place.

¹³ As you come·​·into the city, you shall find him thus^◦, before^◦ he goes·​·up to the high·​·place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, for he^◦ blesses the sacrifice. After that, they who are called will eat. And now, go·​·up, for as to him, this very day you shall find him.

¹⁴ And they went·​·up to the city. They^◦ had come into the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go·​·up to the high·​·place.

¹⁵ And Jehovah had revealed to the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came, saying,

¹⁶ Tomorrow about this time I will send a man^◦ to^▵ thee from the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him for a monarch over My people Israel, and he shall save My people out·​·of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for their cry is come to^▵ Me.

¹⁷ And Samuel saw Saul, and Jehovah answered him, Behold the man^◦ of whom I said to^▵ thee; he^▵ shall retain My people.

¹⁸ And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray^◦ thee, where^◦ the house of the seer is?

¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I^▵ am the seer; go·​·up before me unto the high·​·place, and you shall eat with me today, and in the morning I will send thee away and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.

²⁰ And as for the she·​·donkeys that were·​·lost to thee three days ago today, set not thy heart on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for thee and for all the house of thy father?

²¹ And Saul answered and said, Am not I^▵ a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes^◦ of Israel, and my family the least^◦ of all the families of the tribe^◦ of Benjamin? And wherefore speakest thou unto^▵ me according to this word?

²² And Samuel took Saul and his lad, and brought them into the room, and gave them a place at the head of them that were called, and they^◦ were about thirty men^◦.

²³ And Samuel said to the one who slaughtered, Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said to^▵ thee, Set it with thee.

²⁴ And he who slaughtered it lifted·​·up^◦ the hind·​·quarter and what was upon it, and set it before Saul. And he said, Behold, that which is left. Set it before thee; eat. For it is kept for thee for this solemn·​·occasion, saying: I have called the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that^◦ day.

²⁵ And they went·​·down from the high·​·place to the city, and he spoke with Saul on the roof.

²⁶ And they got·​·up·​·early; and it was, as the dawn came·​·up, that Samuel called Saul to^◦ the roof, saying: Arise, and I will send· thee ·away. And Saul arose, and the two of them went·​·out, he^◦ and Samuel, outside.

²⁷ They^◦ were going·​·down into the edge of the city, and Samuel said unto^▵ Saul, Say to the lad that he pass·​·on before us (and he passed·​·on), and stand thou^◦ this day, and I will cause thee to hear the word of God.

¹ Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.

² Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

³ Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,

⁴ Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal:

⁵ The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?

⁶ Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,

⁷ And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

⁸ And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

⁹ Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

¹⁰ Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

¹¹ Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

¹² Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

¹³ Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

¹⁴ But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

¹⁵ For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

¹⁶ O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

¹⁷ I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

¹⁸ O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

¹⁹ And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

²⁰ And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

²¹ And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:

²² And did eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.

²³ Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

²⁴ And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.

²⁵ And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

²⁶ Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

²⁷ And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

²⁸ And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

²⁹ Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

³⁰ With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.