Study Desk

And hee said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt ouer thine handmaid, for thou art a neare kinseman.

And now it is true, that I am thy neare kinseman: howbeit there is a kinseman nearer then I.

And I thought to aduertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the Elders of my people. If thou wilt redeeme it, redeeme it, but if thou wilt not redeeme it, then tell mee, that I may know: for there is none to redeeme it, besides thee, and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeeme it.

Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieued? Am not I better to thee, then ten sonnes?

And Hannah answered, and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord.

And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soule liueth, my lord, I am the woman, that stood by thee heere, praying vnto the Lord.

That the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I.

And he ranne vnto Eli, and sayd, Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie downe againe. And he went and lay downe.

And the Lord called yet againe, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And he answered, I called not, my sonne; lie downe againe.

And the Lord called Samuel againe the third time. And hee arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And Eli perceiued that the Lord had called the childe.

Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel my sonne. And he answered, Here am I.

And the man said vnto Eli, I am he, that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my sonne?

And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the Seer: Goe vp before me vnto the high place, for ye shall eate with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee goe, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

And Saul answered, and said, Am not I a Beniamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

And now behold, the King walketh before you: and I am olde, and gray headed, and behold, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you from my childhood vnto this day.

Behold, here I am, witnesse against me before the Lord, and before his Anoynted: Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whom haue I defrauded? whom haue I oppressed? or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

And his armour bearer sayd vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: turne thee, behold, I am with thee, according to thy heart.

And Samuel said, How can I goe? if Saul heare it, he will kill mee. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

And hee said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice vnto the Lord: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice: and he sanctified Iesse, and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.

And hee stood and cried vnto the armies of Israel, and said vnto them, Why are yee come out to set your battell in aray? Am not I a Philistine, and you seruants to Saul? Chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me.