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◄ YLT 1SA ►

1SA The First Book of Samuel

1 And there is a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name [is] Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, and Ephrathite, 2 and he hath two wives, the name of the one [is] Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah, and Peninnah hath children, and Hannah hath no children. 3 And that man hath gone up out of his city from time to time, to bow himself, and to sacrifice, before Jehovah of Hosts, in Shiloh, and there [are] two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Jehovah. 4 And the day cometh, and Elkanah sacrificeth, and he hath given to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions, 5 and to Hannah he giveth a certain portion — double, for he hath loved Hannah, and Jehovah hath shut her womb; 6 and her adversity hath also provoked her greatly, so as to make her tremble, for Jehovah hath shut up her womb. 7 And so he doth year by year, from the time of her going up into the house of Jehovah, so it provoketh her, and she weepeth, and doth not eat. 8 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Hannah, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why is thy heart afflicted? am I not better to thee than ten sons?' 9 And Hannah riseth after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking, and Eli the priest is sitting on the throne by the side-post of the temple of Jehovah. 10 And she is bitter in soul, and prayeth unto Jehovah, and weepeth greatly, 11 and voweth a vow, and saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts, if Thou dost certainly look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and hast remembered me, and dost not forget Thy handmaid, and hast given to Thy handmaid seed of men — then I have given him to Jehovah all days of his life, and a razor doth not go up upon his head.' 12 And it hath been, when she multiplied praying before Jehovah, that Eli is watching her mouth, 13 and Hannah, she is speaking to her heart, only her lips are moving, and her voice is not heard, and Eli reckoneth her to be drunken. 14 And Eli saith unto her, 'Until when are thou drunken? turn aside thy wine from thee.' 15 And Hannah answereth and saith, 'No, my lord, A woman sharply pained in spirit I [am], and wine and strong drink I have not drunk, and I pour out my soul before Jehovah; 16 put not thy handmaid before a daughter of worthlessness, for from the abundance of my meditation, and of my provocation, I have spoken hitherto.' 17 And Eli answereth and saith, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel doth give thy petition which thou hast asked of Him.' 18 And she saith, 'Let thy handmaid find grace in thine eyes;' and the woman goeth on her way, and eateth, and her countenance hath not been [sad] for it any more. 19 And they rise early in the morning, and bow themselves before Jehovah, and turn back, and come in unto their house in Ramah, and Elkanah knoweth Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembereth her; 20 and it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the days, that Hannah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Samuel, 'for, from Jehovah I have asked him.' 21 And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow. 22 And Hannah hath not gone up, for she said to her husband, 'Till the youth is weaned — then I have brought him in, and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah, and dwelt there — unto the age.' 23 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him, 24 and she causeth him to go up with her when she hath weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she bringeth him into the house of Jehovah at Shiloh, and the youth [is but] a youth. 25 And they slaughter the bullock, and bring in the youth unto Eli, 26 and she saith, 'O, my lord, thy soul liveth! my lord, I [am] the woman who stood with thee in this [place], to pray unto Jehovah; 27 for this youth I prayed, and Jehovah doth give to me my petition which I asked of Him; 28 and also I have caused him to be asked for Jehovah, all the days that he hath lived — he is asked for Jehovah;' and he boweth himself there before Jehovah.

2 And Hannah prayeth, and saith: 'My heart hath exulted in Jehovah, My horn hath been high in Jehovah, My mouth hath been large over mine enemies, For I have rejoiced in Thy salvation. 2 There is none holy like Jehovah, For there is none save Thee, And there is no rock like our God. 3 Ye multiply not — ye speak haughtily — The old saying goeth out from your mouth, For a God of knowledge [is] Jehovah, And by Him actions are weighed. 4 Bows of the mighty are broken, And the stumbling have girded on strength. 5 The satiated for bread hired themselves, And the hungry have ceased. While the barren hath borne seven, And she abounding with sons hath languished. 6 Jehovah putteth to death, and keepeth alive, He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up. 7 Jehovah dispossesseth, and He maketh rich, He maketh low, yea, He maketh high. 8 He raiseth from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He lifteth up the needy, To cause [them] to sit with nobles, Yea, a throne of honour He doth cause them to inherit, For to Jehovah [are] the fixtures of earth, And He setteth on them the habitable world. 9 The feet of His saints He keepeth, And the wicked in darkness are silent, For not by power doth man become mighty. 10 Jehovah — broken down are His adversaries, Against them in the heavens He thundereth: Jehovah judgeth the ends of earth, And giveth strength to His king, And exalteth the horn of His anointed.' 11 And Elkanah goeth to Ramath, unto his house, and the youth hath been serving Jehovah, [in] the presence of Eli the priest; 12 and the sons of Eli [are] sons of worthlessness, they have not known Jehovah. 13 And the custom of the priests with the people [is]: any man sacrificing a sacrifice — then hath the servant of the priest come in when the flesh is boiling, and the hook of three teeth in his hand, 14 and hath struck [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the hook bringeth up doth the priest take for himself; thus they do to all Israel who are coming in, there, in Shiloh. 15 Also before they make perfume with the fat — then hath the priest's servant come in, and said to the man who is sacrificing, 'Give flesh to roast for the priest, and he doth not take of thee flesh boiled, but raw;' 16 and the man saith unto him, 'Let them surely make a perfume (as to-day) with the fat, then take to thee as thy soul desireth;' and he hath said to him, 'Surely now thou dost give; and if not — I have taken by strength.' 17 And the sin of the young men is very great [in] the presence of Jehovah, for the men have despised the offering of Jehovah. 18 And Samuel is ministering [in] the presence of Jehovah, a youth girt [with] an ephod of linen; 19 and a small upper coat doth his mother make to him, and she hath brought it up to him from time to time, in her coming up with her husband to sacrifice the sacrifice of the time. 20 And Eli blessed Elkanah, and his wife, and said, 'Jehovah doth appoint for thee seed of this woman, for the petition which she asked for Jehovah;' and they have gone to their place. 21 When Jehovah hath looked after Hannah, then she conceiveth and beareth three sons and two daughters; and the youth Samuel groweth up with Jehovah. 22 And Eli [is] very old, and hath heard all that his sons do to all Israel, and how that they lie with the women who are assembling [at] the opening of the tent of meeting, 23 and he saith to them, 'Why do ye things like these? for I am hearing of your evil words from all the people — these! 24 Nay, my sons; for the report which I am hearing is not good causing the people of Jehovah to transgress. — 25 If a man sin against a man, then hath God judged him; but if against Jehovah a man sin, who doth pray for him?' and they hearken not to the voice of their father, though Jehovah hath delighted to put them to death. 26 And the youth Samuel is going on and growing up, and [is] good both with Jehovah, and also with men. 27 And there cometh a man of God unto Eli, and saith unto him, 'Thus said Jehovah, Was I really revealed unto the house of thy father in their being in Egypt, before Pharaoh's house, 28 even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to Me for a priest, to go up on Mine altar, to make a perfume, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 Why do ye kick at My sacrifice, and at Mine offering which I commanded [in] My habitation, and dost honour thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat from the first part of every offering of Israel, of My people? 30 'Therefore — the affirmation of Jehovah, God of Israel — I certainly said, Thy house and the house of thy father, do walk up and down before Me to the age; and now — the affirmation of Jehovah — Far be it from Me! for he who is honouring Me, I honour, and those despising Me, are lightly esteemed. 31 'Lo, days [are] coming, and I have cut off thine arm, and the arm of the house of thy father, that an old man is not in thy house; 32 and thou hast beheld an adversary [in My] habitation, in all that He doth good with Israel, and there is not an old man in thy house all the days. 33 'And the man I cut not off of thine from Mine altar, [is] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house do die men; 34 and this [is] to thee the sign that cometh unto thy two sons, unto Hophni and Phinehas — in one day they die both of them; 35 and I have raised up for Me a stedfast priest; as in My heart and in My soul he doth do; and I have built for him a stedfast house, and he hath walked up and down before Mine anointed all the days; 36 and it hath been, every one who is left in thy house doth come in to bow himself to him, for a wage of silver, and a cake of bread, and hath said, Admit me, I pray thee, unto one of the priest's offices, to eat a morsel of bread.'

3 And the youth Samuel is serving Jehovah before Eli, and the word of Jehovah hath been precious in those days — there is no vision broken forth. 2 And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim — he is not able to see. 3 And the lamp of God is not yet extinguished, and Samuel is lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God [is], 4 and Jehovah calleth unto Samuel, and he saith, 'Here [am] I.' 5 And he runneth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, 'I called not; turn back, lie down;' and he goeth and lieth down. 6 And Jehovah addeth to call again Samuel, and Samuel riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and he saith, 'I have not called, my son, turn back, lie down.' 7 And Samuel hath not yet known Jehovah, and the word of Jehovah is not yet revealed unto him. 8 And Jehovah addeth to call Samuel the third time, and he riseth and goeth unto Eli, and saith, 'Here [am] I, for thou hast called for me;' and Eli understandeth that Jehovah is calling to the youth. 9 And Eli saith to Samuel, 'Go, lie down, and it hath been, if He doth call unto thee, that thou hast said, Speak, Jehovah, for Thy servant is hearing;' and Samuel goeth and lieth down in his place. 10 And Jehovah cometh, and stationeth Himself, and calleth as time by time, 'Samuel, Samuel;' and Samuel saith, 'Speak, for Thy servant is hearing.' 11 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Lo, I am doing a thing in Israel, at which the two ears of every one hearing it do tingle. 12 In that day I establish unto Eli all that I have spoken unto his house, beginning and completing; 13 and I have declared to him that I am judging his house — to the age, for the iniquity which he hath known, for his sons are making themselves vile, and he hath not restrained them, 14 and therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli: the iniquity of the house of Eli is not atoned for, by sacrifice, and by offering — unto the age.' 15 And Samuel lieth till the morning, and openeth the doors of the house of Jehovah, and Samuel is afraid of declaring the vision unto Eli. 16 And Eli calleth Samuel, and saith, 'Samuel, my son;' and he saith, 'Here [am] I.' 17 And he saith, 'What [is] the word which He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me; so doth God do to thee, and so doth He add, if thou hidest from me a word of all the words that He hath spoken unto thee.' 18 And Samuel declareth to him the whole of the words, and hath not hid from him; and he saith, 'It [is] Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.' 19 And Samuel groweth up, and Jehovah hath been with him, and hath not let fall any of his words to the earth; 20 and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Jehovah. 21 And Jehovah addeth to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah hath been revealed unto Samuel, in Shiloh, by the word of Jehovah.

4 And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek, 2 and the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men. 3 And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, 'Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.' 4 And the people sendeth to Shiloh, and they take up thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs, and there [are] two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas. 5 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto the camp, that all Israel shout — a great shout — and the earth is moved. 6 And the Philistines hear the noise of the shouting, and say, 'What [is] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?' and they perceive that the ark of Jehovah hath come in unto the camp. 7 And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, 'God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, 'Woe to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore. 8 Woe to us, who doth deliver us out of the hand of these honourable gods? these [are] the gods who are smiting the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. 9 Strengthen yourselves, and become men, O Philistines, lest ye do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you — then ye have become men, and have fought.' 10 And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen; 11 and the ark of God hath been taken, and the two sons of Eli have died, Hophni and Phinehas. 12 And a man of Benjamin runneth out of the ranks, and cometh into Shiloh, on that day, and his long robes [are] rent, and earth on his head; 13 and he cometh in, and lo, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart hath been trembling for the ark of God, and the man hath come in to declare [it] in the city, and all the city crieth out. 14 And Eli heareth the noise of the cry, and saith, 'What — the noise of this tumult!' And the man hasted, and cometh in, and declareth to Eli. 15 And Eli is a son of ninety and eight years, and his eyes have stood, and he hath not been able to see. 16 And the man saith unto Eli, 'I [am] he who hath come out of the ranks, and I out of the ranks have fled to-day;' and he saith, 'What hath been the matter, my son?' 17 And he who is bearing tidings answereth and saith, 'Israel hath fled before the Philistines, and also a great slaughter hath been among the people, and also thy two sons have died — Hophni and Phinehas — and the ark of God hath been captured.' 18 And it cometh to pass, at his mentioning the ark of God, that he falleth from off the throne backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dieth, for the man [is] old and heavy, and he hath judged Israel forty years. 19 And his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, [is] pregnant, about to bear, and she heareth the report of the taking of the ark of God, that her father-in-law and her husband have died, and she boweth, and beareth, for her pains have turned upon her. 20 And at the time of her death, when the women who are standing by her say, 'Fear not, for a son thou hast borne,' she hath not answered, nor set her heart [to it]; 21 and she calleth the youth I-Chabod, saying, 'Honour hath removed from Israel,' because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she saith, 'Honour hath removed from Israel, for the ark of God hath been taken.'

5 And the Philistines have taken the ark of God, and bring it in from Eben-Ezer to Ashdod, 2 and the Philistines take the ark of God and bring it into the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon. 3 And the Ashdodites rise early on the morrow, and lo, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the ark of Jehovah; and they take Dagon, and put it back to its place. 4 And they rise early in the morning on the morrow, and lo, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon, and the two palms of its hands are cut off at the threshold, only the fishy part hath been left to him; 5 therefore the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, tread not on the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, till this day. 6 And the hand of Jehovah is heavy on the Ashdodites, and He maketh them desolate, and smiteth them with emerods, Ashdod and its borders. 7 And the men of Ashdod see that [it is] so, and have said, 'The ark of the God of Israel doth not abide with us, for hard hath been His hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god.' 8 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines unto them, and say, 'What do we do to the ark of the God of Israel?' and they say, 'To Gath let the ark of the God of Israel be brought round;' and they bring round the ark of the God of Israel; 9 and it cometh to pass after they have brought it round, that the hand of Jehovah is against the city — a very great destruction; and He smiteth the men of the city, from small even unto great; and break forth on them do emerods. 10 And they send the ark of God to Ekron, and it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of God to Ekron, that the Ekronites cry out, saying, 'They have brought round unto us the ark of the God of Israel, to put us to death — and our people.' 11 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines, and say, 'Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and it turneth back to its place, and it doth not put us to death — and our people;' for there hath been a deadly destruction throughout all the city, very heavy hath the hand of God been there, 12 and the men who have not died have been smitten with emerods, and the cry of the city goeth up into the heavens.

6 And the ark of Jehovah is in the field of the Philistines seven months, 2 and the Philistines call for priests and for diviners, saying, 'What do we do to the ark of Jehovah? let us know wherewith we send it to its place?' 3 And they say, 'If ye are sending away the ark of the God of Israel, ye do not send it away empty; for ye do certainly send back to Him a guilt-offering; then ye are healed, and it hath been known to you why His hand doth not turn aside from you.' 4 And they say, 'What [is] the guilt-offering which we send back to Him?' and they say, 'The number of the princes of the Philistines — five golden emerods, and five golden mice — for one plague [is] to you all, and to your princes, 5 and ye have made images of your emerods, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and have given honour to the God of Israel; it may be He doth lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land; 6 and why do ye harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? do they not — when He hath rolled Himself upon them — send them away, and they go? 7 'And now, take and make one new cart, and two suckling kine, on which a yoke hath not gone up, and ye have bound the kine in the cart, and caused their young ones to turn back from after them to the house, 8 and ye have taken the ark of Jehovah, and put it on the cart, and the vessels of gold which ye have returned to Him — a guilt-offering — ye put in a coffer on its side, and have sent it away, and it hath gone; 9 and ye have seen, if the way of its own border it goeth up to Beth-Shemesh — He hath done to us this great evil; and if not, then we have known that His hand hath not come against us; an accident it hath been to us.' 10 And the men do so, and take two suckling kine, and bind them in the cart, and their young ones they have shut up in the house; 11 and they place the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer, and the golden mice, and the images of their emerods. 12 And the kine go straight in the way, on the way to Beth-Shemesh, in one highway they have gone, going and lowing, and have not turned aside right or left; and the princes of the Philistines are going after them unto the border of Beth-Shemesh. 13 And the Beth-Shemeshites are reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley, and they lift up their eyes, and see the ark, and rejoice to see [it]. 14 And the cart hath come in unto the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite, and standeth there, and there [is] a great stone, and they cleave the wood of the cart, and the kine they have caused to ascend — a burnt-offering to Jehovah. 15 And the Levites have taken down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer which [is] with it, in which [are] the vessels of gold, and place [them] on the great stone; and the men of Beth-Shemesh have caused to ascend burnt-offerings and sacrifice sacrifices in that day to Jehovah; 16 and the five princes of the Philistines have seen [it], and turn back [to] Ekron, on that day. 17 And these [are] the golden emerods which the Philistines have sent back — a guilt-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 18 and the golden mice — the number of all the cities of the Philistines — for the five princes, from the fenced city even unto the hamlet of the villages, even unto the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah — [are] unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-Shemeshite. 19 And He smiteth among the men of Beth-Shemesh, for they looked into the ark of Jehovah, yea, He smiteth among the people seventy men — fifty chief men; and the people mourn, because Jehovah smote among the people — a great smiting. 20 And the men of Beth-Shemesh say, 'Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and unto whom doth He go up from us?' 21 And they send messengers unto the inhabitants of Kirjath-Jearim, saying, 'The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah; come down, take it up unto you.'

7 And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the ark of Jehovah, and bring it in unto the house of Abinadab, in the height, and Eleazar his son they have sanctified to keep the ark of Jehovah. 2 And it cometh to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied — yea, they are twenty years — and wail do all the house of Israel after Jehovah. 3 And Samuel speaketh unto all the house of Israel, saying, 'If with all your heart ye are turning back unto Jehovah — turn aside the gods of the stranger from your midst, and Ashtaroth; and prepare your heart unto Jehovah, and serve Him only, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.' 4 And the sons of Israel turn aside the Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serve Jehovah alone; 5 and Samuel saith, 'Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I pray for you unto Jehovah.' 6 And they are gathered to Mizpeh, and draw water, and pour out before Jehovah, and fast on that day, and say there, 'We have sinned against Jehovah;' and Samuel judgeth the sons of Israel in Mizpeh. 7 And the Philistines hear that the sons of Israel have gathered themselves to Mizpeh; and the princes of the Philistines go up against Israel, and the sons of Israel hear, and are afraid of the presence of the Philistines. 8 And the sons of Israel say unto Samuel, 'Keep not silent for us from crying unto Jehovah our God, and He doth save us out of the hand of the Philistines.' 9 And Samuel taketh a fat lamb, and causeth it to go up — a burnt-offering whole to Jehovah; and Samuel crieth unto Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answereth him; 10 and Samuel is causing the burnt-offering to go up — and the Philistines have drawn nigh to battle against Israel — and Jehovah doth thunder with a great noise, on that day, upon the Philistines, and troubleth them, and they are smitten before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel go out from Mizpeh, and pursue the Philistines, and smite them unto the place of Beth-Car. 12 And Samuel taketh a stone, and setteth [it] between Mizpeh and Shen, and calleth its name Eben-Ezer, saying, 'Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.' 13 And the Philistines are humbled, and have not added any more to come into the border of Israel, and the hand of Jehovah is on the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines have taken from Israel are restored to Israel — from Ekron even unto Gath — and their border hath Israel delivered out of the hand of the Philistines; and there is peace between Israel and the Amorite. 15 And Samuel judgeth Israel all the days of his life, 16 and he hath gone from year to year, and gone round Beth-El, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel [in] all these places; 17 and his returning [is] to Ramath, for there [is] his house, and there he hath judged Israel, and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah.

8 And it cometh to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he maketh his sons judges over Israel. 2 And the name of his first-born son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba: 3 and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment. 4 And all the elders of Israel gather themselves together, and come in unto Samuel to Ramath, 5 and say unto him, 'Lo, thou hast become aged, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways; now, appoint to us a king, to judge us, like all the nations.' 6 And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they have said, 'Give to us a king to judge us;' and Samuel prayeth unto Jehovah. 7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to the voice of the people, to all that they say unto thee, for thee they have not rejected, but Me they have rejected, from reigning over them. 8 According to all the works that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even unto this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods — so they are doing also to thee. 9 And now, hearken to their voice; only, surely thou dost certainly protest to them, and hast declared to them the custom of the king who doth reign over them.' 10 And Samuel speaketh all the words of Jehovah unto the people who are asking from him a king, 11 and saith, 'This is the custom of the king who doth reign over you: Your sons he doth take, and hath appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have run before his chariots; 12 also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer. 13 'And your daughters he doth take for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers; 14 and your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards — the best — he doth take, and hath given to his servants. 15 And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants. 16 And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your young men — the best, and your asses, he doth take, and hath prepared for his own work; 17 your flock he doth tithe, and ye are to him for servants. 18 And ye have cried out in that day because of the king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah doth not answer you in that day.' 19 And the people refuse to hearken to the voice of Samuel, and say, 'Nay, but a king is over us, 20 and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king hath judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.' 21 And Samuel heareth all the words of the people, and speaketh them in the ears of Jehovah; 22 and Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Hearken to their voice, and thou hast caused to reign over them a king.' And Samuel saith unto the men of Israel, 'Go ye each to his city.'

9 And there is a man of Benjamin, and his name [is] Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, mighty of valour, 2 and he hath a son, and his name [is] Saul, a choice youth and goodly, and there is not a man among the sons of Israel goodlier than he — from his shoulder and upward, higher than any of the people. 3 And the asses of Kish, father of Saul, are lost, and Kish saith unto Saul his son, 'Take, I pray thee, with thee, one of the young men, and rise, go, seek the asses.' 4 And he passeth over through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passeth over through the land of Shalisha, and they have not found; and they pass over through the land of Shaalim, and they are not; and he passeth over through the land of Benjamin, and they have not found. 5 They have come in unto the land of Zuph, and Saul hath said to his young man who [is] with him, 'Come, and we turn back, lest my father leave off from the asses, and hath been sorrowful for us.' 6 And he saith to him, 'Lo, I pray thee, a man of God [is] in this city, and the man is honoured; all that he speaketh doth certainly come; now, we go there, it may be he doth declare to us our way on which we have gone.' 7 And Saul saith to his young man, 'And lo, we go, and what do we bring in to the man? for the bread hath gone from our vessels, and a present there is not to bring in to the man of God — what [is] with us?' 8 And the young man addeth to answer Saul, and saith, 'Lo, there is found with me a fourth of a shekel of silver: and I have given to the man of God, and he hath declared to us our way.' 9 Formerly in Israel, thus said the man in his going to seek God, 'Come and we go unto the seer,' for the 'prophet' of to-day is called formerly 'the seer.' 10 And Saul saith to his young man, 'Thy word [is] good; come, we go;' and they go unto the city where the man of God [is]. 11 They are going up in the ascent of the city, and have found young women going out to draw water, and say to them, 'Is the seer in this [place]?' 12 And they answer them and say, 'He is; lo, before thee! haste, now, for to-day he hath come in to the city, for the people hath a stated sacrifice in a high place. 13 At your going in to the city so ye do find him, before he doth go up in to the high place to eat; for the people do not eat till his coming, for he doth bless the sacrifice; afterwards they eat, who are called, and now, go up, for at this time ye find him.' 14 And they go up in to the city; they are coming in to the midst of the city, and lo, Samuel is coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place; 15 and Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying, 16 'At this time tomorrow, I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin — and thou hast anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he hath saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry hath come in unto Me.' 17 When Samuel hath seen Saul, then hath Jehovah answered him, 'Lo, the man of whom I have spoken unto thee; this [one] doth restrain My people.' 18 And Saul draweth nigh to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and saith, 'Declare, I pray thee, to me, where [is] this — the seer's house?' 19 And Samuel answereth Saul and saith, 'I [am] the seer; go up before me into the high place, and ye have eaten with me to-day, and I have sent thee away in the morning, and all that [is] in thy heart I declare to thee. 20 As to the asses which are lost to thee this day three days, set not thy heart to them, for they have been found; and to whom [is] all the desire of Israel?' is it not to thee and to all thy father's house?' 21 And Saul answereth and saith, '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 why hast thou spoken unto me according to this word?' 22 And Samuel taketh Saul, and his young man, and bringeth them in to the chamber, and giveth to them a place at the head of those called; and they [are] about thirty men. 23 And Samuel saith to the cook, 'Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said unto thee, 'Set it by thee?' 24 (and the cook lifteth up the leg, and that which [is] on it, and setteth before Saul), and he saith, 'Lo, that which is left; set [it] before thee — eat, for to this appointed season it is kept for thee, saying, The people I have called;' and Saul eateth with Samuel on that day. 25 And they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaketh with Saul on the roof. 26 And they rise early, and it cometh to pass, at the ascending of the dawn, that Samuel calleth unto Saul, on the roof, saying, 'Rise, and I send thee away;' and Saul riseth, and they go out, both of them — he and Samuel, without. 27 They are going down in the extremity of the city, and Samuel hath said unto Saul, 'Say to the young man that he pass on before us (and he passeth on), and thou, stand at this time, and I cause thee to hear the word of God.'

10 And Samuel taketh the vial of the oil, and poureth on his head, and kisseth him, and saith, 'Is it not because Jehovah hath appointed thee over His inheritance for leader? 2 In thy going to-day from me — then thou hast found two men by the grave of Rachel, in the border of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and they have said unto thee, The asses have been found which thou hast gone to seek; and lo, thy father hath left the matter of the asses, and hath sorrowed for you, saying, What do I do for my son? 3 'And thou hast passed on thence, and beyond, and hast come in unto the oak of Tabor, and found thee there have three men going up unto God to Beth-El, one bearing three kids, and one bearing three cakes of bread, and one bearing a bottle of wine, 4 and they have asked of thee of welfare, and given to thee two loaves, and thou hast received from their hand. 5 'Afterwards thou dost come unto the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines [is], and it cometh to pass, at thy coming in thither to the city, that thou hast met a band of prophets coming down from the high place, and before them psaltery, and tabret, and pipe, and harp, and they are prophesying; 6 and prospered over thee hath the Spirit of Jehovah, and thou hast prophesied with them, and hast been turned to another man; 7 and it hath been, when these signs come to thee — do for thyself as thy hand findeth, for God [is] with thee. 8 'And thou hast gone down before me to Gilgal, and lo, I am going down unto thee, to cause to ascend burnt-offerings, to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings; seven days thou dost wait till my coming in unto thee, and I have made known to thee that which thou dost do.' 9 And it hath been, at his turning his shoulder to go from Samuel, that God turneth to him another heart, and all these signs come on that day, 10 and they come in thither to the height, and lo, a band of prophets — to meet him, and prosper over him doth the Spirit of God, and he prophesieth in their midst. 11 And it cometh to pass, all his acquaintance heretofore, see, and lo, with prophets he hath prophesied, and the people say one unto another, 'What [is] this hath happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?' 12 And a man thence answereth and saith, 'And who [is] their father?' therefore it hath been for a simile, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' 13 And he ceaseth from prophesying, and cometh in to the high place, 14 and the uncle of Saul saith unto him, and unto his young man, 'Whither went ye?' and he saith, 'To seek the asses; and we see that they are not, and we come in unto Samuel.' 15 And the uncle of Saul saith, 'Declare, I pray thee, to me, what Samuel said to you?' 16 And Saul saith unto his uncle, 'He certainly declared to us that the asses were found;' and of the matter of the kingdom he hath not declared to him that which Samuel said. 17 And Samuel calleth the people unto Jehovah to Mizpeh, 18 and saith unto the sons of Israel, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms who are oppressing you; 19 and ye to-day have rejected your God, who [is] Himself your saviour out of all your evils and your distresses, and ye say, 'Nay, but — a king thou dost set over us; and now, station yourselves before Jehovah, by your tribes, and by your thousands.' 20 And Samuel bringeth near the whole tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured, 21 and he bringeth near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri is captured, and Saul son of Kish is captured, and they seek him, and he hath not been found. 22 And they ask again at Jehovah, 'Hath the man yet come hither?' and Jehovah saith, 'Lo, he hath been hidden near the vessels.' 23 And they run and bring him thence, and he stationed himself in the midst of the people, and he is higher than any of the people from his shoulder and upward. 24 And Samuel saith unto all the people, 'Have ye seen him on whom Jehovah hath fixed, for there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shout, and say, 'Let the king live!' 25 And Samuel speaketh unto the people the right of the kingdom, and writeth in a book, and placeth before Jehovah; and Samuel sendeth all the people away, each to his house. 26 And also Saul hath gone to his house, to Gibeah, and the force go with him whose heart God hath touched; 27 and the sons of worthlessness have said, 'What! this one doth save us!' and they despise him, and have not brought to him a present; and he is as one deaf.

11 And Nahash the Ammonite cometh up, and encampeth against Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh say unto Nahash, 'Make with us a covenant, and we serve thee.' 2 And Nahash the Ammonite saith unto them, 'For this I covenant with you, by picking out to you every right eye — and I have put it a reproach on all Israel.' 3 And the elders of Jabesh say to him, 'Let us alone seven days, and we send messengers into all the border of Israel: and if there is none saving us — then we have come out unto thee.' 4 And the messengers come to Gibeah of Saul, and speak the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lift up their voice and weep; 5 and lo, Saul hath come after the herd out of the field, and Saul saith, 'What — to the people, that they weep?' and they recount to him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly, 7 and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, 'He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel — thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man. 8 And he inspecteth them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel are three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they say to the messengers who are coming, 'Thus do ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye have safety — by the heat of the sun;' and the messengers come and declare to the men of Jabesh, and they rejoice; 10 and the men of Jabesh say [to the Ammonites], 'To-morrow we come out unto you, and ye have done to us according to all that [is] good in your eyes.' 11 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Saul putteth the people in three detachments, and they come into the midst of the camp in the morning-watch, and smite Ammon till the heat of the day; and it cometh to pass that those left are scattered, and there have not been left of them two together. 12 And the people say unto Samuel, 'Who is he that saith, Saul doth reign over us! give ye up the men, and we put them to death.' 13 And Saul saith, 'There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.' 14 And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Come and we go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there;' 15 and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth — and all the men of Israel — very greatly.

12 And Samuel saith unto all Israel, 'Lo, I have hearkened to your voice, to all that ye said to me, and I cause to reign over you a king, 2 and now, lo, the king is walking habitually before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, lo, they [are] with you, and I have walked habitually before you from my youth till this day. 3 'Lo, here [am] I; testify against me, over-against Jehovah, and over-against His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide mine eyes with it? — and I restore to you.' 4 And they say, 'Thou hast not oppressed us, nor hast thou crushed us, nor hast thou taken from the hand of any one anything.' 5 And he saith unto them, 'A witness [is] Jehovah against you: and a witness [is] His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, 'A witness.' 6 And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Jehovah — He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt! 7 and, now, station yourselves, and I judge you before Jehovah, with all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did with you, and with your fathers. 8 'When Jacob hath come in to Egypt, and your fathers cry unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sendeth Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell in this place, 9 and they forget Jehovah their God, and He selleth them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight against them, 10 and they cry unto Jehovah, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and serve the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve Thee. 11 'And Jehovah sendeth Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivereth you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and ye dwell confidently. 12 'And ye see that Nahash king of the Bene-Ammon hath come against you, and ye say to me, Nay, but a king doth reign over us; and Jehovah your God [is] your king! 13 And, now, lo, the king whom ye have chosen — whom ye have asked! and lo, Jehovah hath placed over you a king. 14 'If ye fear Jehovah, and have served Him, and hearkened to His voice, then ye do not provoke the mouth of Jehovah, and ye have been — both ye and the king who hath reigned over you — after Jehovah your God. 15 'And if ye do not hearken to the voice of Jehovah — then ye have provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and the hand of Jehovah hath been against you, and against your fathers. 16 'Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which Jehovah is doing before your eyes; 17 is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I call unto Jehovah, and He doth give voices and rain; and know ye and see that your evil is great which ye have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask for you a king.' 18 And Samuel calleth unto Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth voices and rain, on that day, and all the people greatly fear Jehovah and Samuel; 19 and all the people say unto Samuel, 'Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, and we do not die, for we have added to all our sins evil to ask for us a king.' 20 And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Fear not; ye have done all this evil; only, turn not aside from after Jehovah — and ye have served Jehovah with all your heart, 21 and ye do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they [are] vain, 22 for Jehovah doth not leave His people, on account of His great name; for Jehovah hath been pleased to make you to Him for a people. 23 'I, also, far be it from me to sin against Jehovah, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in the good and upright way; 24 only, fear ye Jehovah, and ye have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He hath made great with you; 25 and if ye really do evil, both ye and your king are consumed.'

13 A son of a year [is] Saul in his reigning, yea, two years he hath reigned over Israel, 2 and Saul chooseth for himself three thousand [men] out of Israel; and two thousand are with Saul in Michmash, and in the hill-country of Beth-El; and a thousand have been with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the remnant of the people he hath sent each to his tents. 3 And Jonathan smiteth the garrison of the Philistines which [is] in Geba, and the Philistines hear, and Saul hath blown with a trumpet through all the land, saying, 'Let the Hebrews hear.' 4 And all Israel have heard, saying, 'Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines,' and also, 'Israel hath been abhorred by the Philistines;' and the people are called after Saul to Gilgal. 5 And the Philistines have been gathered to fight with Israel; thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a people as the sand which [is] on the sea-shore for multitude; and they come up and encamp in Michmash, east of Beth-Aven. 6 And the men of Israel have seen that they are distressed, that the people hath been oppressed, and the people hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And Hebrews have passed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; and Saul [is] yet in Gilgal, and all the people have trembled after him. 8 And he waiteth seven days, according to the appointment with Samuel, and Samuel hath not come to Gilgal, and the people are scattered from off him. 9 And Saul saith, 'Bring nigh unto me the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings;' and he causeth the burnt-offering to ascend. 10 And it cometh to pass at his completing to cause the burnt-offering to ascend, that lo, Samuel hath come, and Saul goeth out to meet him, to bless him; 11 and Samuel saith, 'What hast thou done?' And Saul saith, 'Because I saw that the people were scattered from off me, and thou hadst not come at the appointment of the days, and the Philistines are gathered to Michmash, 12 and I say, Now do the Philistines come down unto me to Gilgal, and the face of Jehovah I have not appeased; and I force myself, and cause the burnt-offering to ascend.' 13 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Thou hast been foolish; thou hast not kept the command of Jehovah thy God, which He commanded thee, for now had Jehovah established thy kingdom over Israel unto the age; 14 and, now, thy kingdom doth not stand, Jehovah hath sought for Himself a man according to His own heart, and Jehovah chargeth him for leader over His people, for thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.' 15 And Samuel riseth, and goeth up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin; and Saul inspecteth the people who are found with him, about six hundred men, 16 and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who are found with them, are abiding in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the Philistines have encamped in Michmash. 17 And the destroyer goeth out from the camp of the Philistines — three detachments; the one detachment turneth unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual; 18 and the one detachment turneth the way of Beth-Horon, and the one detachment turneth the way of the border which is looking on the valley of the Zeboim, toward the wilderness. 19 And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, 'Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;' 20 and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock; 21 and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads. 22 And it hath been, in the day of battle, that there hath not been found sword and spear in the hand of any of the people who [are] with Saul and with Jonathan — and there is found to Saul and to Jonathan his son. 23 And the station of the Philistines goeth out unto the passage of Michmash.

14 And the day cometh that Jonathan son of Saul saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, 'Come, and we pass over unto the station of the Philistines, which [is] on the other side of this;' and to his father he hath not declared [it]. 2 And Saul is abiding at the extremity of Gibeah, under the pomegranate which [is] in Migron, and the people who [are] with him, about six hundred men, 3 and Ahiah, son of Ahitub, brother of I-Chabod, son of Phinehas son of Eli priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, bearing an ephod; and the people knew not that Jonathan hath gone. 4 And between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over unto the station of the Philistines [is] the edge of a rock on the one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of the one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one edge [is] fixed on the north over-against Michmash, and the one on the south over-against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, 'Come, and we pass over unto the station of these uncircumcised; it may be Jehovah doth work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.' 7 And the bearer of his weapons saith to him, 'Do all that [is] in thy heart; turn for thee; lo, I [am] with thee, as thine own heart.' 8 And Jonathan saith, 'Lo, we are passing over unto the men, and are revealed unto them; 9 if thus they say unto us, 'Stand still till we have come unto you,' then we have stood in our place, and do not go up unto them; 10 and if thus they say, 'Come up against us,' then we have gone up, for Jehovah hath given them into our hand, and this to us [is] the sign. 11 And revealed are both of them unto the station of the Philistines, and the Philistines say, 'Lo, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves.' 12 And the men of the station answer Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons, and say, 'Come up unto us, and we cause you to know something.' And Jonathan saith unto the bearer of his weapons, 'Come up after me, for Jehovah hath given them into the hand of Israel.' 13 And Jonathan goeth up on his hands, and on his feet, and the bearer of his weapons after him; and they fall before Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons is putting to death after him. 14 And the first smiting which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have smitten is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field, 15 and there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled — even they, and the earth shaketh, and it becometh a trembling of God. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin see, and lo, the multitude hath melted away, and it goeth on, and is beaten down. 17 And Saul saith to the people who [are] with him, 'Inspect, I pray you, and see; who hath gone from us?' and they inspect, and lo, Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons are not. 18 And Saul saith to Ahiah, 'Bring nigh the ark of God;' for the ark of God hath been on that day with the sons of Israel. 19 And it cometh to pass, while Saul spake unto the priest, that the noise which [is] in the camp of the Philistines goeth on, going on and becoming great, and Saul saith unto the priest, 'Remove thy hand.' 20 And Saul is called, and all the people who [are] with him, and they come in unto the battle, and, lo, the sword of each hath been against his neighbour — a very great destruction. 21 And the Hebrews [who] have been for the Philistines as heretofore, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned round, even they, to be with Israel who [are] with Saul and Jonathan, 22 and all the men of Israel, who are hiding themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, have heard that the Philistines have fled, and they pursue — even they — after them in battle. 23 And Jehovah saveth Israel on that day, and the battle hath passed over to Beth-Aven. 24 And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, 'Cursed [is] the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food. 25 And all [they of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field; 26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which [is] in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth — and his eyes see! 28 And a man of the people answereth and saith, 'Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.' 29 And Jonathan saith, 'My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.' 31 And they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary, 32 and the people make unto the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood. 33 And they declare to Saul, saying, 'Lo, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood.' And he saith, 'Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me to-day a great stone.' 34 And Saul saith, 'Be ye scattered among the people, and ye have said to them, Bring ye nigh unto me each his ox, and each his sheep; and ye have slain [them] in this place, and eaten, and ye do not sin against Jehovah to eat with the blood.' And all the people bring nigh each his ox, in his hand, that night, and slaughter [them] there. 35 And Saul buildeth an alter to Jehovah; with it he hath begun to build altars to Jehovah. 36 And Saul saith, 'Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey upon them till the light of the morning, and leave not a man of them.' And they say, 'All that is good in thine eyes do.' And the priest saith, 'Let us draw near hither unto God.' 37 And Saul asketh of God, 'Do I go down after the Philistines? dost Thou give them into the hand of Israel?' and He hath not answered him on that day. 38 And Saul saith, 'Draw ye nigh hither all, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin hath been to-day; 39 for, Jehovah liveth, who is saving Israel: surely if it be in Jonathan my son, surely he doth certainly die;' and none is answering him out of all the people. 40 And he saith unto all Israel, 'Ye — ye are on one side, and I and Jonathan my son are on another side;' and the people say unto Saul, 'That which is good in thine eyes do.' 41 And Saul saith unto Jehovah, God of Israel, 'Give perfection;' and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out. 42 And Saul saith, 'Cast between me and Jonathan my son;' and Jonathan is captured. 43 And Saul saith unto Jonathan, 'Declare to me, what hast thou done?' and Jonathan declareth to him, and saith, 'I certainly tasted with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand a little honey; lo, I die!' 44 And Saul saith, 'Thus doth God do, and thus doth He add, for thou dost certainly die, Jonathan.' 45 And the people say unto Saul, 'Doth Jonathan die who wrought this great salvation in Israel? — a profanation! Jehovah liveth, if there falleth from the hair of his head to the earth, for with God he hath wrought this day;' and the people rescue Jonathan, and he hath not died. 46 And Saul goeth up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place; 47 and Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fighteth round about against all his enemies, against Moab, and against the Bene-Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and whithersoever he turneth he doth vex [them]. 48 And he maketh a force, and smiteth Amalek, and delivereth Israel out of the hand of its spoiler. 49 And the sons of Saul are Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-Shua; as to the name of his two daughters, the name of the first-born [is] Merab, and the name of the younger Michal; 50 and the name of the wife of Saul [is] Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the head of his host [is] Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul; 51 and Kish [is] father of Saul, and Ner father of Abner [is] son of Ahiel. 52 And the war is severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul; when Saul hath seen any mighty man, and any son of valour, then he doth gather him unto himself.

15 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Me did Jehovah send to anoint thee for king over His people, over Israel; and now, hearken to the voice of the words of Jehovah: 2 'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have looked after that which Amalek did to Israel, that which he laid for him in the way in his going up out of Egypt. 3 Now, go, and thou hast smitten Amalek, and devoted all that it hath, and thou hast no pity on it, and hast put to death from man unto woman, from infant unto suckling, from ox unto sheep, from camel unto ass.' 4 And Saul summoneth the people, and inspecteth them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand [are] men of Judah. 5 And Saul cometh in unto a city of Amalek, and layeth wait in a valley; 6 and Saul saith unto the Kenite, 'Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek. 7 And Saul smiteth Amalek from Havilah — thy going in to Shur, which [is] on the front of Egypt, 8 and he catcheth Agag king of Amalek alive, and all the people he hath devoted by the mouth of the sword; 9 and Saul hath pity — also the people — on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and of the seconds, and on the lambs, and on all that [is] good, and have not been willing to devote them; and all the work, despised and wasted — it they devoted. 10 And the word of Jehovah is unto Samuel, saying, 11 'I have repented that I caused Saul to reign for king, for he hath turned back from after Me, and My words he hath not performed;' and it is displeasing to Samuel, and he crieth unto Jehovah all the night. 12 And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, 'Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.' 13 And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed [art] thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.' 14 And Samuel saith, 'And what [is] the noise of this flock in mine ears — and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?' 15 And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.' 16 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, 'Speak.' 17 And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou [art] little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel, 18 and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed; 19 and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah — and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?' 20 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because — I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted; 21 and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.' 22 And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as [in] hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams; 23 for a sin of divination [is] rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim [is] stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from [being] king.' 24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice; 25 and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.' 26 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.' 27 And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe — and it is rent! 28 And Samuel saith unto him, 'Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou; 29 and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He [is] not a man to be penitent.' 30 And he saith, 'I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.' 31 And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah; 32 and Samuel saith, 'Bring ye nigh unto me Agag king of Amalek,' and Agag cometh unto him daintily, and Agag saith, 'Surely the bitterness of death hath turned aside.' 33 And Samuel saith, 'As thy sword bereaved women — so is thy mother bereaved above women;' and Samuel heweth Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal. 34 And Samuel goeth to Ramath, and Saul hath gone unto his house — to Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel hath not added to see Saul till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul, and Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.

16 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Till when art thou mourning for Saul, and I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I send thee unto Jesse the Beth-Lehemite, for I have seen among his sons for Myself a king. 2 And Samuel saith, 'How do I go? when Saul hath heard, then he hath slain me.' And Jehovah saith, 'A heifer of the herd thou dost take in thy hand, and hast said, To sacrifice to Jehovah I have come; 3 and thou hast called for Jesse in the sacrifice, and I cause thee to know that which thou dost do, and thou hast anointed to Me him of whom I speak unto thee.' 4 And Samuel doth that which Jehovah hath spoken, and cometh in to Beth-Lehem, and the elders of the city tremble to meet him, and [one] saith, 'Is thy coming peace?' 5 and he saith, 'Peace; to sacrifice to Jehovah I have come, sanctify yourselves, and ye have come in with me to the sacrifice;' and he sanctifieth Jesse and his sons, and calleth them to the sacrifice. 6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, that he seeth Eliab, and saith, 'Surely, before Jehovah [is] His anointed.' 7 And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Look not unto his appearance, and unto the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for [it is] not as man seeth — for man looketh at the eyes, and Jehovah looketh at the heart.' 8 And Jesse calleth unto Abinadab, and causeth him to pass by before Samuel; and he saith, 'Also on this Jehovah hath not fixed.' 9 And Jesse causeth Shammah to pass by, and he saith, 'Also on this Jehovah hath not fixed.' 10 And Jesse causeth seven of his sons to pass by before Samuel, and Samuel saith to Jesse, 'Jehovah hath not fixed on these.' 11 And Samuel saith unto Jesse, 'Are the young men finished?' and he saith, 'Yet hath been left the youngest; and lo, he delighteth himself among the flock;' and Samuel saith unto Jesse, 'Send and take him, for we do not turn round till his coming in hither.' 12 And he sendeth, and bringeth him in, and he [is] ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and of good appearance; and Jehovah saith, 'Rise, anoint him, for this [is] he.' 13 And Samuel taketh the horn of oil, and anointeth him in the midst of his brethren, and prosper over David doth the Spirit of Jehovah from that day and onwards; and Samuel riseth and goeth to Ramath. 14 And the Spirit of Jehovah turned aside from Saul, and a spirit of sadness from Jehovah terrified him; 15 and the servants of Saul say unto him, 'Lo, we pray thee, a spirit of sadness [from] God is terrifying thee; 16 let our lord command, we pray thee, thy servants before thee, they seek a skilful man, playing on a harp, and it hath come to pass, in the spirit of sadness [from] God being upon thee, that he hath played with his hand, and [it is] well with thee.' 17 And Saul saith unto his servants, 'Provide, I pray you, for me a man playing well — then ye have brought [him] in unto me.' 18 And one of the servants answereth and saith, 'Lo, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-Lehemite, skilful in playing, and a mighty virtuous man, and a man of battle, and intelligent in word, and a man of form, and Jehovah [is] with him.' 19 And Saul sendeth messengers unto Jesse, and saith, 'Send unto me David thy son, who [is] with the flock.' 20 And Jesse taketh an ass, [with] bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sendeth by the hand of David his son unto Saul. 21 And David cometh in unto Saul, and standeth before him, and he loveth him greatly; and he is a bearer of his weapons. 22 And Saul sendeth unto Jesse, saying, 'Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found grace in mine eyes.' 23 And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of [sadness from] God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him.

17 And the Philistines gather their camps to battle, and are gathered to Shochoh, which [is] to Judah, and encamp between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim; 2 and Saul and the men of Israel have been gathered, and encamp by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array to meet the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines are standing on the mountain on this side, and the Israelites are standing on the mountain on that side, and the valley [is] between them. 4 And there goeth out a man of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines, Goliath [is] his name, from Gath; his height [is] six cubits and a span, 5 and a helmet of brass [is] on his head, and [with] a scaled coat of mail he [is] clothed, and the weight of the coat of mail [is] five thousand shekels of brass, 6 and a frontlet of brass [is] on his feet, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders, 7 and the wood of his spear [is] like a beam of weavers', and the flame of his spear [is] six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the buckler is going before him. 8 And he standeth and calleth unto the ranks of Israel, and saith to them, 'Why are ye come out to set in array the battle? [am] not I the Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose for you a man, and let him come down unto me; 9 if he be able to fight with me, and have smitten me, then we have been to you for servants; and if I am able for him, and have smitten him, then ye have been to us for servants, and have served us.' 10 And the Philistine saith, 'I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give to me a man, and we fight together.' 11 And Saul heareth — and all Israel — these words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid. 12 And David [is] son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name [is] Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men; 13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle [are] Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul, 15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem. 16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days. 17 And Jesse saith to David his son, 'Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 and these ten cuttings of the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand, and thy brethren thou dost inspect for welfare, and their pledge dost receive.' 19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel [are] in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle; 21 and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank. 22 And David letteth down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runneth into the rank, and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare. 23 And he is speaking with them, and lo, a man of the duellists is coming up, Goliath the Philistine [is] his name, of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaketh according to those words, and David heareth; 24 and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid. 25 And the men of Israel say, 'Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for, to reproach Israel he is coming up, and it hath been — the man who smiteth him, the king doth enrich him with great riches, and his daughter he doth give to him, and his father's house doth make free in Israel.' 26 And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, 'What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?' 27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, 'Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.' 28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, 'Why [is] this — thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart — for, to see the battle thou hast come down.' 29 And David saith, 'What have I done now? is it not a word?' 30 And he turneth round from him unto another, and saith according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word. 31 And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him; 32 and David saith unto Saul, 'Let no man's heart fall because of him, thy servant doth go, and hath fought with this Philistine.' 33 And Saul saith unto David, 'Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou [art], and he a man of war from his youth.' 34 And David saith unto Saul, 'A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come — and the bear — and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove, 35 and I have gone out after him, and smitten him, and delivered out of his mouth, and he riseth against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and smitten him, and put him to death. 36 Both the lion and the bear hath thy servant smitten, and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.' 37 And David saith, 'Jehovah, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David, 'Go, and Jehovah is with thee.' 38 And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried [it]; and David saith unto Saul, 'I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him. 40 And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling [is] in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine goeth on, going and drawing near unto David, and the man bearing the buckler [is] before him, 42 and the Philistine looketh attentively, and seeth David, and despiseth him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance. 43 And the Philistine saith unto David, 'Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the Philistine revileth David by his gods, 44 and the Philistine saith unto David, 'Come unto me, and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.' 45 And David saith unto the Philistine, 'Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached. 46 This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand — and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel. 47 and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle [is] Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.' 48 And it hath come to pass, that the Philistine hath risen, and goeth, and draweth near to meet David, and David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine, 49 and David putteth forth his hand unto the vessel, and taketh thence a stone, and slingeth, and smiteth the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinketh into his forehead, and he falleth on his face to the earth. 50 And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David, 51 and David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero [is] dead, and flee. 52 And the men of Israel rise — also Judah — and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron, 53 and the sons of Israel turn back from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps. 54 And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent. 55 And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, 'Whose son [is] this — the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, 'Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.' 56 And the king saith, 'Ask thou whose son this [is] — the young man.' 57 And when David turneth back from smiting the Philistine, then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine in his hand; 58 and Saul saith unto him, 'Whose son [art] thou, O youth?' and David saith, 'Son of thy servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.'

18 And it cometh to pass, when he finisheth to speak unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan hath been bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loveth him as his own soul. 2 And Saul taketh him on that day, and hath not permitted him to turn back to the house of his father. 3 And Jonathan maketh — also David — a covenant, because he loveth him as his own soul, 4 and Jonathan strippeth himself of the upper robe which [is] upon him, and giveth it to David, and his long robe, even unto his sword, and unto his bow, and unto his girdle. 5 And David goeth out whithersoever Saul doth send him; he acted wisely, and Saul setteth him over the men of war, and it is good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. 6 And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, in David's returning from smiting the Philistine, that the women come out from all the cities of Israel to sing — also the dancers — to meet Saul the king, with tabrets, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments; 7 and the women answer — those playing, and say, 'Saul hath smitten among his thousands, And David among his myriads.' 8 And it is displeasing to Saul exceedingly, and this thing is evil in his eyes, and he saith, 'They have given to David myriads, and to me they have given the thousands, and more to him [is] only the kingdom;' 9 and Saul is eyeing David from that day and thenceforth. 10 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness [from] God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin [is] in the hand of Saul, 11 and Saul casteth the javelin, and saith, 'I smite through David, even through the wall;' and David turneth round out of his presence twice. 12 And Saul is afraid of the presence of David, for Jehovah hath been with him, and from Saul He hath turned aside; 13 and Saul turneth him aside from him, and appointeth him to himself head of a thousand, and he goeth out an cometh in, before the people. 14 And David is in all his ways acting wisely, and Jehovah [is] with him, 15 and Saul seeth that he is acting very wisely, and is afraid of him, 16 and all Israel and Judah love David when he is going out and coming in before them. 17 And Saul saith unto David, 'Lo, my elder daughter Merab — her I give to thee for a wife; only, be to me for a son of valour, and fight the battles of Jehovah;' and Saul said, 'Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.' 18 And David saith unto Saul, 'Who [am] I? and what my life — the family of my father in Israel — that I am son-in-law to the king?' 19 And it cometh to pass, at the time of the giving of Merab daughter of Saul to David, that she hath been given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. 20 And Michal daughter of Saul loveth David, and they declare to Saul, and the thing is right in his eyes, 21 and Saul saith, 'I give her to him, and she is to him for a snare, and the hand of the Philistines is on him;' and Saul saith unto David, 'By the second — thou dost become my son-in-law to-day.' 22 And Saul commandeth his servants, 'Speak unto David gently, saying, Lo, the king hath delighted in thee, and all his servants have loved thee, and now, be son-in-law to the king.' 23 And the servants of Saul speak in the ears of David these words, and David saith, 'Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king — and I a poor man, and lightly esteemed?' 24 And the servants of Saul declare to him, saying, 'According to these words hath David spoken.' 25 And Saul saith, 'Thus do ye say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines — to be avenged on the enemies of the king;' and Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And his servants declare to David these words, and the thing is right in the eyes of David, to be son-in-law to the king; and the days have not been full, 27 and David riseth and goeth, he and his men, and smiteth among the Philistines two hundred men, and David bringeth in their foreskins, and they set them before the king, to be son-in-law to the king; and Saul giveth to him Michal his daughter for a wife. 28 And Saul seeth and knoweth that Jehovah [is] with David, and Michal daughter of Saul hath loved him, 29 and Saul addeth to be afraid of the presence of David yet; and Saul is an enemy with David all the days. 30 And the princes of the Philistines come out, and it cometh to pass from the time of their coming out, David hath acted more wisely than any of the servants of Saul, and his name is very precious.

19 And Saul speaketh unto Jonathan his son, and unto all his servants, to put David to death, 2 and Jonathan son of Saul delighted exceedingly in David, and Jonathan declareth to David, saying, 'Saul my father is seeking to put thee to death, and, now, take heed, I pray thee, in the morning, and thou hast abode in a secret place, and been hidden, 3 and I — I go out, and have stood by the side of my father in the field where thou [art], and I speak of thee unto my father, and have seen what [is coming], and have declared to thee.' 4 And Jonathan speaketh good of David unto Saul his father, and saith unto him, 'Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works for thee [are] very good; 5 yea, he putteth his life in his hand, and smiteth the Philistine, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation for all Israel; thou hast seen, and dost rejoice, and why dost thou sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for nought?' 6 And Saul hearkeneth to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul sweareth, 'Jehovah liveth — he doth not die.' 7 And Jonathan calleth for David, and Jonathan declareth to him all these words, and Jonathan bringeth in David unto Saul, and he is before him as heretofore. 8 And there addeth to be war, and David goeth out and fighteth against the Philistines, and smiteth among them — a great smiting, and they flee from his face. 9 And a spirit of sadness [from] Jehovah is unto Saul, and he is sitting in his house, and his javelin in his hand, and David is playing with the hand, 10 and Saul seeketh to smite with the javelin through David, and through the wall, and he freeth himself from the presence of Saul, and he smiteth the javelin through the wall; and David hath fled and escapeth during that night. 11 And Saul sendeth messengers unto the house of David to watch him, and to put him to death in the morning; and Michal his wife declareth to David, saying, 'If thou art not delivering thy life to-night — tomorrow thou art put to death.' 12 And Michal causeth David to go down through the window, and he goeth on, and fleeth, and escapeth; 13 and Michal taketh the teraphim, and layeth on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair] she hath put [for] his pillows, and covereth with a garment. 14 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and she saith, 'He [is] sick.' 15 And Saul sendeth the messengers to see David, saying, 'Bring him up in the bed unto me,' — to put him to death. 16 And the messengers come in, and lo, the teraphim [are] on the bed, and the mattress of goats' [hair], [for] his pillows. 17 And Saul saith unto Michal, 'Why thus hast thou deceived me — that thou dost send away mine enemy, and he is escaped?' and Michal saith unto Saul, 'He said unto me, Send me away: why do I put thee to death?' 18 And David hath fled, and is escaped, and cometh in unto Samuel to Ramath, and declareth to him all that Saul hath done to him, and he goeth, he and Samuel, and they dwell in Naioth. 19 And it is declared to Saul, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in Naioth in Ramah.' 20 And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and they see the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing, set over them, and the Spirit of God is on Saul's messengers, and they prophesy — they also. 21 And they declare [it] to Saul, and he sendeth other messengers, and they prophesy — they also; and Saul addeth and sendeth messengers a third time, and they prophesy — they also. 22 And he goeth — he also — to Ramath, and cometh in unto the great well which [is] in Sechu, and asketh, and saith, 'Where [are] Samuel and David?' and [one] saith, 'Lo, in Naioth in Ramah.' 23 And he goeth thither — unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him — him also; and he goeth, going on, and he prophesieth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah, 24 and he strippeth off — he also — his garments, and prophesieth — he also — before Samuel, and falleth down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

20 And David fleeth from Naioth in Ramah, and cometh, and saith before Jonathan, 'What have I done? what [is] mine iniquity? and what my sin before thy father, that he is seeking my life?' 2 And he saith to him, 'Far be it! thou dost not die; lo, my father doth not do anything great or small and doth not uncover mine ear; and wherefore doth my father hide from me this thing? this [thing] is not.' 3 And David sweareth again, and saith, 'Thy father hath certainly known that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; and yet, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, but — as a step between me and death.' 4 And Jonathan saith to David, 'What doth thy soul say? — and I do it for thee.' 5 And David saith unto Jonathan, 'Lo, the new moon [is] to-morrow; and I do certainly sit with the king to eat; and thou hast sent me away, and I have been hidden in a field till the third evening; 6 if thy father at all look after me, and thou hast said, David asked earnestly of me to run to Beth-Lehem his city, for a sacrifice of the days [is] there for all the family. 7 If thus he say: Good; peace [is] for thy servant; and if it be very displeasing to him — know that the evil hath been determined by him; 8 and thou hast done kindness, to thy servant, for into a covenant of Jehovah thou hast brought thy servant with thee; — and if there is in me iniquity, put thou me to death; and unto thy father, why is this — thou dost bring me in?' 9 And Jonathan saith, 'Far be it from thee! for I certainly do not know that the evil hath been determined by my father to come upon thee, and I do not declare it to thee.' 10 And David saith unto Jonathan, 'Who doth declare to me? or what [if] thy father doth answer thee sharply?' 11 And Jonathan saith unto David, 'Come, and we go out into the field;' and they go out both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan saith unto David, 'Jehovah, God of Israel — when I search my father, about [this] time to-morrow [or] the third [day], and lo, good [is] towards David, and I do not then send unto thee, and have uncovered thine ear — 13 thus doth Jehovah do to Jonathan, and thus doth He add; when the evil concerning thee is good to my father, then I have uncovered thine ear, and sent thee away, and thou hast gone in peace, and Jehovah is with thee, as he was with my father; 14 and not only while I am alive dost thou do with me the kindness of Jehovah, and I die not, 15 but thou dost not cut off thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah's cutting off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the ground.' 16 And Jonathan covenanteth with the house of David, and Jehovah hath sought [it] from the hand of the enemies of David; 17 and Jonathan addeth to cause David to swear, because he loveth him, for with the love of his own soul he hath loved him. 18 And Jonathan saith to him, 'To-morrow [is] new moon, and thou hast been looked after, for thy seat is looked after; 19 and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel. 20 'And I shoot three of the arrows at the side, sending out for myself at a mark; 21 and lo, I send the youth: Go, find the arrows. If I at all say to the youth, Lo, the arrows [are] on this side of thee — take them, — then come thou, for peace [is] for thee, and there is nothing; Jehovah liveth. 22 And if thus I say to the young man, Lo, the arrows [are] beyond thee, — go, for Jehovah hath sent thee away; 23 as to the thing which we have spoken, I and thou, lo, Jehovah [is] between me and thee — unto the age.' 24 And David is hidden in the field, and it is the new moon, and the king sitteth down by the food to eat, 25 and the king sitteth on his seat, as time by time, on a seat by the wall, and Jonathan riseth, and Abner sitteth at the side of Saul, and David's place is looked after. 26 And Saul hath not spoken anything on that day, for he said, 'It [is] an accident; he is not clean — surely not clean.' 27 And it cometh to pass on the second morrow of the new moon, that David's place is looked after, and Saul saith unto Jonathan his son, 'Wherefore hath the son of Jesse not come in, either yesterday or to-day, unto the food?' 28 And Jonathan answereth Saul, 'David hath been earnestly asked of me unto Beth-Lehem, 29 and he saith, Send me away, I pray thee, for a family sacrifice we have in the city, and my brother himself hath given command to me, and now, if I have found grace in thine eyes, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren; therefore he hath not come unto the table of the king.' 30 And the anger of Saul burneth against Jonathan, and he saith to him, 'Son of a perverse rebellious woman! have I not known that thou art fixing on the son of Jesse to thy shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of thy mother? 31 for all the days that the son of Jesse liveth on the ground thou art not established, thou and thy kingdom; and now, send and bring him unto me, for he [is] a son of death.' 32 And Jonathan answereth Saul his father, and saith unto him, 'Why is he put to death? what hath he done?' 33 And Saul casteth the javelin at him to smite him, and Jonathan knoweth that it hath been determined by his father to put David to death. 34 And Jonathan riseth from the table in the heat of anger, and hath not eaten food on the second day of the new moon, for he hath been grieved for David, for his father put him to shame. 35 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that Jonathan goeth out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little youth [is] with him. 36 And he saith to his youth, 'Run, find, I pray thee, the arrows which I am shooting;' the youth is running, and he hath shot the arrow, causing [it] to pass over him. 37 And the youth cometh unto the place of the arrow which Jonathan hath shot, and Jonathan calleth after the youth, and saith, 'Is not the arrow beyond thee?' 38 and Jonathan calleth after the youth, 'Speed, haste, stand not;' and Jonathan's youth gathereth the arrows, and cometh unto his lord. 39 And the youth hath not known anything, only Jonathan and David knew the word. 40 And Jonathan giveth his weapons unto the youth whom he hath, and saith to him, 'Go, carry into the city.' 41 The youth hath gone, and David hath risen from Ezel, at the south, and falleth on his face to the earth, and boweth himself three times, and they kiss one another, and they weep one with another, till David exerted himself; 42 and Jonathan saith to David, 'Go in peace, in that we have sworn — we two — in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah is between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed — unto the age;' and he riseth and goeth; and Jonathan hath gone in to the city.

21 And David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?' 2 And David saith to Ahimelech the priest, 'The king hath commanded me a matter, and he saith unto me, Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending thee, and which I have commanded thee; and the young men I have caused to know at such and such a place; 3 and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.' 4 And the priest answereth David, and saith, 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.' 5 And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it [is] a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.' 6 And the priest giveth to him the holy thing, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which is turned aside from the presence of Jehovah to put hot bread in the day of its being taken away. 7 And there [is] a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name [is] Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath. 8 And David saith to Ahimelech, 'And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for neither my sword nor my vessels have I taken in my hand, for the matter of the king was urgent.' 9 And the priest saith, 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the valley of Elah, lo, it is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod, if it thou dost take to thyself, take; for there is none other save it in this [place].' And David saith, 'There is none like it — give it to me.' 10 And David riseth and fleeth on that day from the face of Saul, and cometh in unto Achish king of Gath; 11 and the servants of Achish say unto him, 'Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, 'Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?' 12 And David layeth these words in his heart, and is exceedingly afraid of the face of Achish king of Gath, 13 and changeth his behaviour before their eyes, and feigneth himself mad in their hand, and scribbleth on the doors of the gate, and letteth down his spittle unto his beard. 14 And Achish saith unto his servants, 'Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me? 15 A lack of madmen [have] I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'

22 And David goeth thence, and is escaped unto the cave of Adullam, and his brethren hear, and all the house of his father, and go down unto him thither; 2 and gather themselves unto him do every man in distress, and every man who hath an exactor, and every man bitter in soul, and he is over them for head, and there are with him about four hundred men. 3 And David goeth thence to Mizpeh of Moab, and saith unto the king of Moab, 'Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother go out with you, till that I know what God doth for me;' 4 and he leadeth them before the king of Moab, and they dwell with him all the days of David's being in the fortress. 5 And Gad the prophet saith unto David, 'Thou dost not abide in a fortress, go, and thou hast entered for thee the land of Judah;' and David goeth and entereth the forest of Hareth. 6 And Saul heareth that David hath become known, and the men who [are] with him, and Saul is abiding in Gibeah, under the grove in Ramah, and his spear [is] in his hand, and all his servants standing by him. 7 And Saul saith to his servants who are standing by him, 'Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites; also to all of you doth the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards! all of you he doth appoint heads of thousands and heads of hundreds! 8 for ye have conspired all of you against me, and there is none uncovering mine ear about my son's covenanting with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you grieving for me, and uncovering mine ear, that my son hath raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait as [at] this day.' 9 And answer doth Doeg the Edomite, who is set over the servants of Saul, and saith, 'I have seen the son of Jesse coming in to Nob, unto Ahimelech son of Ahitub, 10 and he asketh for him at Jehovah, and provision hath given to him, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine hath given to him. 11 And the king sendeth to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who [are] in Nob, and they come all of them unto the king; 12 and Saul saith, 'Hear, I pray thee, son of Ahitub;' and he saith, 'Here [am] I, my lord.' 13 And Saul saith unto him, 'Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, by thy giving to him bread and a sword, and to ask for him at God, to rise against me, to lie in wait, as [at] this day?' 14 And Ahimelech answereth the king and saith, 'And who among all thy servants [is] as David — faithful, and son-in-law of the king, and hath turned aside unto thy council, and is honoured in thy house? 15 To-day have I begun to ask for him at God? far be it from me! let not the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for thy servant hath known nothing of all this, less or more.' 16 And the king saith, 'Thou dost surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all the house of thy father.' 17 And the king saith to runners, those standing by him, 'Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also [is] with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered mine ear;' and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of Jehovah. 18 And the king saith to Doeg, 'Turn round thou, and come against the priests;' and Doeg the Edomite turneth round, and cometh himself against the priests, and putteth to death in that day eighty and five men bearing a linen ephod, 19 and Nob, the city of the priests, he hath smitten by the mouth of the sword, from man even unto woman, from infant even unto suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword. 20 And there escapeth one son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, and his name [is] Abiathar, and he fleeth after David, 21 and Abiathar declareth to David that Saul hath slain the priests of Jehovah. 22 And David saith to Abiathar, 'I have known on that day when Doeg the Edomite [is] there, that he doth certainly declare [it] to Saul; I have brought [it] round to every person of the house of thy father; 23 dwell with me; fear not; for he who seeketh my life seeketh thy life; for a charge [art] thou with me.'

23 And they declare to David, saying, 'Lo, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are spoiling the threshing-floors.' 2 And David asketh at Jehovah, saying, 'Do I go? — and have I smitten among these Philistines?' And Jehovah saith unto David, 'Go, and thou hast smitten among the Philistines, and saved Keilah.' 3 And David's men say unto him, 'Lo, we here in Judah are afraid; and how much more when we go to Keilah, unto the ranks of the Philistines?' 4 And David addeth again to ask at Jehovah, and Jehovah answereth him, and saith, 'Rise, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into thy hand.' 5 And David goeth, and his men, to Keilah, and fighteth with the Philistines, and leadeth away their cattle, and smiteth among them — a great smiting, and David saveth the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it cometh to pass, in the fleeing of Abiathar son of Ahimelech unto David, to Keilah, an ephod came down in his hand. 7 And it is declared to Saul that David hath come in to Keilah, and Saul saith, 'God hath made him known for my hand, for he hath been shut in, to enter into a city of doors and bar.' 8 And Saul summoneth the whole of the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege unto David and unto his men. 9 And David knoweth that against him Saul is devising the evil, and saith unto Abiathar the priest, 'Bring nigh the ephod.' 10 And David saith, 'Jehovah, God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul is seeking to come in unto Keilah, to destroy the city on mine account. 11 Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up into his hand? doth Saul come down as Thy servant hath heard? Jehovah, God of Israel, declare, I pray Thee, to Thy servant.' And Jehovah saith, 'He doth come down.' 12 And David saith, 'Do the possessors of Keilah shut me up, and my men, into the hand of Saul?' And Jehovah saith, 'They shut [thee] up.' 13 And David riseth — and his men — about six hundred men, and they go out from Keilah, and go up and down where they go up and down; and to Saul it hath been declared that David hath escaped from Keilah, and he ceaseth to go out. 14 And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand. 15 And David seeth that Saul hath come out to seek his life, and David [is] in the wilderness of Ziph, in a forest. 16 And Jonathan son of Saul riseth, and goeth unto David to the forest, and strengtheneth his hand in God, 17 and saith unto him, 'Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father doth not find thee, and thou dost reign over Israel, and I am to thee for second, and also so knoweth Saul my father.' 18 And they make a covenant both of them before Jehovah; and David abideth in the forest, and Jonathan hath gone to his house. 19 And the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, 'Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of the desolate place? 20 And, now, by all the desire of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down, and ours [is] to shut him up into the hand of the king.' 21 And Saul saith, 'Blessed [are] ye of Jehovah, for ye have pity on me; 22 go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his foot is; who hath seen him there? for [one] hath said unto me, He is very subtile. 23 And see and know of all the hiding-places where he hideth himself, and ye have turned back unto me prepared, and I have gone with you, and it hath been, if he is in the land, that I have searched him out through all the thousands of Judah.' 24 And they rise and go to Ziph before Saul, and David and his men [are] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, at the south of the desolate place. 25 And Saul and his men go to seek, and they declare to David, and he goeth down the rock, and abideth in the wilderness of Maon; and Saul heareth, and pursueth after David [to] the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul goeth on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David is hastened to go from the face of Saul, and Saul and his men are compassing David and his men, to catch them. 27 And a messenger hath come in unto Saul, saying, 'Haste, and come, for the Philistines have pushed against the land.' 28 And Saul turneth back from pursuing after David, and goeth to meet the Philistines, therefore they have called that place 'The Rock of Divisions.' 29 And David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses [at] En-gedi.

24 And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.' 2 And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats, 3 and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding. 4 And the men of David say unto him, 'Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul — gently. 5 And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul, 6 and he saith to his men, 'Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord — to the anointed of Jehovah — to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].' 7 And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way; 8 and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, 'My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance. 9 And David saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil? 10 Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is]. 11 'And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it! 12 'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee; 13 as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee. 14 'After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? — after a dead dog! after one flea! 15 And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.' 16 And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth. 17 And he saith unto David, 'More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil; 18 and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me, 19 and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day. 20 'And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand; 21 and, now, swear to me by Jehovah — thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.' 22 And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.

25 And Samuel dieth, and all Israel are gathered, and mourn for him, and bury him in his house, in Ramah; and David riseth and goeth down unto the wilderness of Paran. 2 And [there is] a man in Maon, and his work [is] in Carmel; and the man [is] very great, and he hath three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he is shearing his flock in Carmel. 3 And the name of the man [is] Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, and the woman [is] of good understanding, and of fair form, and the man [is] hard and evil [in] doings; and he [is] a Calebite. 4 And David heareth in the wilderness that Nabal is shearing his flock, 5 and David sendeth ten young men, and David saith to the young men, 'Go ye up to Carmel, and ye have come in unto Nabal, and asked of him in my name of welfare, 6 and said thus: To life! and thou, peace; and thy house, peace; and all that thou hast — peace! 7 and, now, I have heard that thou hast shearers; now, the shepherds whom thou hast have been with us, we have not put them to shame, nor hath anything been looked after by them, all the days of their being in Carmel. 8 'Ask thy young men, and they declare to thee, and the young men find grace in thine eyes, for on a good day we have come; give, I pray thee, that which thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David.' 9 And the young men of David come in, and speak unto Nabal according to all these words, in the name of David — and rest. 10 And Nabal answereth the servants of David and saith, 'Who [is] David, and who the son of Jesse? to-day have servants been multiplied who are breaking away each from his master; 11 and I have taken my bread, and my water, and my flesh, which I slaughtered for my shearers, and have given [it] to men whom I have not known whence they [are]!' 12 And the young men of David turn on their way, and turn back, and come in, and declare to him according to all these words. 13 And David saith to his men, 'Gird ye on each his sword;' and they gird on each his sword, and David also girdeth on his sword, and there go up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred have remained by the vessels. 14 And to Abigail wife of Nabal hath one young man of the youths declared, saying, 'Lo, David hath sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he flieth upon them; 15 and the men [are] very good to us, and have not put us to shame, and we have not looked after anything all the days we have gone up and down with them, in our being in the field; 16 a wall they have been unto us both by night and by day, all the days of our being with them, feeding the flock. 17 'And, now, know and consider what thou dost; for evil hath been determined against our lord, and against all his house, and he [is] too much a son of worthlessness to be spoken to.' 18 And Abigail hasteth, and taketh two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep, prepared, and five measures of roasted corn, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred bunches of figs, and setteth [them] on the asses. 19 And she saith to her young men, 'Pass over before me; lo, after you I am coming;' and to her husband Nabal she hath not declared [it]; 20 and it hath come to pass, she is riding on the ass and is coming down in the secret part of the hill-country, and lo, David and his men are coming down to meet her, and she meeteth them. 21 And David said, 'Only, in vain I have kept all that this [one] hath in the wilderness, and nothing hath been looked after of all that he hath, and he turneth back to me evil for good; 22 thus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning — of those sitting on the wall.' 23 And Abigail seeth David, and hasteth and cometh down from off the ass, and falleth before David on her face, and boweth herself to the earth, 24 and falleth at his feet and saith, 'On me, my lord, the iniquity; and let, I pray thee, thy handmaid speak in thine ear, and hear the words of thy handmaid. 25 'Let not, I pray thee, my lord set his heart to this man of worthlessness, on Nabal, for as his name [is] so [is] he; Nabal [is] his name, and folly [is] with him; and I, thine handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord whom thou didst send; 26 and now, my lord, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, in that Jehovah hath withheld thee from coming in with blood, and to save thy hand to thee — now let thine enemies be as Nabal, even those seeking evil unto my lord. 27 'And, now, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord — it hath been given to the young men who are going up and down at the feet of my lord. 28 'Bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy handmaid, for Jehovah doth certainly make to my lord a stedfast house; for the battles of Jehovah hath my lord fought, and evil is not found in thee [all] thy days. 29 And man riseth to pursue thee and to seek thy soul, and the soul of my lord hath been bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; as to the soul of thine enemies, He doth sling them out in the midst of the hollow of the sling. 30 'And it hath been, when Jehovah doth to my lord according to all the good which He hath spoken concerning thee, and appointed thee for leader over Israel, 31 that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord — either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.' 32 And David saith to Abigail, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day to meet me, 33 and blessed [is] thy discretion, and blessed [art] thou in that thou hast restrained me this day from coming in with blood, and to restrain my hand to myself. 34 And yet, Jehovah liveth, God of Israel, who hath kept me back from doing evil with thee, for unless thou hadst hasted, and dost come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal till the light of the morning, of those sitting on the wall.' 35 And David receiveth from her hand that which she hath brought to him, and to her he hath said, 'Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accept thy face.' 36 And Abigail cometh in unto Nabal, and lo, he hath a banquet in his house, like a banquet of the king, and the heart of Nabal [is] glad within him, and he [is] drunk unto excess, and she hath not declared to him anything, less or more, till the light of the morning. 37 And it cometh to pass in the morning, when the wine is gone out from Nabal, that his wife declareth to him these things, and his heart dieth within him, and he hath been as a stone. 38 And it cometh to pass, [in] about ten days, that Jehovah smiteth Nabal, and he dieth, 39 and David heareth that Nabal [is] dead, and saith, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah who hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and His servant hath kept back from evil, and the wickedness of Nabal hath Jehovah turned back on his own head;' and David sendeth and speaketh with Abigail, to take her to him for a wife. 40 And the servants of David come in unto Abigail at Carmel, and speak unto her, saying, 'David hath sent us unto thee to take thee to him for a wife.' 41 And she riseth and boweth herself — face to the earth — and saith, 'Lo, thy handmaid [is] for a maid-servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.' 42 And Abigail hasteth and riseth, and rideth on the ass; and five of her young women who are going at her feet; and she goeth after the messengers of David, and is to him for a wife. 43 And Ahinoam hath David taken from Jezreel, and they are — even both of them — to him for wives; 44 and Saul gave Michal his daughter, wife to David, to Phalti son of Laish, who [is] of Gallim.

26 And the Ziphites come in unto Saul, at Gibeah, saying, 'Is not David hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?' 2 And Saul riseth, and goeth down unto the wilderness of Ziph, and with him three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encampeth in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he seeth that Saul hath come after him in to the wilderness; 4 and David sendeth spies, and knoweth that Saul hath come unto Nachon, 5 and David riseth, and cometh in unto the place where Saul hath encamped, and David seeth the place where Saul hath lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping round about him. 6 And David answereth and saith unto Ahimelech the Hittite, and unto Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, 'Who doth go down with me unto Saul, unto the camp?' and Abishai saith, 'I — I go down with thee.' 7 And David cometh — and Abishai — unto the people by night, and lo, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear struck into the earth at his pillow, and abner and the people are lying round about him. 8 And Abishai saith unto David, 'God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once — and I do repeat [it] to him.' 9 And David saith unto Abishai, 'Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?' 10 And David saith, 'Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed — 11 far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah; and, now, take, I pray thee, the spear which [is] at his pillow, and the cruse of water, and we go away.' 12 And David taketh the spear, and the cruse of water at the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep [from] Jehovah hath fallen upon them. 13 And David passeth over to the other side, and standeth on the top of the hill afar off — great [is] the place between them; 14 and David calleth unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, 'Dost thou not answer, Abner?' and Abner answereth and saith, 'Who [art] thou [who] hast called unto the king?' 15 And David saith unto Abner, 'Art not thou a man? and who [is] like thee in Israel? but why hast thou not watched over thy lord the king? for one of the people had come in to destroy the king, thy lord. 16 Not good is this thing which thou hast done; Jehovah liveth, but ye [are] sons of death, in that ye have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah; and now, see where the king's spear [is], and the cruse of water which [is] at his bolster.' 17 And Saul discerneth the voice of David, and saith, 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' and David saith, 'My voice, my lord, O king!' 18 and he saith, 'Why [is] this — my lord is pursuing after his servant? for what have I done, and what [is] in my hand evil? 19 And, now, let, I pray thee, my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if Jehovah hath moved thee against me, let Him accept a present; and if the sons of men — cursed [are] they before Jehovah, for they have cast me out to-day from being admitted into the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 'And now, let not my blood fall to the earth over-against the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel hath come out to seek one flea, as [one] pursueth the partridge in mountains.' 21 And Saul saith, 'I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.' 22 And David answereth and saith, 'Lo, the king's spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive it; 23 and Jehovah doth turn back to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into [my] hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah, 24 and lo, as thy soul hath been great this day in mine eyes, so is my soul great in the eyes of Jehovah, and He doth deliver me out of all distress.' 25 And Saul saith unto David, 'Blessed [art] thou, my son David, also working thou dost work, and also prevailing thou dost prevail.' And David goeth on his way, and Saul hath turned back to his place.

27 And David saith unto his heart, 'Now am I consumed one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing for me better than that I diligently escape unto the land of the Philistines, and Saul hath been despairing of me — of seeking me any more in all the border of Israel, and I have escaped out of his hand.' 2 And David riseth, and passeth over, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, unto Achish son of Maoch king of Gath; 3 and David dwelleth with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, [even] David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess. 4 And it is declared to Saul that David hath fled to Gath, and he hath not added any more to seek him. 5 And David saith unto Achish, 'If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, they give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I dwell there, yea, why doth thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?' 6 And Achish giveth to him in that day Ziklag, therefore hath Ziklag been to the kings of Judah till this day. 7 And the number of the days which David hath dwelt in the field of the Philistines [is] days and four months; 8 and David goeth up and his men, and they push unto the Geshurite, and the Gerizite, and the Amalekite, (for they are inhabitants of the land from of old), as thou comest in to Shur and unto the land of Egypt, 9 and David hath smitten the land, and doth not keep alive man and woman, and hath taken sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and garments, and turneth back, and cometh in unto Achish. 10 And Achish saith, 'Whither have ye pushed to-day?' and David saith, 'Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelite, and unto the south of the Kenite.' 11 Neither man nor woman doth David keep alive, to bring in [word] to Gath, saying, 'Lest they declare [it] against us, saying, Thus hath David done, and thus [is] his custom all the days that he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.' 12 And Achish believeth in David, saying, 'He hath made himself utterly abhorred among his people, in Israel, and hath been to me for a servant age-during.'

28 And it cometh to pass in those days, that the Philistines gather their camps for the war, to fight against Israel, and Achish saith unto David, 'Thou dost certainly know that with me thou dost go out into the camp, thou and thy men.' 2 And David saith unto Achish, 'Therefore — thou dost know that which thy servant dost do.' And Achish saith unto David, 'Therefore — keeper of my head I do appoint thee all the days.' 3 And Samuel hath died, and all Israel mourn for him, and bury him in Ramah, even in his city, and Saul hath turned aside those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 And the Philistines are gathered, and come in, and encamp in Shunem, and Saul gathereth all Israel, and they encamp in Gilboa, 5 and Saul seeth the camp of the Philistines, and feareth, and his heart trembleth greatly, 6 and Saul asketh at Jehovah, and Jehovah hath not answered him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 And Saul saith to his servants, 'Seek for me a woman possessing a familiar spirit, and I go unto her, and inquire of her;' and his servants say unto him, 'Lo, a woman possessing a familiar spirit in En-dor.' 8 And Saul disguiseth himself and putteth on other garments, and goeth, he and two of the men with him, and they come in unto the woman by night, and he saith, 'Divine, I pray thee, to me by the familiar spirit, and cause to come up to me him whom I say unto thee.' 9 And the woman saith unto him, 'Lo, thou hast known that which Saul hath done, that he hath cut off those having familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land; and why art thou laying a snare for my soul — to put me to death?' 10 And Saul sweareth to her by Jehovah, saying, 'Jehovah liveth, punishment doth not meet thee for this thing.' 11 And the woman saith, 'Whom do I bring up to thee?' and he saith, 'Samuel — bring up to me.' 12 And the woman seeth Samuel, and crieth with a loud voice, and the woman speaketh unto Saul, saying, 'Why hast thou deceived me — and thou Saul?' 13 And the king saith to her, 'Do not fear; for what hast thou seen?' and the woman saith unto Saul, 'Gods I have seen coming up out of the earth.' 14 And he saith to her, 'What [is] his form?' and she saith, 'An aged man is coming up, and he [is] covered with an upper robe;' and Saul knoweth that he [is] Samuel, and boweth — face to thee earth — and doth obeisance. 15 And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Why hast thou troubled me, to bring me up?' And Saul saith, 'I have great distress, and the Philistines are fighting against me, God hath turned aside from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams; and I call for thee to let me know what I do.' 16 And Samuel saith, 'And why dost thou ask me, and Jehovah hath turned aside from thee, and is thine enemy? 17 And Jehovah doth for Himself as He hath spoken by my hand, and Jehovah rendeth the kingdom out of thy hand, and giveth it to thy neighbour — to David. 18 Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, nor didst the fierceness of His anger on Amalek — therefore this thing hath Jehovah done to thee this day; 19 yea, Jehovah giveth also Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons [are] with me; also the camp of Israel doth Jehovah give into the hand of the Philistines.' 20 And Saul hasteth and falleth — the fulness of his stature — to the earth, and feareth greatly because of the words of Samuel; also power was not in him, for he had not eaten bread all the day, and all the night. 21 And the woman cometh in unto Saul, and seeth that he hath been greatly troubled, and saith unto him, 'Lo, thy maid-servant hath hearkened to thy voice, and I put my soul in my hand, and I obey thy words which thou hast spoken unto me; 22 and now, hearken, I pray thee, also thou, to the voice of thy maid-servant, and I set before thee a morsel of bread, and eat, and there is in thee power when thou goest in the way.' 23 And he refuseth, and saith, 'I do not eat;' and his servants urge on him, and also the woman, and he hearkeneth to their voice, and riseth from the earth, and sitteth on the bed. 24 And the woman hath a calf of the stall in the house, and she hasteth and slaughtereth it, and taketh flour, and kneadeth, and baketh it unleavened things, 25 and bringeth nigh before Saul, and before his servants, and they eat, and rise, and go on, during that night.

29 And the Philistines gather all their camps to Aphek, and the Israelites are encamping at a fountain which [is] in Jezreel, 2 and the princes of the Philistines are passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, and David and his men are passing on in the rear with Achish. 3 And the heads of the Philistines say, 'What [are] these Hebrews?' and Achish saith unto the heads of the Philistines, 'Is not this David servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me these days or these years, and I have not found in him anything [wrong] from the day of his falling away till this day.' 4 And the heads of the Philistines are wroth against him, and the heads of the Philistines say to him, 'Send back the man, and he doth turn back unto his place whither thou hast appointed him, and doth not go down with us into battle, and is not to us for an adversary in battle; and wherewith doth this one reconcile himself unto his lord — is it not with the heads of those men?' 5 Is not this David, of whom they answer in choruses, saying, Saul hath smitten among his thousands, and David among his myriads?' 6 And Achish calleth unto David, and saith unto him, 'Jehovah liveth, surely thou [art] upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out, and thy coming in, with me in the camp, for I have not found in thee evil from the day of thy coming in unto me till this day; and in the eyes of the princes thou art not good; 7 and now, turn back, and go in peace, and thou dost do no evil in the eyes of the princes of the Philistines.' 8 And David saith unto Achish, 'But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee till this day — that I go not in and have fought against the enemies of my lord the king?' 9 And Achish answereth and saith unto David, 'I have known that thou [art] good in mine eyes as a messenger of God; only, the princes of the Philistines have said, He doth not go up with us into battle; 10 and now, rise thou early in the morning, and the servants of thy lord who have come with thee, when ye have risen early in the morning, and have light, then go ye.' 11 And David riseth early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to turn back unto the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone up to Jezreel.

30 And it cometh to pass, in the coming in of David and his men to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites have pushed unto the south, and unto Ziklag, and smite Ziklag, and burn it with fire, 2 and they take captive the women who [are] in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to death, and they lead away, and go on their way. 3 And David cometh in — and his men — unto the city, and lo, burnt with fire, and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters have been taken captive! 4 And David lifteth up — and the people who [are] with him — their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep. 5 And the two wives of David have been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite; 6 and David hath great distress, for the people have said to stone him, for the soul of all the people hath been bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters; and David doth strengthen himself in Jehovah his God. 7 And David saith unto Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, 'Bring nigh, I pray thee, to me the ephod;' and Abiathar bringeth nigh the ephod unto David, 8 and David asketh at Jehovah, saying, 'I pursue after this troop — do I overtake it?' And He saith to him, 'Pursue, for thou dost certainly overtake, and dost certainly deliver.' 9 And David goeth on, he and six hundred men who [are] with him, and they come in unto the brook of Besor, and those left have stood still, 10 and David pursueth, he and four hundred men, (and two hundred men stand still who have been too faint to pass over the brook of Besor), 11 and they find a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and take him unto David, and give to him bread, and he eateth, and they cause him to drink water, 12 and give to him a piece of a bunch of dried figs, and two bunches of raisins, and he eateth, and his spirit returneth unto him, for he hath not eaten bread nor drunk water three days and three nights. 13 And David saith to him, 'Whose [art] thou? and whence [art] thou?' And he saith, 'An Egyptian youth I [am], servant to a man, an Amalekite, and my lord forsaketh me, for I have been sick three days, 14 we pushed [to] the south of the Cherethite, and against that which [is] to Judah, and against the south of Caleb, and Ziklag we burned with fire.' 15 And David saith unto him, 'Dost thou bring me down unto this troop?' and he saith, 'Swear to me by God — thou dost not put me to death, nor dost thou shut me up into the hand of my lord — and I bring thee down unto this troop.' 16 And he bringeth him down, and lo, they are spread out over the face of all the earth, eating, and drinking, and feasting, with all the great spoil which they have taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smiteth them from the twilight even unto the evening of the morrow, and there hath not escaped of them a man, except four hundred young men who have ridden on the camels, and are fled. 18 And David delivereth all that the Amalekites have taken; also his two wives hath David delivered. 19 And there hath not lacked to them [anything], from small unto great, and unto sons and daughters, and from the spoil, even unto all that they had taken to themselves, the whole hath David brought back, 20 and David taketh the whole of the flock, and of the herd, they have led on before these cattle, and they say, 'This [is] David's spoil.' 21 And David cometh in unto the two hundred men who were too faint to go after David, and whom they cause to abide at the brook of Besor, and they go out to meet David, and to meet the people who [are] with him, and David approacheth the people, and asketh of them of welfare. 22 And every bad and worthless man, of the men who have gone with David, answereth, yea, they say, 'Because that they have not gone with us we do not give to them of the spoil which we have delivered, except each his wife and his children, and they lead away and go. 23 And David saith, 'Ye do not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given to us, and He doth preserve us, and doth give the troop which cometh against us into our hand; 24 and who doth hearken to you in this thing? for as the portion of him who was brought down into battle, so also [is] the portion of him who is abiding by the vessels — alike they share.' 25 And it cometh to pass from that day and forward, that he appointeth it for a statute and for an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 26 And David cometh in unto Ziklag, and sendeth of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, (saying, 'Lo, for you a blessing, of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah),' 27 to those in Beth-El, and to those in South Ramoth, and to those in Jattir, 28 and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa, 29 and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites, 30 and to those in Hormah, and to those in Chor-Ashan, and to those in Athach, 31 and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.

31 And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa, 2 and the Philistines follow Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul. 3 And the battle is hard against Saul, and the archers find him — men with bow — and he is pained greatly by the archers; 4 and Saul saith to the bearer of his weapons, 'Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest they come — these uncircumcised — and have pierced me, and rolled themselves on me;' and the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he is greatly afraid, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it. 5 And the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul [is] dead, and he falleth — he also — on his sword, and dieth with him; 6 and Saul dieth, and three of his sons, and the bearer of his weapons, also all his men, on that day together. 7 And they see — the men of Israel, who [are] beyond the valley, and who [are] beyond the Jordan — that the men of Israel have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake the cities and flee, and Philistines come in, and dwell in them. 8 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa, 9 and they cut off his head, and strip off his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim tidings [in] the house of their idols, and [among] the people; 10 and they place his weapons [in] the house of Ashtaroth, and his body they have fixed on the wall of Beth-Shan. 11 And they hear regarding it — the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead — that which the Philistines have done to Saul, 12 and all the men of valour arise, and go all the night, and take the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-Shan, and come in to Jabesh, and burn them there, 13 and they take their bones, and bury [them] under the tamarisk in Jabesh, and fast seven days.