1st Samuel

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah, and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to YHVH of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of YHVH, were there. 4 And when the time came when Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions. 5 But to Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah, though YHVH had shut up her womb, 6 and her adversary also provoked her sore, to make her fret because YHVH had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of YHVH, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her: Hannah, why are you weeping and why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am not I better to you than ten sons? 9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now, Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of YHVH. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to YHVH, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said: O YHVH of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a male child, then I will give him to YHVH all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head! 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before YHVH, that Eli mArked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said to her: How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you! 15 But Hannah answered and said: No my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit! I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before YHVH. 16 Count not your handmaid for a worthless woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken. 17 Then Eli answered and said: Go in peace, and the Elohim of Israel grant you your petition that you have asked of him. 18 And she said: Let your handmaid find grace in your sight! So the woman went her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more sad. 19 They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before YHVH, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah, and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and YHVH remembered her. 20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying: Because I have asked him of YHVH! 21 So the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to YHVH the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go; for she said to her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before YHVH, and there abide forever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said to her: Do what seems good; linger until you have weaned him; only YHVH establish His word! So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of YHVH in Shiloh, and the child was young. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said: Oh my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to YHVH. 27 I prayed for this child and YHVH has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore also, I have lent him to YHVH; as long as he lives he shall be lent to YHVH. And he worshiped YHVH there.

1 Hannah prayed and said: My heart rejoices in YHVH; my horn is exalted in YHVH; my mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 There is none holy as YHVH, for there is none beside You; neither is there any rock like our Elohim. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth, for YHVH is the Author of knowledge, and by Elohim, actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they who stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They who were full, have hired out themselves for bread, and they who were hungry ceased, so that the barren has born seven, and she who has many children is waxed feeble. 6 YHVH kills and makes alive; YHVH brings down to the grave, and brings up. 7 YHVH makes poor, and makes rich; YHVH brings low, and lifts up. 8 YHVH raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory, for the pillars of the earth are Elohim's, and has set the world upon them. 9 YHVH will keep the feet of Elohim's Saints, and the wicked shall be silent in dArkness, for by strength no one shall prevail. 10 The adversaries of YHVH shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall YHVH thunder upon them. YHVH shall judge the ends of the earth, and shall give strength to the king, and exalt the horn of Elohim's anointed. 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister to YHVH before Eli the priest. 12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless fellows; they knew not YHVH. 13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was seething, with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand. 14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh, to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed: Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have cooked meat from you, but raw. 16 And if any man said to him: Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as your soul desires! Then he would answer him: No, but you shall give it to me now, and if not, I will take it by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before YHVH, for men abhorred the offering of YHVH. 18 But Samuel ministered before YHVH, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: YHVH give you seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to YHVH. And they went to their own home. 21 And YHVH visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before YHVH. 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to all Israel; and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said to them: Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 No, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear; you make Elohim's people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him, but if a man sin against YHVH, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because YHVH wished to slay them. 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor, both with YHVH, and also with men. 27 And there came a man of Elohim to Eli, and said to him: Thus said YHVH: Did I plainly appear to the house of your ancestor, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give to the house of your ancestor, all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 29 Therefore do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering, which I have commanded in My habitation, and honor your sons above Me to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people? 30 Therefore, Adonai, Elohim of Israel, said: I said indeed that your house, and the house of your ancestor, should walk before Me forever, but now I say, be it far from Me, for those who honor Me, I will honor, and they who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man in your house. 32 And you shall see an enemy in My habitation, in all the wealth which Elohim shall give Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 And the man of yours, whom I shall not cut off from My altar, shall be to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart, and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this shall be a sign to you, that shall come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them! 35 And I will raise Me up a faithful priest who shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My mind, and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my anointed forever. 36 It shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say: Put me, I pray you, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

1 And the child Samuel ministered to YHVH before Eli. And the word of YHVH was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see. 3 And ere the lamp of Elohim went out in the temple of YHVH, where the Ark of Elohim was, and Samuel laid down to sleep, 4 that YHVH called: Samuel! And he answered: Here I am! 5 And he ran to Eli and said: Here I am, for you called me! But he said: I did not call; lie down again! So he went and lay down. 6 And YHVH called yet again: Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said: Here I am, for you called me! And he answered: I did not call, my son; lie down again! 7 Now, Samuel did not yet know YHVH, neither was the word of YHVH yet revealed to him. 8 And YHVH called Samuel again the third time, and he arose and went to Eli, and said: Here I am, for you called me. But Eli perceived that YHVH had called the child. 9 Therefore, Eli said to Samuel: Go, lie down, and it shall be, if He call you, that you shall say: Speak, YHVH, for Your servant hears! So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And YHVH came, and stood, and called as at other times: Samuel, Samuel! Then Samuel answered: Speak, for Your servant hears! 11 And YHVH said to Samuel: Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli, all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. 15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of YHVH. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said: Samuel, my son! And he answered: Here I am! 17 And he said: What is the thing that YHVH has said to you? I pray you hide it not from me. Elohim do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you. 18 So Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said: It is YHVH: Let Him do what seems good. 19 And Samuel grew, and YHVH was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of YHVH. 21 And YHVH appeared again in Shiloh, for YHVH revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of YHVH.

1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel, and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines, and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said: Wherefore has YHVH smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of YHVH out of Shiloh to us, that, when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring from there, the Ark of the Covenant of YHVH of hosts, who dwells between the cherubims. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of Elohim. 5 And when the Ark of the Covenant of YHVH came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said: What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the Ark of YHVH was come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said: God has come into the camp! And they said: Woe to us, for there has not been such a thing before! 8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you; quit yourselves like men and fight. 10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled, every man into his tent, and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 11 The Ark of Elohim was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. 13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the Ark of Elohim. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said: What is the meaning of the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15 Now, Eli was ninety eight years old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said: What has happened, my son? 17 And the messenger answered and said: Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the Ark of Elohim is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the Ark of Elohim, that Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke and he died. For he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered, and when she heard the tidings that the Ark of Elohim was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and went into labor; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her: Fear not, for you have borne a son! But she did not answer, neither did she regard it. 21 And she named the child, Ichabod, saying: The glory is departed from Israel because the Ark of Elohim was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 22 And she said: The glory is departed from Israel, for the Ark of Elohim is taken.

1 And the Philistines took the Ark of Elohim, and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the Ark of Elohim, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the Ark of YHVH. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4 And when they arose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the Ark of YHVH; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore, neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day. 6 But the hand of YHVH was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and He destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and its coasts. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said: The Ark of the Elohim of Israel shall not abide with us, for His hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our gods. 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said: What shall we do with the Ark of the Elohim of Israel? And they answered: Let the Ark of the Elohim of Israel, be carried about to Gath. So they carried the Ark of the Elohim of Israel, about there. 9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of YHVH was against the city with a very great destruction, and He smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. 10 Therefore, they sent the Ark of Elohim to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the Ark of Elohim came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying: They have brought about the Ark of the Elohim of Israel to us, to slay us and our people! 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said: Send away the Ark of the Elohim of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people, for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of Elohim was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were smitten with the emerods, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1 And the Ark of YHVH was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: What shall we do to the Ark of YHVH? Tell us how we shall send it to its place. 3 And they said: If you send away the Ark of the Elohim of Israel, do not send it without a gift; but in any wise return to Him a trespass offering, and then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand is not removed from you. 4 Then they asked: What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to Him? They answered: Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 5 Wherefore you shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the Elohim of Israel: peradventure He will lighten His hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6 Wherefore then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 7 Now therefore, make a new cart, and take two milking cows, on which there has come no yoke, and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them. 8 And take the Ark of YHVH, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return to Him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go. 9 And see, if it goes up by the way of His own coast to Bethshemesh, then He has done us this great evil, but if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. 10 And the men did so, and took two milking cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they laid the Ark of YHVH upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. 12 And the cows took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Bethshemesh. 13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the Ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone, and they cut up the wood of the cart, and offered the cows a burnt offering to YHVH. 15 And the Levites took down the Ark of YHVH, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone, and the men of Beth Shemesh, offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to YHVH. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to YHVH; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one, 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities and of country villages, even to the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the Ark of YHVH; which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. 19 And He smote the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the Ark of YHVH; even He smote of the people, fifty thousand and seventy men, and the people lamented because YHVH had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said: Who is able to stand before this holy Adonai Elohim? And to whom shall it go up from us? 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying: The Philistines have brought again the Ark of YHVH; come down, and fetch it up to you.

1 So the men of Kirjath Jearim came and fetched up the Ark of YHVH, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the Ark of YHVH. 2 And it came to pass, while the Ark abode in Kirjath Jearim, that the time was long, for it was twenty years, and all the house of Israel wailed after YHVH. 3 And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you return to YHVH with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtoreths {goddesses} from among you, and prepare your hearts to YHVH and serve Him only, He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served YHVH only. 5 And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto YHVH. 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before YHVH, and fasted on that day, and said there: We have sinned against YHVH! And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 7 Now, when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 and the children of Israel said to Samuel: Cease not to cry unto YHVH our Elohim for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly to YHVH, and Samuel cried to YHVH for Israel; and YHVH heard him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel, but YHVH thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11 So the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying: Hitherto has YHVH helped us! 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel, and the hand of YHVH was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered its coasts out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places, 17 and his return was to Ramah; for his house was there; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto YHVH.

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now, the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him: Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said: Give us a king to judge us! So Samuel prayed to YHVH, 7 and YHVH said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served other gods, so they do also to you. 9 Now therefore, hearken to their voice; howbeit yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them. 10 So Samuel told all the words of YHVH to the people who asked of him a king. 11 And he said: This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to till his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep, and you shall be his servants. 18 And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen; and YHVH will not hear you in that day. 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and they said: No! We will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of YHVH. 22 And YHVH said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice and make them a king! So Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go every man to his city!

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son: Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the asses. 4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shalim, and they were not there; and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they still did not find them. 5 And when they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him: Come, and let us return, lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us! 6 And he said to him: Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a honorable man; all that he said comes surely to pass. Now, let us go there; perhaps he can show us our way that we should go. 7 Then Saul said to his servant: But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God! What have we? 8 And the servant answered Saul again and said: Behold, I have here at hand, the fourth part of a shekel of silver; that I will give to the man of God to tell us our way. 9 (Ancient times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spoke: Come, and let us go to the Seer, for he who is now called a Prophet was before, called a Seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant: Well said; come, let us go! So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them: Is the Seer here? 12 And they answered them and said: He is! Behold he is before you; make haste now, for he came today to the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place. 13 As soon as you enter into the city, you shall straightway find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes because he does bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat who be bidden. Now therefore go up, for about this time you shall find him. 14 So they went up into the city, and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel met them, to go up to the high place. 15 Now, YHVH had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying: 16 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be king over My people, Israel, that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me. 17 So, when Samuel saw Saul, YHVH said to him: Behold the man of whom I spoke to you! This same shall reign over My people! 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said: Tell me, I pray you, where the Seer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said: I am the Seer! Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 And as for your asses that were lost three days ago, set not your mind on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you, and on all your father's house? 21 Saul answered and said: Am I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speak you so to me? 22 So Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlor and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I asked you to set it aside. 24 So the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold, that which is left, set it before you and eat, for to this time, it has been kept for you since I said: I have invited the people! So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26 And they arose early, and it came to pass about dawn that Samuel called Saul to the top {floor bedroom} of the house, saying: Arise, that I may send you away! And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but you stand still a while, that I may show you the word of Elohim!

1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said: Is it not because YHVH has anointed you to be captain over his inheritance? 2 When you are departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you: The asses which you went to seek are found, and, lo, your father has left the care of the asses, and sorrows for you, saying what shall I do for my son? 3 Then shall you go on forward from there, and you shall come to the plain of Tabor, and there you shall meet three men going up to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine. 4 And they will salute you, and give you two loaves of bread which you shall receive of their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of Elohim, where is the garrison of the Philistines, and it shall come to pass, when you are come to the city, that you shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy. 6 And the Spirit of YHVH will come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion serve you, for Elohim is with you. 8 And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days shall you linger till I come to you, and show you what you shall do. 9 And it was so that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, Elohim gave him another heart, and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 So when they came to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of Elohim came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass, when all who knew him before time saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another: What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12 And one of the same place answered and said: But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets? 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14 And Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant: Where did you go! And he said: To seek the asses, but when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel. 15 And Saul's uncle said: Tell me, I pray you, what Samuel said to you. 16 And Saul said to his uncle: He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spoke, he made no mention. 17 And Samuel called the people together to YHVH to Mizpeh, 18 and said to the children of Israel: Thus says Adonai, Elohim of Israel; I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of those who oppressed you. 19 But you have this day rejected your Elohim, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him: No! But set a king over us! Now therefore, present yourselves before YHVH, by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken, and when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore, they inquired of YHVH further, if the man should yet come there. And YHVH answered: Look, he has hid himself among the luggage! 23 And they ran and fetched him, and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people: See him whom YHVH has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said: Long live the king! 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before YHVH. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts Elohim had touched. 27 But the children of Belial said: How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash: Make a treaty with us and we will serve you! 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them: On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 So the elders of Jabesh said to him: Give us seven days' respite, so that we may send messengers to all the coasts of Israel, and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to you. 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. 5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field, and Saul said: What ails the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of Elohim came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying: Whosoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of YHVH fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 When he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers that came: Thus shall you say to the men of abesh Gilead: Tomorrow, by that time the sun be hot, you shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said: Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you. 11 And it was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day, and it came to pass, that they who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. 12 And the people said to Samuel: Who is he that said that Saul shall reign over us? Bring those men, that we may put them to death. 13 And Saul said: There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today, YHVH has wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then Samuel said to the people: Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before YHVH in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before YHVH; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel said to all Israel: Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you, and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Behold, here I am! Witness against me before YHVH and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind my eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you! 4 And they said: You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken ought of any man's hand. 5 So he said to them: YHVH is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered: He is witness! 6 So Samuel said to the people: It is YHVH who advanced Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before YHVH, of all the righteous acts of YHVH, which He did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto YHVH, then YHVH sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they neglected YHVH their Elohim, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 And they cried to YHVH, and said: We have sinned because we have forsaken YHVH, and have served Baals and Ashtoreths. But now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies and we will serve you! 11 And YHVH sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt safe. 12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me: No; but a king shall reign over us; when YHVH your Elohim was your King. 13 Now therefore, behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have desired! And behold, YHVH has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear YHVH, and serve Him and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of YHVH, then shall both you and also the king who reigns over you, continue following Adonai your Elohim. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of YHVH, but rebel against the commandment of YHVH, then the hand of YHVH shall be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 Now therefore, stand and see this great thing, which YHVH will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to YHVH, and He shall send thunder and rain; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of YHVH, in asking for a king. 18 So Samuel called unto YHVH. And YHVH sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared YHVH, and Samuel. 19 And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for your servants, unto YHVH your Elohim, that we die not, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for us a king. 20 But Samuel said to the people: Fear not! You have done all this wickedness, yet, turn not aside from following YHVH, but serve YHVH with all your heart. 21 And turn you not aside, for then, you should go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For YHVH will not forsake His people for His great Name's sake, because it has pleased YHVH to make you His people. 23 Moreover, as for me, Lord forbid that I should sin against YHVH, in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. 24 Only fear YHVH, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He has done for you. 25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.

1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear! 4 And all Israel heard that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was held in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude, and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 And he remained seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said: Bring here a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering, the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 11 Samuel said: What have you done? And Saul said: Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash. 12 therefore I said: The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to YHVH. I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul: You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of Adonai your Elohim, which He commanded you! For YHVH would have established your kingdom upon Israel, forever! 14 But now, your kingdom shall not continue. YHVH has sought a man after His own heart, and YHVH has commanded him to be captain over His people, because you have not kept that which YHVH commanded you. 15 Then Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines, in three companies; one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another company turned the way to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the way of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now, there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said: Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears! 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul remained in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Elohim's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. 4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side, and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The forefront of the one was situated northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that YHVH will work for us, for there is no restraint to YHVH to save by many or by few. 7 And his armor-bearer said to him: Do all that is in your heart! Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart 8 Then Jonathan said: Behold, we will pass over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say thus to us: Wait until we come to you! Then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say thus: Come up to us! Then we will go up, for YHVH has delivered them into our hand, and this shall be a sign to us. 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said: Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves! 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and said: Come up to us and we will show you a thing! And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer: Come up after me, for YHVH has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor-bearer slew after him. 14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked; so it was a very great trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him: Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahiah: Bring here the Ark of Elohim. For the Ark of Elohim was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased, and Saul said to the priest: Withdraw your hand! 20 And Saul and all the people who were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle, and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So YHVH saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth Aven. 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man who eats any food until evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies! So none of the people tasted any food. 25 All they of the land came to a forest; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 When the people came into the forest, behold, the honey dripped; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan did not hear when his father charged the people with the oath. Therefore, he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then one of the people answered, and said: Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man who eats any food this day. And the people were exhausted. 29 But Jonathan said: My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would there not have been by now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. 32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying: Behold, the people sin against YHVH, in that they eat with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed! Roll a great stone to me this day. 34 And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me here, every man his ox and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against YHVH in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to YHVH; the same was the first altar that he built unto YHVH. 36 Then Saul said: Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said: Do whatsoever seems good to you! Then said the priest: Let us draw near here to Elohim! 37 So Saul asked counsel of Elohim: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not that day. 38 So Saul said: Draw you near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see wherein this sin has been this day. 39 For, as YHVH lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel: Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul: Do what seems good to you! 41 Therefore, Saul said to Adonai, Elohim of Israel: Give a perfect lot! And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 42 AThen Saul said: Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son! And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what you have done! And Jonathan told him, and said: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I must die. 44 But Saul answered: Elohim do so, and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. 45 And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan die who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Certainly not! As YHVH lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has wrought with Elohim this day! So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side; against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and where ever he turned himself, he vexed them. 48 And he gathered a host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them. 49 Now, the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua, and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

1 Samuel also said to Saul: YHVH sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, hearken to the voice and the words of YHVH. 2 Thus said YHVH of hosts: I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. 4 So Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 And Saul said to the Kenites: Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until you come to Shur, that is over against Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10 Then came the word of YHVH to Samuel, saying: 11 I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments! And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto YHVH all night. 12 When Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying: Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. 13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him: Blessed be you of YHVH; I have performed the commandment of YHVH. 14 But Samuel said: What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 And Saul said: They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to YHVH your Elohim; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said to Saul: Stay, and I will tell you what YHVH has said to me this night. And he said to him: Say on! 17 And Samuel said: When you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and YHVH anointed you king over Israel? 18 And YHVH sent you on a journey, and said: Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed! 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of YHVH, but flew upon the spoil, and did evil in the sight of YHVH? 20 And Saul said to Samuel: Yes, I have obeyed the voice of YHVH, and have gone the way which YHVH sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to Adonai your Elohim in Gilgal. 22 But Samuel said: Has YHVH as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of YHVH? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of YHVH, He has also rejected you from being king. 24 Then Saul said to Samuel: I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of YHVH, and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, I pray you, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship YHVH. 26 And Samuel said to Saul: I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of YHVH, and YHVH has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27 As Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said to him: YHVH has rent the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. 30 Then he said: I have sinned! Yet, honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship YHVH your Elohim. 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped YHVH. 32 Then said Samuel: Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him delicately. And Agag said: Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 But Samuel said: As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before YHVH in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul, and YHVH regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel

1 YHVH said to Samuel: How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel said: How can I go? If Saul hears it he will kill me. But YHVH said: Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to YHVH. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, and you shall anoint to Me, him whom I name to you. 4 So Samuel did that which YHVH spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said: Come you peaceably? 5 And he said: Peaceably! I am come to sacrifice to YHVH. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said: Surely Elohim's anointed is before him! 7 But YHVH said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for YHVH sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but YHVH looks on the heart! 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said: Neither has YHVH chosen this! 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said: Neither has YHVH chosen this! 10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse: YHVH has not chosen these! 11 And Samuel said to Jesse: Are all your children here? And he said: There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he keeps the sheep. But Samuel said to Jesse: Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here. 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. But YHVH said: Arise, anoint him, for this is he! 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren, and the Spirit of YHVH came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 14 But the Spirit of YHVH departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from YHVH troubled him. 15 Then Saul's servants said to him: Behold now, an evil spirit from Elohim troubles you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on a harp, and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from Elohim is upon you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 17 And Saul said to his servants: Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said: Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and YHVH is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said: Send me David your son who is with the sheep! 20 And Jesse took an donkey laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son, to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul, and stood before him, and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: Let David, I pray you, stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from Elohim was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongs to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them. 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron, and one bearing a shield went before him. 8 And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them: Why are you come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and you, servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then we will be your servants, but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said: I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons, and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle, and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David was the youngest, and the three eldest followed Saul. 15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17 And Jesse said to David his son: Take now for your brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brethren, 18 and carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brethren fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words, and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said: Have you seen this man who is come up? Surely he is come up to defy Israel, and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 26 And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying: What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living Elohim? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying: So shall it be done to the man who kills him! 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said: Why have you come here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you are come down that you might see the battle. 29 And David said: What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner, and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 And when the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul, and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul: Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David: You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 But David said to Saul: Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. 35 I went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth, and when he arose against me I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Your servant slew both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living Elohim. 37 David said moreover: YHVH who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear; He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine! And Saul said to David: Go, and YHVH be with you. 38 So Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. And David said to Saul: I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them! And David took them off him. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bare the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said to David: Am I a dog that you come to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 Then the Philistine said to David: Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field! 45 Then David shouted at the Philistine: You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to you in the name of YHVH of hosts, the Elohim of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day will YHVH deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you, and take your head from you; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day, to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is an Elohim in Israel. 47 All this assembly shall know that YHVH saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is Elohim's, and He will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took out a stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host: Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said: As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell. 56 And the king said: Inquire whose son the stripling is. 57 As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him: Whose son are you, young man? And David answered: I am the son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite.

1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 5 And David went out where ever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 6 So it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him. So he said: They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 Thus, Saul eyed David from that day and forward. 10 And it came to pass on the next day, that the evil spirit from Elohim came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with his hand, as at other times, and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin, for he said: I will smite David even to the wall with it. But David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 And Saul was afraid of David, because YHVH was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and YHVH was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 17 So Saul said to David: Behold my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to you as a wife; only be you valiant for me, and fight Elohim's battles. For Saul said: Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18 And David said to Saul: Who am I? And what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 20 But Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David, and they told Saul and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said: I will give him to her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David: You shall this day be my son-in-law in the one of the two. 22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying: Commune with David secretly, and say that the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, be the king's son-in-law. 23 So Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said: Seems it to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying: On this manner spoke David. 25 And Saul said: Thus shall you say to David that the king desires not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law, and the days were not expired. 27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 28 When Saul saw and knew that YHVH was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David, and Jonathan told David, saying: Saul my father seeks to kill you; now therefore, I pray you, take heed to yourself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and what I see, that I will tell you. 4 Jonathan spoke good of David, to Saul his father, and said to him: Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works toward you have been very good. 5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and YHVH wrought a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and did rejoice. Therefore then, will you sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause? 6 And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore that as YHVH lives, he shall not be slain. 7 So Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past. 8 Now, there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from him. 9 And the evil spirit from YHVH was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand, and David played with his hand. 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall, and David fled, and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning, and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying: If you save not your life tonight, tomorrow you shall be slain. 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14 So, when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said: He is sick! 15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying: Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16 But when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster. 17 Then Saul said to Michal: Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped? And Michal answered Saul: He said to me: Let me go! Why should I kill you? 18 So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him, all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, saying: Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 So Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of Elohim was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then Saul went also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked and said: Where are Samuel and David? And one said: Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of Elohim was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say: Is Saul also among the prophets?

1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan: What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father that he seeks my life? 2 And he said to him: Heaven forbid! You shall not die! Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me, and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so. 3 But David swore moreover, and said: Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes, and he said: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved, but truly as YHVH lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. 4 Then said Jonathan to David: Whatsoever your soul desires, I will even do it for you. 5 So David said to Jonathan: Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meal time. But let me go that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at even. 6 If your father at all miss me, then say: David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7 If he say thus: It is well, your servant shall have peace! But if he be very wroth then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore, you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of YHVH with you. Notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father? 9 And Jonathan said: Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell it you? 10 Then said David to Jonathan: Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers you roughly? 11 So Jonathan said to David: Come and let us go out into the field! And they went out, both of them into the field. 12 And Jonathan said to David: O Adonai, Elohim of Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow, any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not to you, and show it you; 13 YHVH do so and much more to Jonathan, but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it you, and send you away, that you may go in peace, and YHVH be with you, as He has been with my father. 14 And you shall not only show me the kindness of YHVH while yet I live, that I die not. 15 But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when YHVH has cut off the enemies of David, everyone from the face of the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying: Let YHVH even require it at the hand of David's enemies! 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David: Tomorrow is the new moon, and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 And when you have stayed three days, then you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying: Go, find out the arrows! If I expressly say to the lad: Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them! Then come, for there is peace to you, and no hurt, as YHVH lives. 22 But if I say thus to the young man: Behold, the arrows are beyond you! Go your way, for YHVH has sent you away. 23 And as touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, YHVH be between you and me forever. 24 So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down at meal time. 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall, and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. 26 Nevertheless, Saul spoke not anything that day:, for he thought that something had befallen him; he is not clean; surely he is not clean. 27 And it came to pass on the next day, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty, and Saul said to Jonathan his son: Wherefore comes not the son of Jesse to meal, neither yesterday, nor today? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul: David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, 29 as he said: Let me go I pray you; for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me to be there, and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brethren. Therefore he comes not to the king's table. 30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him: You son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and to the confusion of your mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now, send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die. 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him: Why shall he be slain? What has he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no meal the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had done him shame. 35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36 And he said to his lad: Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said: Is not the arrow beyond you? 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad: Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39 But the lad knew not anything; only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 So Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him: Go, carry them to the city. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times, and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42 And Jonathan said to David: Go in peace, for as much as we have sworn, both of us in the name of YHVH, saying: YHVH be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed forever. Then he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

1 Then came David to Nob of Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him: Why are you alone, and no man with you? 2 But David said to Ahimelech the priest: The king has commanded me a business, and has said to let no man know anything of the business where about I send you, and what I have commanded you, and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore what is under your hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or what there is present. 4 But the priest answered David and said: There is no common bread under my hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. 5 And David answered the priest and said to him: Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yes, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before YHVH, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 7 Now, a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before YHVH; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herd men that belonged to Saul. 8 David said to Ahimelech: And is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me because the king's business required haste. 9 And the priest said: The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you slew in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is no other, save that here. And David said: There is none like that; give it to me! 10 So David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him: Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then said Achish to his servants: Lo, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of mad men, that you have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?

1 David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave Adullam, and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became a captain over them, and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 So David went to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother, I pray you, come forth and be with you, till I know what Elohim will do for me. 4 So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 5 And the prophet Gad said to David: Abide not in the stronghold; depart and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. 6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him:) 7 Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him: Hear now, you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, 8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who shows me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or shows to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said: I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he inquired of YHVH for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob, and they came all of them to the king. 12 And Saul said: Hear now, you son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. 13 And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of Elohim for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said: And who is so faithful among all your servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15 Did I then begin to inquire of Elohim for him? Be it far from me; let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father, for your servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 16 So the king said: You shall surely die, Ahimelech; you, and all your father's house. 17 Then the king said to the footmen who stood about him: Turn and slay the priests of YHVH, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of YHVH. 18 So the king said to Doeg: Turn and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day eighty five persons who wore a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he massacred, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain Elohim's priests. 22 And David said to Abiathar: I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul that I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. 23 Abide with me, fear not, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.

1 Then they told David, saying: Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors. 2 Therefore David inquired of YHVH, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And YHVH said to David: Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David's men said to him: Behold, we be afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David inquired of YHVH yet again. And YHVH answered him and said: Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech, fled to David in Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. So Saul said: Elohim has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars. 8 So Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 But David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him, and so he said to Abiathar the priest: Bring here the ephod! 10 Then said David: O Adonai, Elohim of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Adonai, Elohim of Israel, I beseech You, tell Your servant. And YHVH said: He will come down! 12 Then said David: Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And YHVH said: They will deliver you up! 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went where ever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 14 So David abode in the wilderness in strongholds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him everyday, but Elohim delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life, and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the woods. 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in Elohim. 17 And he said to him: Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also, Saul my father knows. 18 And they two made a covenant before YHVH, and David abode in the woods, and Jonathan went to his house. 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying: Do not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. 21 And Saul said: Blessed be you of YHVH, for you have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he deals very subtly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out, throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 So they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David, wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain, and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying: Hasten and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Therefore, Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth {Rock of Escape}. 29 Then David went up from there, and dwelt in strongholds at En Gedi.

1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: Behold, David is in the wilderness at En Gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave, and Saul went in for a toilet break; and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 Then the men of David said to him: Behold the day of which YHVH said to you: Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it shall seem good to you! Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 6 And he said to his men: YHVH forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Elohim's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of YHVH. 7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and prostrated himself in reverence and worship. 9 And David said to Saul: Wherefore hear you men's words, saying: Behold, David seeks your hurt? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that YHVH had delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and some bade me kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said that I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Elohim's anointed. 11 Moreover my father, see, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand, for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and killed you not, know you and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you hunt my soul to take it. 12 YHVH judge between me and you, and YHVH avenge me of you, but my hand shall not be upon you. 13 As says the proverb of the ancients: Wickedness proceeds from the wicked! But my hand shall not be upon you. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? 15 YHVH therefore be judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 16 So it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said: Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David: You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded you evil. 18 And you have shown this day how that you have dealt well with me, for as much as when YHVH had delivered me into your hand, you killed me not. 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Therefore, YHVH reward you good for that you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear now therefore to me by YHVH, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 22 And David swore to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

1 Then Samuel died, and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance. But the man was churlish and evil in his doings, and he was of the house of Caleb. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5 So David sent out ten young men, and David said to the young men: Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. 6 And thus shall you say to him who lives in prosperity: Peace be both to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 And now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds who were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there anything missing to them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will show you. Wherefore let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come in a good day. Give, I pray you, whatsoever comes to your hand to your servants, and to your son David. 9 When David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said: Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men, whom I know not whence they be? 12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 13 And David said to his men: Gird on your swords! And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword, and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying: Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household, for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said to her servants: Go on before me; behold, I come after you! But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And it was so, as she rode on the donkey, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said: Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him, and he has requited me evil for good. 22 So and more also, do Elohim to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light, anyone at all. 23 Now, when Abigail saw David, she hastened and jumped off the donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 24 and fell at his feet, and said: Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be, and let your handmaid, I pray you, speak in your audience, and hear the words of your handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray you, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal {Fool} is his name, and folly is with him. But I your handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom you did send. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as YHVH lives, and as your soul lives, seeing YHVH has withheld you from coming to shed blood, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and they who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 27 And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought to my lord, let it even be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 I pray you, forgive the trespass of your handmaid, for YHVH will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of YHVH, and evil has not been found in you all your days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue you, and to seek your soul, but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life, with Adonai your Elohim. And the souls of your enemies, them shall He sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when YHVH shall have done to my lord, according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 that this shall be no grief to you, nor offence of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when YHVH shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid. 32 Then David said to Abigail: Blessed be Adonai, Elohim of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me. 33 And blessed be your advice, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34 For in very deed, as Adonai, Elohim of Israel, lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hastened and come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal by the morning light, any alive. 35 So David received of her hand, that which she had brought him, and said to her: Go up in peace to your house; see, I have hearkened to your voice, and have accepted your person. 36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass, about ten days after, that YHVH smote Nabal, that he died. 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said: Blessed be YHVH, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept his servant from evil. For YHVH has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. So David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying: David sent us to you, to take you to him to wife. 41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said: Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hastened, and arose, and rode upon an donkey, with five damsels of hers who went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 44 But Saul had given Michal, his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

1 And the Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying: Do not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host, and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying: Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said: I will go down with you. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster; but Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David: Elohim has delivered your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to Abishai: Destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against Elohim's anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore: As YHVH lives, He shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle and perish. 11 YHVH forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against Elohim's anointed; but, I pray you, take the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster. And they left, but no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awoke, for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from YHVH was fallen upon them. 13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off; a great space being between them, 14 and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: Answer you not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said: Who are you who cries to the king? 15 David said to Abner: Are not you a valiant man? And who is like to you in Israel? Wherefore then, have you not kept your lord the king? For there came one of the people in, to destroy the king, your lord. 16 This thing is not good that you have done. As YHVH lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept your master, Elohim's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said: Is this your voice, my son David? And David said: It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said: Wherefore does my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done or what evil is in my hand? 19 Now therefore, I pray you, let my lord the king, hear the words of his servant. If YHVH have stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering, but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before YHVH, for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of YHVH, saying: Go and serve other gods! 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of YHVH, for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said Saul: I have sinned! Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 Then David answered and said: Behold the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it. 23 YHVH render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness, for YHVH delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against Elohim's anointed. 24 And, behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of YHVH, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David: Blessed be you, my son David; you shall both do great things, and also shall still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines, and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me anymore in any coast of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand. 2 David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David fled to Gath, but he sought no more again for him. 5 David said to Achish: If I have now found grace in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day; wherefore Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said: Where have you made a road today? And David said: Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying: Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwells in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying: He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.

1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David: Know assuredly that you shall go out with me to battle, you and your men. 2 And David said to Achish: Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David: Therefore I will make you keeper of my head forever. 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul inquired of YHVH, YHVH answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7 Then said Saul to his servants: Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit {a Medium}, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him: Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 So Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said: I pray you, divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name to you. 9 And the woman said to him: Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Wherefore then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul swore to her by YHVH, saying: As YHVH lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. 11 Then said the woman: Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said: Bring me up Samuel! 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and the woman spoke to Saul, saying: Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul. 13 And the king said to her: Be not afraid, for what saw you? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth! 14 And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man comes up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. 15 And Samuel said to Saul: Why have you disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul answered: I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and Elohim has departed from me and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel: Wherefore then do you ask of me, seeing YHVH is departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 And YHVH has done to him, as He spoke by me, for YHVH has rent the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, David, 18 because you obeyed not the voice of YHVH, nor executed His fierce wrath upon Amalek; therefore, has YHVH done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, YHVH will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me! YHVH also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him: Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened to your words which you spoke to me. 22 Now therefore, I pray you, hearken also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you, and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way. 23 But he refused, and said: I will not eat! But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hastened, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands. But David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines: What do these Hebrews here? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines: Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell to me to this day? 4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him: Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us, for wherewith should he reconcile himself to his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying: Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 6 Then Achish called David and said to him: Surely, as YHVH lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the host is good in my sight, for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords favor you not. 7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that you displease not the lords of the Philistines. 8 And David said to Achish: But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant so long as I have been with you to this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 9 Achish answered and said to David: I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of Elohim. Notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said: He shall not go up with us to the battle. 10 Wherefore now, rise up early in the morning with your master's servants who are come with you, and as soon as you be up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire. 2 And had taken the women captives who were in it. They slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself in YHVH his Elohim. 7 David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son: I pray you, bring me here the ephod. And Abiathar brought there the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired at YHVH, saying: Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him: Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail, recover all. 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred abode behind who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they made him drink water; 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins, and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him, for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 13 Then David said to him: To whom belong you? And whence are you? And he said: I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me because three days ago I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongs to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 15 So David asked him: Can you bring me down to this company? And he answered:: Swear to me by Elohim that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this company. 16 Now when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled. 18 But David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them. David recovered all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said: This is David's spoil. 21 And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor, and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him, and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 22 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those who went with David, and said: Because they went not with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. 23 Then David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with that which YHVH has given us, who has preserved us and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 24 For who will hearken to you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who guards the stuff; they shall share alike. 25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. 26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying: Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of YHVH: 27 To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in south Ramoth, and to them who were in Jattir, 28 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to them who were in Eshtemoa, 29 and to those who were in Rachal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Chorashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were likely to go.

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then Saul ordered his armor-bearer: Draw your sword and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and they who were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8 And it came to pass on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people. 10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (Back)