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The First Book of Samuel




(from the 1611 KJV: 1Samuel is otherwise called the First Booke of the Kings, 2Samuel is the Second Booke of the Kings, 1Kings is the Third Booke of the Kings, and 2Kings is commonly called the Fourth Booke of the Kings.)

     One Schmuel

Chapter 1

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephrayim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Yeroham, the son of Eliyahu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrayimite.

2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahwah of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahwah, were there.

4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.

5 But he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but Yahwah shut up her womb.

6 Her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Yahwah shut up her womb.

7 As she did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Yahwah, so she provoked her. Therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Elkanah her husband said to her: Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?

9 So Hannah rose up after they ate in Shiloh, and after they drank. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Yahwah.

10 She was in bitterness of soul, prayed to Yahwah, and wept sore.

11 She vowed a vow, and said: O Yahwah of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give a man-child to your handmaid, then I will give him to Yahwah all the days of his life, and there will no razor come upon his head.

12 It came to pass, as she continued praying before Yahwah, that Eli saw her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved. Her voice was not heard, therefore Eli thought she was drunken.

14 Eli said to her: How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you.

15 Hannah answered, and said: No, my master, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I drank neither wine nor strong drink. I poured out my soul before Yahwah.

16 Do not count your handmaid for a wicked woman, for I spoke out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.

17 Then Eli answered, and said: Go in peace. May the Father of Yisrayah grant your petition you asked of Him.

18 She said: Let your handmaid find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way, and ate. Her countenance was not sad anymore.

19 They rose up early in the morning, worshipped before Yahwah, returned, and came to their house to Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahwah remembered her.

20 It came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son. She called his name Samuel, saying: Because I asked him of Yahwah.

21 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer the yearly sacrifice to Yahwah, and his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up. She said to her husband: I will not go up until the child is weaned. Then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahwah, and abide there forever.

23 Elkanah her husband said to her: Do what seems good to you. Tarry until you wean him, only Yahwah establish His word. So the woman tarried, and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

24 When she weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahwah in Shiloh. The child was young.

25 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.

26 She said: Oh, my master, as your soul lives, my master, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahwah.

27 I prayed for this child. Yahwah gave me my petition I asked of Him.

28 Therefore I grant him to Yahwah. As long as he lives he is granted to Yahwah. He worshipped Yahwah there.

Chapter 2

1 Hannah prayed, and said:

My heart exults in Yahwah,
My horn is exalted in Yahwah.
My mouth is enlarged over my enemies,
Because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 There is none holy as Yahwah.
There is none besides you,
Neither is there any Rock like our Father.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proud,
Let arrogancy not come out of your mouth.
Yahwah is a Father of knowledge,
Actions are weighed by Him.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken,
Those who stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Those who were full hired themselves out for bread,
Those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
Yea, the barren bore seven,
And she who has many children languishes.
6 Yahwah kills, and makes alive.
He brings down to the grave, and brings up.
7 Yahwah makes poor, and makes rich.
He brings low, He also lifts up.
8 He raises up the poor out of the dust,
He lifts up the needy from the dunghill,
To make them sit with princes,
Inherit the throne of glory.
The pillars of the earth are Yahwah's,
He set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of His holy ones.
The wicked will be put to silence in darkness,
For no man will prevail by strength.
10 Those who strive with Yahwah will be broken to pieces.
He will thunder against them in heaven.
Yahwah will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to His king,
And exalt the horn of His anointed [messiyah].

11 Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to Yahwah before Eli the priest.

12 Now the sons of Eli were base men, they did not know Yahwah.

13 The custom of the priests with the people was when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand.

14 He struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot. All the flesh-hook brought up the priest took. So they did in Shiloh to all the Yisrayahites who came there.

15 Yea, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed: Give flesh to roast for the priest. He will not have boiled flesh of you, but raw.

16 If the man said to him: They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as your soul desires. Then he would say: Nay, you will give it to me now. If not, I will take it by force.

17 The sin of the young men was very great before Yahwah, for the men despised the offering of Yahwah.

18 But Samuel ministered before Yahwah, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

19 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: Yahwah give your seed to this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahwah. And they went to their own home.

21 Yahwah visited Hannah, she conceived, bore three sons, and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahwah.

22 Eli was very old. He heard all his sons did to all Yisrayah, and how they had sex with the women who did service at the door of the tent of meeting.

23 He said to them: Why do you do such things? I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

24 Nay, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. You make Yahwah's people to transgress.

25 If one man sin against another, Yahwah will judge him. But if a man sin against Yahwah, who will entreat for him? But they did not hearken to the voice of their father, because Yahwah was minded to kill them.

26 The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahwah, and also with men.

27 There came a man of Yahwah to Eli, and said to him: Thus says Yahwah; Did I reveal myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house?

28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Yisrayah to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? Did I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Yisrayah made by fire?

29 Why do you kick at my sacrifice, and at my offering, which I commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Yisrayah my people?

30 Therefore Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, says: I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever. But now Yahwah says: Be it far from me. I will honor those who honor me, and those who despise me will 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 will not be an old man in your house.

32 You will behold the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth I give Yisrayah. There will not be an old man in your house forever.

33 The man of you, whom I will not cut off from my altar, will be to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart. All the increase of your house will die in the flower of their age.

34 This is the sign to you, that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they will die, both of them.

35 I will raise me up a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart, and in my mind. I will build him a sure house, and he will walk before my anointed forever.

36 It will come to pass, every one who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver, and a loaf of bread, and will say: I pray you, put me into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.

Chapter 3

1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahwah before Eli. The word of Yahwah was precious in those days. There was no frequent vision.

2 It came to pass at that time, Eli was laid down in his place. Now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so he could not see.

3 The lamp of Yahwah was not yet gone out. Samuel was laid down to sleep in the temple of Yahwah, where the ark of Yahwah was.

4 Yahwah called Samuel. He said: Here I am.

5 He ran to Eli, and said: Here I am, for you called me. He said: I did not call, lie down again. He went, and lay down.

6 Yahwah called yet again: Samuel. Samuel arose, went to Eli, and said: Here I am, for you called me. He answered: I did not call, my son, lie down again.

7 Samuel did not yet know Yahwah, neither was the Word of Yahwah yet revealed to him.

8 Yahwah called Samuel again the third time. He arose, went to Eli, and said: Here I am, for you called me. Eli perceived Yahwah called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel: Go, lie down. It will be, if He call you, that you will say: Speak, Yahwah, for your servant hears. So Samuel went, and lay down in his place.

10 Yahwah came, stood, and called as at other times: Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said: Speak, for your servant hears.

11 Yahwah said to Samuel: Behold, I will do a thing in Yisrayah, at which both the ears will tingle of every one who hears it.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I spoke concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

13 I told him I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.

14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, the iniquity of Eli's house will not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahwah. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son. He said: Here I am.

17 He said: What is the thing Yahwah spoke to you? I pray you, do not hide it from me. Yahwah do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things He spoke to you.

18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. [Eli] said: It is Yahwah. Let Him do what seems good to Him.

19 Samuel grew. Yahwah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 All Yisrayah from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahwah.

21 Yahwah appeared again in Shiloh, for Yahwah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of Yahwah.

Chapter 4

1 The word of Samuel came to all Yisrayah. Now Yisrayah went out against the Philistines to battle, and camped beside Eben-ezer. The Philistines camped in Aphek.

2 The Philistines put themselves in array against Yisrayah. When they joined battle, Yisrayah was smitten before the Philistines. They killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Yisrayah said: Why did Yahwah smite us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Yahwah out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent to Shiloh. They brought the ark of the covenant of Yahwah of armies from there, who sits above the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of Yahwah.

5 When the ark of the covenant of Yahwah came into the camp, all Yisrayah shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said: What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean? They understood the ark of Yahwah was come into the camp.

7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said: Yahwah is come into the camp. They said: Woe to us! There was not such a thing before.

8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us out of the hand of this mighty Yahwah? This is Yahwah who smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.

9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they were to you. Quit yourselves like men, and fight.

10 The Philistines fought. Yisrayah was smitten, and they fled every man to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Yisrayah thirty thousand footmen.

11 The ark of Yahwah was taken. The two sons of Eli were slain, Hophni and Phinehas.

12 A man of Benjamin ran out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth upon his head.

13 When he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching. His heart trembled for the ark of Yahwah. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

14 When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said: What does the noise of this tumult mean? The man hurried, came, and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old, and his eyes were set, so he could not see.

16 The man said to Eli: I am he who came out of the army, I fled today out of the army. He said: How went the matter, my son?

17 He that brought the tidings answered, and said: Yisrayah is fled before the Philistines, and there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are also dead. The ark of Yahwah is taken.

18 It came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of Yahwah, Eli fell off from his seat backward by the side of the gate. His neck broke, and he died. He was an old man, and heavy. He judged Yisrayah forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered. When she heard the tidings that the ark of Yahwah was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself, and brought forth, for her pains came upon her.

20 About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her: Do not fear, for you brought forth a son. But she did not answer, nor did she regard it.

21 She named the child Ichabod, saying: The glory is departed from Yisrayah. Because the ark of Yahwah was taken, because of her father-in-law, and her husband.

22 She said: The glory is departed from Yisrayah, for the ark of Yahwah is taken.

Chapter 5

1 Now the Philistines took the ark of Yahwah, and they brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod.

2 The Philistines took the ark of Yahwah, brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon [their god].

3 When those of Ashdod arose early the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Yahwah. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 When they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Yahwah. The head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

6 The hand of Yahwah was heavy upon those of Ashdod. He destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders of it.

7 When the men of Ashdod saw it was so, they said: The ark of Yahwah of Yisrayah will not abide with us. His hand is severe upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

8 They sent, gathered all the masters of the Philistines to them, and said: What will we do with the ark of the Father of Yisrayah? They answered: Let the ark of the Father of Yisrayah be carried about to Gath. They carried the ark of the Master of Yisrayah there.

9 It was so, after they carried it about, the hand of Yahwah was against the city with a very great discomfiture. He smote the men of the city, both small and great. Tumors broke out upon them.

10 So they sent the ark of Yahwah to Ekron. It came to pass, as the ark of Yahwah came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying: They brought the ark of the Father of Yisrayah to us, to kill us, and our people.

11 They sent, gathered together all the masters of the Philistines, and they said: Send away the ark of the Father of Yisrayah, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us, and our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city. The hand of Yahwah was very heavy there.

12 The men who did not die were smitten with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

Chapter 6

1 The ark of Yahwah was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2 The Philistines called for the priests, and the diviners, saying: What will we do with the ark of Yahwah? Show us how we will sent it to its place.

3 They said: If you send away the ark of the Father of Yisrayah, do not send it empty. But by all means return Him a trespass-offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.

4 Then they said: What will be the trespass-offering we will return to Him? They said: Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the masters of the Philistines. For one plague was on you all, and on your masters.

5 Make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land. Give glory to the Father of Yisrayah. Maybe He will lighten His hand from off you, from off your god, and from off your land.

6 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7 Now take and prepare you a new cart, and two milk cows on which there has come no yoke. Tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them.

8 Take the ark of Yahwah, and lay it upon the cart. Put the jewels of gold, which you return Him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side of it. Send it away, that it may go.

9 Watch. If it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then He did us this great evil. But if not, then we will know it is not His hand that smote us, it was a chance that happened to us.

10 The men did so, took two milk cows, tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home.

11 They put the ark of Yahwah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold, and the images of their tumors.

12 The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand, or to the left. The masters of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

13 Those of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. They lifted up their eyes, saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

14 The cart came into the field of Yahushua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone. They clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt-offering to Yahwah.

15 The Levites took down the ark of Yahwah, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone. The men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices to Yahwah the same day.

16 When the five masters of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

17 These are the golden tumors the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering to Yahwah. For Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one.

18 The golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five masters, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, where they set down the ark of Yahwah, which stone remains to this day in the field of Yahushua the Beth-shemite.

19 He smote of the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahwah. He smote seventy men, and fifty thousand men of the people. The people mourned, because Yahwah smote the people with a great slaughter.

20 The men of Beth-shemesh said: Who is able to stand before Yahwah, this holy Yahwah? To whom will He go up from us?

21 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying: The Philistines brought back the ark of Yahwah. Come down, fetch it up to you.

Chapter 7

1 The men of Kiriath-jearim came, fetched up the ark of Yahwah, brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahwah.

2 It came to pass, from the day the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long. It was twenty years. All the house of Yisrayah lamented after Yahwah.

3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Yisrayah, saying: If you return to Yahwah with all your heart, then put away the foreign God and the Easter idols from among you. Direct your hearts to Yahwah, and serve Him only. He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Yisrayah did put away The LORD and Easter, and served Yahwah only.

5 Samuel said: Gather all Yisrayah to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahwah.

6 They gathered together to Mizpah, drew water, poured it out before Yahwah, fasted on that day, and said there: We sinned against Yahwah. Samuel judged the children of Yisrayah in Mizpah.

7 When the Philistines heard the children of Yisrayah were gathered together to Mizpah, the masters of the Philistines went up against Yisrayah. When the children of Yisrayah heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 The children of Yisrayah said to Samuel: Do not cease to cry to Yahwah our Father for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9 Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering to Yahwah. Samuel cried to Yahwah for Yisrayah. And Yahwah answered him.

10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Yisrayah. Yahwah thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines on that day, and discomfited them. They were smitten down before Yisrayah.

11 The men of Yisrayah went out of Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying: Here Yahwah helped us.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Yisrayah. The hand of Yahwah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 The cities the Philistines took from Yisrayah were restored to Yisrayah, from Ekron even to Gath. The border of it Yisrayah delivered out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Yisrayah and the Amorites.

15 Samuel judged Yisrayah all the days of his life.

16 He went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah. He judged Yisrayah in all those places.

17 His return was to Ramah, for there was his house. There he judged Yisrayah. He built an altar to Yahwah there.

Chapter 8

1 It came to pass, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Yisrayah.

2 Now the name of his first-born was Yahuel, and the name of his second Abiyah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after money, took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Yisrayah gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah.

5 They said to him: Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk 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. Samuel prayed to Yahwah.

7 Yahwah said to Samuel: Hearken to the voice of the people in all they say to you. They did not reject you, they rejected me, that I should not be king over them.

8 According to all the works they did since the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they forget me to serve gods, so they also do to you.

9 Now hearken to their voice. However, you will protest solemnly to them, and will show them the manner of the king that will reign over them.

10 Samuel told all the words of Yahwah to the people that asked of him a king.

11 He said: This will be the manner of the king that will reign over you. He will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen. They will run before his chariots.

12 He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. He will set some to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, to give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 He will take your men-servants, your maid-servants, your goodliest young men, your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his servants.

18 You will cry out in that day because of your king you chose. Yahwah will not answer you in that day.

19 The people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel. They said: Nay.

20 We will have a king over us, that we may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, 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 Yahwah.

22 Yahwah said to Samuel: Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Yisrayah: Go you every man to his city.

Chapter 9

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.

2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly. There was not among the children of Yisrayah a goodlier person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

3 The asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son: Take one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the asses.

4 He passed through the hill-country of Ephrayim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. He passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him: Come, let us return, unless my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us.

6 He said to him: Behold, there is a man of Yahwah in this city, he is a man that is held in honor. All he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there. Maybe he can tell us concerning our journey where we go.

7 Then Saul said to his servant: Behold, if we go, what will we bring the man? The bread in our vessels is spent, and there is not a present to bring to the man of Yahwah. What have we?

8 The servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of Yahwah, to tell us our way.

9 (Beforetime in Yisrayah, when a man went to inquire of Yahwah, thus he said: Come, and let us go to the seer. He that is now called a Prophet was beforetime 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 Yahwah was.

11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them: Is the seer here?

12 They answered them, and said: He is. Behold, he is before you. Make haste now, he is come into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.

13 As soon as you are come into the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards, those who are bidden eat. Now get you up, at this time you will find him.

14 They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.

15 (Yahwah revealed to Samuel 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 will anoint him to be prince over my people Yisrayah. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines. I looked upon my people, because their cry is come to me.)

17 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahwah said to him: Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This same will have authority 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 Samuel answered Saul, and said: I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you will eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart.

20 As for your asses that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Yisrayah? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?

21 Saul answered, and said: Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Yisrayah? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me after this manner?

22 Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty persons.

23 Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you; Set it by you.

24 The cook took up the thigh, what was upon it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said: Behold, what is reserved! Set it before you and eat, because to the appointed time it is kept for you. I said: I invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.

26 They arose early. It came to pass about the spring of the day, Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying: Up, that I may send you away. Saul arose, and they went out abroad both of them, he and Samuel.

27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but first you stand still, that I may cause you to hear the word of Yahwah.

Chapter 10

1 Samuel took the vial of oil, poured it upon his head, kissed him, and said: Is it not that Yahwah anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?

2 When you are departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you: The asses you went to seek are found. Lo, your father left off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying: What will I do for my son?

3 Then you will go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. There will meet you there three men going up to Yahwah to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine.

4 They will salute you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you will receive of their hand.

5 After that you will come to the hill of Yahwah, where is the garrison of the Philistines. It will come to pass, when you are come there to the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, a timbrel, a pipe, and a harp, before them. They will be prophesying.

6 The Spirit of Yahwah will come mightily upon you. You will prophesy with them, and will be turned into another man.

7 Let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion will serve you. For Yahwah is with you.

8 Go down before me to Gilgal. Behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings. Tarry seven days till I come to you, and show you what you will do.

9 It was so, when he turned his back to go from Samuel, Yahwah gave him another heart. All those signs came to pass that day.

10 When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him. The Spirit of Yahwah came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 It came to pass, when all that knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with 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 One of the same place answered, and said: Who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?

13 When he made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 Saul's uncle said to him, and to his servant: Where did you go? He said: To seek the asses. When we saw they were not found, we came to Samuel.

15 Saul's uncle said: I pray you, tell me what Samuel said to you.

16 Saul said to his uncle: He told us plainly the asses were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he did not tell him.

17 Samuel called the people together to Yahwah to Mizpah.

18 He said to the children of Yisrayah: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah. I brought up Yisrayah out of Egypt. I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.

19 But today you reject your Father, who Himself saves you out of all your calamities, and your distresses. You said to Him: Nay, but set a king over us. Now present yourselves before Yahwah by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Yisrayah near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families. The family of the Matrites was taken. Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they asked of Yahwah further: Is there yet a man to come here? Yahwah answered: Behold, he hid himself among the baggage.

23 They ran, and fetched him from there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 Samuel said to all the people: See him who Yahwah chose, that there is none like him among all the people? All the people shouted, and said: Long live the king.

25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahwah. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

26 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah. There went with him the host, whose hearts Yahwah had touched.

27 But certain worthless fellows said: How will this man save us? They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Chapter 11

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and camped against Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash: Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.

2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them: On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out. I will lay it for a reproach upon all Yisrayah.

3 The elders of Jabesh said to him: Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Yisrayah. If there is none to save us, then we will come out to you.

4 The messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people. All the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field. Saul said: What ails the people that they weep? They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

6 The Spirit of Yahwah came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

7 He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Yisrayah by the hand of messengers, saying: Whosoever does not come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so it will be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahwah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

8 He numbered them in Bezek. The children of Yisrayah were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yahudah thirty thousand.

9 They said to the messengers that came: Thus you will say to the men of Jabesh-gilead; Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have deliverance. The messengers came, told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said: Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you will do with us all that seems good to you.

11 It was so the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies. They came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day. It came to pass that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 The people said to Samuel: Who is he that said; Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men, that we may put them to death.

13 Saul said: There will not a man be put to death today, for today Yahwah wrought deliverance in Yisrayah.

14 Then Samuel said to the people: Come, let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

15 All the people went to Gilgal. There they made Saul king before Yahwah in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Yahwah. There Saul and all the men of Yisrayah rejoiced greatly.

Chapter 12

1 Samuel said to all Yisrayah: Behold, I hearkened to your voice in all you said to me, and made a king over you.

2 Behold, the king walks before you. I am old and grayheaded. Behold, my sons are with you. I walked before you from my youth to this day.

3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahwah, and before His anointed. Whose ox did I take? Or whose ass did I take? Or whom did I defraud? Whom did I oppress? Or of whose hand did I take a ransom to blind my eyes with? I will restore it to you.

4 They said: You did not defraud us, nor oppress us, neither take anything of any man's hand.

5 He said to them: Yahwah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness today, that you did not find anything in my hand. They said: He is witness.

6 Samuel said to the people: It is Yahwah who appointed Moshe [Moses] and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Now stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahwah concerning all the righteous acts of Yahwah, which He did to you and to your fathers.

8 When Yaacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahwah, then Yahwah sent Moshe and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

9 But they forgot Yahwah their Father. He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. They fought against them.

10 They cried to Yahwah, and said: We sinned, because we forgot Yahwah, we served the Lord and Easter. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.

11 Yahwah sent Yerub-lord [Gideon], Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side. And you dwelt in safety.

12 When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king will reign over us, when Yahwah your Father was your king.

13 Now behold the king you chose, who you asked for. Behold, Yahwah set a king over you.

14 If you will fear Yahwah, serve Him, hearken to His voice, not rebel against the commandment of Yahwah, and both you and also the king who reigns over you be followers of Yahwah your Father, well.

15 But if you will not hearken to the voice of Yahwah, but rebel against the commandment of Yahwah, then the hand of Yahwah will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Now stand still, see this great thing Yahwah does before your eyes.

17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahwah, that He may send thunder and rain. You will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you did in the sight of Yahwah, in asking for a king.

18 So Samuel called to Yahwah. Yahwah sent thunder and rain that day. All the people greatly feared Yahwah, and Samuel.

19 All the people said to Samuel: Pray for your servants to Yahwah your Father, that we not die. For we added this evil to all our sins, to ask us a king.

20 Samuel said to the people: Do not fear. You indeed did all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following Yahwah, but serve Yahwah with all your heart.

21 Do not turn aside. For then you would go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

22 Yahwah will not forget His people for His great Name's sake, because it pleases Yahwah to make you a people to Himself.

23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahwah in ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

24 Only fear Yahwah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart. Consider what great things He did for you.

25 If you will still do wickedly, you will be consumed, both you and your king.

Chapter 13

1 Saul was forty years old when he began to reign. When he reigned two years over Yisrayah,

2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Yisrayah, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

3 Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba. The Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear.

4 All Yisrayah heard say that Saul smote the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Yisrayah was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Yisrayah, thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand on the sea-shore in multitude. They came up, and camped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.

6 When the men of Yisrayah saw they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in coverts, and in pits.

7 Now some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 He tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel appointed. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.

9 Saul said: Bring here the burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. He offered the burnt-offering.

10 It came to pass, as soon as he made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came. Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 Samuel said: What did you do? Saul said: I saw the people were scattered from me, and you did not come within the days appointed, and the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash.

12 Therefore I said: Now the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal, and I did not ask the favor of Yahwah. I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.

13 Samuel said to Saul: You did foolishly. You did not keep the commandment of Yahwah your Father, which He commanded you. Yahwah would have established your kingdom upon Yisrayah forever.

14 But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahwah sought Him a man after His own heart, and Yahwah appointed Him to be prince over His people, because you did not keep what Yahwah commanded you.

15 Samuel arose, and got him up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped in Michmash.

17 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 Another company turned the way to Beth-horon. Another company turned the way of the border that looks down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Yisrayah. For the Philistines said: Unless the Hebrews make them swords or spears.

20 But all the Yisrayahites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, his coulter, his axe, and his mattock.

21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, for the coulters, for the forks, for the axes, and to set 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 that were with Saul and Jonathan, but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

23 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Chapter 14

1 Now it fell upon a day, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armor: Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he did not tell his father.

2 Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is in Migron. The people that were with him were about six hundred men.

3 Ahiyah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahwah in Shiloh, [was] wearing an ephod. The people did not know Jonathan was gone.

4 Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

6 Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be Yahwah will work for us, for there is no restraint to Yahwah to save by many, or by few.

7 His armorbearer said to him: Do all that is in your heart. Behold, I am with you according to your heart.

8 Then Jonathan said: Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves to them.

9 If they say thus to us: Tarry 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 Yahwah delivers them into our hand, and this is the sign to us.

11 Both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. The Philistines said: Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they hid themselves.

12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan, and his armorbearer, and said: Come up to us, we will show you a thing. Jonathan said to his armorbearer: Come up after me, for Yahwah delivers them into the hand of Yisrayah.

13 Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him. They [Philistines] fell before Jonathan, and his armorbearer killed them after him.

14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled. The earth quaked. So there was an exceeding great trembling.

16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked. Behold, the multitude melted away, they went here, and there.

17 Then Saul said to the people with him: Number now, and see who is gone from us. When they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.

18 Saul said to Ahiyah: Bring here the ark of Yahwah. For the ark of Yahwah was there at that time with the children of Yisrayah.

19 It came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on, and increased. Saul said to the priest: Withdraw your hand.

20 Saul and all the people with him were gathered together, and came to the battle. Behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

21 Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, and that went up with them into the camp, from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Yisrayahites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 Likewise all the men of Yisrayah that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephrayim, when they heard the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

23 So Yahwah saved Yisrayah that day. The battle passed over by Beth-aven.

24 The men of Yisrayah were distressed that day. Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

25 All the people came into the forest, and there was honey upon the ground.

26 When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped. 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, dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth. His eyes were enlightened.

28 One of the people answered, and said: Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying; Cursed is the man that eats food today. The people were faint.

29 Then Jonathan said: My father troubles the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much more, if haply the people ate freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now there is no great slaughter among the Philistines.

31 They smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint.

32 The people flew upon the spoil, took sheep, oxen, calves, and killed them on the ground. The people ate them with the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, saying: Behold, the people sin against Yahwah, in that they eat with the blood. He said: You dealt treacherously. Roll a great stone to me today.

34 Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them: Bring me here every man his ox, every man his sheep. kill them here, and eat. Do not sin against Yahwah in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35 Saul built an altar to Yahwah. The same was the first altar he built to Yahwah.

36 Saul said: Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said: Do whatsoever seems good to you. Then the priest said: Let us draw near here to Yahwah.

37 Saul asked counsel of Yahwah: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Yisrayah? But He did not answer him that day.

38 Saul said: Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people. Know and see in which this sin is today.

39 As Yahwah lives, who saves Yisrayah, though it is in Jonathan my son, he will surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

40 Then he said to all Yisrayah: Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul: Do what seems good to you.

41 Therefore Saul said: O Yahwah Father of Yisrayah, why do you not answer your servant today? If the guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O Yahwah Father of Yisrayah, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Yisrayah, give Thummim. Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, but the people escaped.

42 Saul said: Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what you did. Jonathan told him, and said: I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. Lo, I must die.

44 Saul said: Yahwah do so and more also. You will surely die, Jonathan.

45 The people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan die, who wrought this great salvation in Yisrayah? Far from it. As Yahwah lives, there will not one hair of his head fall to the ground. He wrought with Yahwah today. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he did not die.

46 Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 Now when Saul took the kingdom over Yisrayah, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab and the children of Ammon [children of Lot], against Edom [children of Esau], against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wheresoever he turned himself, he put them to the worse.

48 He did valiantly, smote the Amalekites, and delivered Yisrayah out of the hands of those who despoiled them.

49 Now the sons of Saul were: Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

51 Kish was the father of Saul. Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52 There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. When Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Chapter 15

1 Samuel said to Saul: Yahwah sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Yisrayah. Now hearken to the voice of the words of Yahwah.

2 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: I marked what Amalek did to Yisrayah, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

3 Now go and smite Amalek. Utterly destroy all they have, and do not spare them. Kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

4 Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Yahudah.

5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

6 Saul said to the Kenites: Go, depart. Get you down from among the Amalekites, unless I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the children of Yisrayah when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt.

8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 Saul and the people spared Agag, the best of the sheep, of the oxen, of the fatlings, the lambs, all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 Then the Word of Yahwah came to Samuel, saying:

11 It repents me that I set up Saul to be king, for he is turned back from following me, and did not perform my commandments. Samuel was wroth, and he cried to Yahwah all night.

12 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. It was told Samuel, saying: Saul came to Carmel. Behold, he set him up a monument, turned, passed on, and went down to Gilgal.

13 Samuel came to Saul. Saul said to him: Blessed are you of Yahwah. I performed the commandment of Yahwah.

14 Samuel said: What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen I hear?

15 Saul said: They brought them from the Amalekites. The people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice to Yahwah your Father, and the rest we utterly destroyed.

16 Then Samuel said to Saul: Stay, I will tell you what Yahwah said to me tonight. He said to him: Say on.

17 Samuel said: Though you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Yisrayah? Yahwah anointed you king over Yisrayah.

18 Yahwah sent you on a journey, and said: Go. Utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.

19 Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahwah, but flew upon the spoil, and did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah?

20 Saul said to Samuel: Yea, I obeyed the voice of Yahwah, went the way Yahwah sent me, brought Agag the king of Amalek, and utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people took sheep and oxen of the spoil, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahwah your Father in Gilgal.

22 Samuel said: Has Yahwah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahwah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you rejected the word of Yahwah, He also rejects you from being king.

24 Saul said to Samuel: I sinned. I transgressed the commandment of Yahwah, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

25 I pray you, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahwah.

26 Samuel said to Saul: I will not return with you. You rejected the word of Yahwah, and Yahwah rejected you from being king over Yisrayah.

27 As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

28 Samuel said to him: Yahwah tore the kingdom of Yisrayah from you today, and gave it to a neighbor of yours, that is better than you.

29 Also the Strength of Yisrayah will not lie, nor repent, for He is not a man, that He should repent.

30 Then he said: I sinned. Yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people, before Yisrayah, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahwah your Father.

31 So Samuel turned again after Saul, and Saul worshipped Yahwah.

32 Then Samuel said: Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said: Surely the bitterness of death is past.

33 Samuel said: As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women. Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Yahwah in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Samuel mourned for Saul, and Yahwah repented that He made Saul king over Yisrayah.

Chapter 16

1 Yahwah said to Samuel: How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I reject him from being king over Yisrayah? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I send you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite, for I provided me a king among his sons.

2 Samuel said: How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. Yahwah said: Take a heifer with you. Say: I am come to sacrifice to Yahwah.

3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, I will show you what you will do. Anoint to me him whom I name to you.

4 Samuel did what Yahwah spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: Do you come peaceably?

5 He said: Peaceably. I am come to sacrifice to Yahwah. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 It came to pass, when they were come, he looked on Eliab, and said: Surely Yahwah's anointed is before him.

7 But Yahwah said to Samuel: Do not look on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I reject him. Yahwah does not see as man sees. Man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahwah looks on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said: Neither did Yahwah chose this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said: Neither did Yahwah chose this.

10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse: Yahwah did not chose these.

11 Samuel said to Jesse: Are all your children here? He said: There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse: Send, and fetch him. We will not sit down till he comes here.

12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, possessing a beautiful countenance, and good to look upon. Yahwah said: Arise, anoint him. This is he.

13 Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. The Spirit of Yahwah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of Yahwah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from God troubled him.

15 Saul's servants said to him: Behold, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

16 Let our master now command your servants, that are before you, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp. It will come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he will play with his hand, and you will be well.

17 Saul said to his servants: Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 Then one of the young men answered, and said: Behold, I saw a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a comely person. Yahwah is with him.

19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said: Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.

20 Jesse took an ass laden with bread, a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 David came to Saul, and stood before him. He [Saul] loved him [David] greatly, and he became Saul's armorbearer.

22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying: I pray you, let David stand before me. He has found favor in my sight.

23 It came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed, was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Chapter 17

1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle. They gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Yahudah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

2 Saul and the men of Yisrayah gathered together, camped in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Yisrayah stood on the mountain on the other side. There was a valley between them.

4 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 He had a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail. The weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.

6 He had greaves of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders.

7 The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield-bearer went before him.

8 He stood, cried to the armies of Yisrayah, and said to them: Why are you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for you, and let him come down to me.

9 If he is able to fight with me, and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him, and kill him, then you are our servants, and serve us.

10 The Philistine said: I defy the armies of Yisrayah today. Give me a man, that we may fight together.

11 When Saul and all Yisrayah heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. The man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men.

13 The three eldest sons of Jesse went after Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul.

15 Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.

16 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 Jesse said to David his son: Take now for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers.

18 Bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge.

19 Saul, they, and all the men of Yisrayah, were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.

20 David rose up early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took, and went, as Jesse commanded him. He came to the place of the wagons, as the host going forth to the fight shouted for the battle.

21 Yisrayah and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army.

22 David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the army, came, and saluted his brothers.

23 As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words. David heard them.

24 All the men of Yisrayah, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were very afraid.

25 The men of Yisrayah said: Did you see this man that is come up? Surely he is come up to defy Yisrayah. It will be, the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Yisrayah.

26 David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying: What will be done to the man that kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Yisrayah? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living Yahwah?

27 The people answered him after this manner, saying: So it will be done to the man who kills him.

28 Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said: Why are you come down? Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart. You came down that you might see the battle.

29 David said: What did I do now? Is there not a cause?

30 He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner. The people answered him again after the former manner.

31 When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul. He sent for him.

32 David said to Saul: Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go, and fight with this Philistine.

33 Saul said to David: You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him. You are but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth.

34 David said to Saul: Your servant was keeping his father's sheep. When there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,

35 I went out after him, smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, smote him, and killed him.

36 Your servant smote both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, seeing he defied the armies of the living Yahwah.

37 David said: Yahwah 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. Saul said to David: Go, and Yahwah be with you.

38 Saul clad David with his apparel. He put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.

39 David girded his sword upon his apparel, but he hesitated to go, for he had not tested it. David said to Saul: I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. David put them off him.

40 He took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag he had, even in his wallet. His sling was in his hand. He drew near to the Philistine.

41 The Philistine came on, drew near to David, and the man that bore the shield went before him.

42 When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him. He was but a youth, ruddy, with a fair countenance.

43 The Philistine said to David: Am I a dog, that you come to me with staves? The Philistine cursed David by his god.

44 The Philistine said to David: Come to me, I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field.

45 Then David said to the Philistine: You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the Name of Yahwah of hosts, the god of the armies of Yisrayah, whom you defied.

46 Today Yahwah will deliver you into my hand. I will smite you, and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines today to the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know there is a Father in Yisrayah.

47 All this assembly knows Yahwah does not save with sword and spear. The battle is Yahwah's. He will give you into our hand.

48 It came to pass, the Philistine arose, came, and drew near to meet David. David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 David put his hand in his bag, took a stone from there, slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank 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. He smote the Philistine, and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

51 David ran, stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of the sheath of it, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

52 The men of Yisrayah and of Yahudah arose, shouted, and pursued the Philistines until you come to Gai, to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.

53 The children of Yisrayah returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.

54 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Yerusalem. 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? Abner said: As your soul live, O king, I cannot tell.

56 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 Saul said to him: Whose son are you, you young man? David answered: I am the son of your servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.

Chapter 18

1 It came to pass, when he made an end of speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house.

3 Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, his apparel, even to his sword, to his bow, and to his girdle.

5 David went out whereever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6 It came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Yisrayah, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.

7 The women sang one to another as they played, and said: Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8 Saul was very wroth, this saying displeased him. He said: They ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they ascribed but thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?

9 Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 It came to pass the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day.

11 Saul had his spear in his hand, and Saul cast the spear. He said: I will smite David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David, because Yahwah was with him, and was departed from Saul.

13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand. He went out and came in before the people.

14 David behaved himself wisely in all his ways. Yahwah was with him.

15 When Saul saw he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.

16 All Yisrayah and Yahudah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

17 Saul said to David: Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I give her to you to wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahwah's battles. For Saul said: Let my hand not be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

18 David said to Saul: Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Yisrayah, 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, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.

20 Saul's daughter Michal loved David. They told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

21 Saul said: I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David: You will today be my son-in-law a second time.

22 Saul commanded his servants, saying: Commune with David secretly, and say; Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.

23 Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said: Does it seem a light thing to you to be the king's son-in-law, seeing I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

24 The servants of Saul told him, saying: On this manner David spoke.

25 Saul said: Thus you will say to David; The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired.

27 So David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. David brought their foreskins, and gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

28 Saul saw and knew Yahwah was with David. Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.

29 Saul was yet the more afraid of David. Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth. It came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

Chapter 19

1 Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

2 Jonathan told David, saying: Saul my father seeks to kill you. I pray you, take heed to yourself in the morning, abide in a secret place, and hide yourself.

3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you. If I see anything, I will tell you.

4 Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him: Let the king not sin against his servant, against David. He did not sin against you, his works have been very good towards you.

5 He put his life in his hand, smote the Philistine, and Yahwah wrought a great victory for all Yisrayah. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?

6 Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore: As Yahwah lives, he will not be put to death.

7 Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before.

8 There was war again. David went out, fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter. They fled before him.

9 An evil spirit from God was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing [harp] with his hand.

10 Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear. But he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.

11 Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. David's wife Michal told him, saying: If you do not save your life tonight, you will be slain tomorrow.

12 So Michal let David down through the window. He went, fled, and escaped.

13 Michal took the teraphim [idol!], laid it in the bed, put a pillow of goats' hair at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes.

14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said: He is sick.

15 Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying: Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.

16 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at the head of it.

17 Saul said to Michal: Why did you deceive me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Michal answered Saul: He said to me: Let me go, why should I kill you?

18 Now David fled, escaped, came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all Saul did to him. He and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19 It was told Saul, saying: Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

20 Saul sent messengers to take David. When they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of Yahwah came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu. He asked and said: Where are Samuel and David? One said: Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.

23 He went there to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of Yahwah came upon him also, he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 He also stripped off his clothes, he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say: Is Saul also among the prophets?

Chapter 20

1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah, came, and said before Jonathan: What did I do? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

2 He said to him: Far from it. You will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.

3 David swore moreover, and said: Your father well knows I found favor in your eyes. He said: Let Jonathan not know this, unless he is grieved. But truly as Yahwah lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.

4 Then Jonathan said to David: Whatsoever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.

5 David said to Jonathan: Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening.

6 If your father misses me at all, then say: David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

7 If he says it is well, your servant will have peace. But if he is angry, then know evil is determined by him.

8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you brought your servant into a covenant of Yahwah with you. If there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself. Why should you bring me to your father?

9 Jonathan said: Far be it from you. If I should at all know evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?

10 Then David said to Jonathan: Who will tell me if maybe your father answers you roughly?

11 Jonathan said to David: Come, and let us go out into the field. They went out both of them into the field.

12 Jonathan said to David: Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, is witness. When I sound out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, will I not then send to you, and disclose it to you?

13 Yahwah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away that you may go in peace. Yahwah is with you, as He was with my father.

14 While I yet live you will not only show me the lovingkindness of Yahwah, that I not die,

15 but also you will not cut off your kindness from my house forever. No, not when Yahwah cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying: Yahwah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.

17 Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love he had to him. He loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said to him: Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

19 When you have stayed three days, go down quickly, come to the place where you hid yourself when the business was in hand, and remain by the stone Ezel.

20 I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

21 Behold, I will send the lad, saying: Go, find the arrows. If I say to the lad: Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them, and come. For there is peace to you and no hurt, as Yahwah lives.

22 But if I say thus to the boy: Behold, the arrows are beyond you. Go your way, for Yahwah sends you away.

23 As touching the matter you and I spoke of, behold, Yahwah is between you and me for ever.

24 So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon was come, the king sat down to eat food.

25 The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side. But David's place was empty.

26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought: Something befell him, he is not clean. Surely he is not clean.

27 It came to pass the day after the new moon, which was the second day, David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son: Why does the son of Jesse not come to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?

28 Jonathan answered Saul: David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem.

29 He said: Let me go, I pray you. For our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother commanded me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brothers. Therefore he is not come to the king's table.

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him: You son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know you chose the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

31 As long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, you will not be established, nor your kingdom. Now send, fetch him to me, for he will surely die.

32 Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him: Why should he be put to death? What did he do?

33 Saul cast his spear at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew it was determined of his father to put David to death.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month. He was grieved for David, because his father did him shame.

35 It came to pass in the morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

36 He said to his lad: Run, find the arrows I shoot. As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 When the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said: Is the arrow not beyond you?

38 Jonathan cried after the lad: Make speed, hurry, do not stay. Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 But the lad did not know anything, only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40 Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him: Go, carry them to the city.

41 As soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

42 Jonathan said to David: Go in peace. Remember we swore both of us in the Name of Yahwah, saying: Yahwah will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, for ever. He arose, and departed. Jonathan went into the city.

Chapter 21

1 Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him: Why are you alone, and no man with you?

2 David said to Ahimelech the priest: The king commanded me a business. He said to me: Let no man know anything of the business where I send you, and what I commanded you. I appointed the young men to such and such a place.

3 Now what is under your hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.

4 The priest answered David, and said: There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread. If only the young men have kept themselves from women.

5 David answered the priest, and said to him: Of a truth women were kept from us about these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey. How much more then today will their vessels be holy?

6 So the priest gave him holy bread. For there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before Yahwah, 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 Yahwah. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.

8 David said to Ahimelech: Is there not here under your hand spear or sword? I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.

9 The priest said: The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed 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. David said: There is no other like that, give it to me.

10 David arose, fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 The servants of Achish said to him: Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying: Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12 David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 He changed his behavior before them, feigned himself mad in their hands, scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Then Achish said to his servants: Lo, you see the man is mad, why then did you bring him to me?

15 Do I lack madmen, that you brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?

Chapter 22

1 David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.

2 Every one that was in distress, every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves to him. He became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.

3 David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. 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 Yahwah will do for me.

4 He brought them before the king of Moab. They dwelt with him all the while David was in the stronghold.

5 The prophet Gad said to David: Do not abide in the stronghold. Depart, get into the land of Yahudah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

6 Saul heard David was discovered, and the men were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

7 Saul said to his servants that stood about him: Hear now, you Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds,

8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse. There is none of you that is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said: I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 He inquired of Yahwah for him, 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 that were in Nob. They came all of them to the king.

12 Saul said: Hear now, you son of Ahitub. He answered: Here I am, my master.

13 Saul said to him: Why do you conspire against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you gave him bread, a sword, and inquired of Yahwah for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said: Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law, is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house?

15 Have I today begun to inquire of Yahwah for him? Be it far from me. Let the king not impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father. Your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.

16 The king said: You will surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house.

17 The king said to the guard that stood about him: Turn, kill the priests of Yahwah because their hand is with David. They knew he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Yahwah.

18 The king said to Doeg: Turn, fall upon the priests. Doeg the Edomite turned, he fell upon the priests, and he killed on that day fourscore and five persons that wore a linen ephod.

19 He smote Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men, women, children, sucklings, oxen, asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

20 One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

21 Abiathar told David Saul killed Yahwah's priests.

22 David said to Abiathar: I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house.

23 Abide with me, do not fear. He that seeks my life seeks your life. You will be in safeguard with me.

Chapter 23

1 They told David, saying: Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.

2 Therefore David inquired of Yahwah, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? Yahwah said to David: Go, smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3 David's men said to him: Behold, we are afraid here in Yahudah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

4 Then David inquired of Yahwah yet again. Yahwah answered him, and said: Arise, go down to Keilah. I deliver the Philistines into your hand.

5 David and his men went to Keilah, fought with the Philistines, killed them with a great slaughter, and brought away their cattle. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 It came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 It was told Saul David was come to Keilah. Saul said: Yahwah delivered him into my hand. He is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars.

8 Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

9 David knew Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest: Bring the ephod here.

10 Then David said: O Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, your servant surely heard 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 heard? O Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, I beg you, tell your servant. Yahwah said: He will come down.

12 Then David said: Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahwah said: They will deliver you up.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose, departed out of Keilah, and went wheresoever they could go. It was told Saul David escaped from Keilah, so he declined to go forth.

14 David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but Yahwah did not deliver him into his hand.

15 David saw that Saul came out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.

16 Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in Yahwah.

17 He said to him: Do not fear. The hand of Saul my father will not find you. You will be king over Yisrayah, and I will be next to you. That also Saul my father knows.

18 They two made a covenant before Yahwah. David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying: Does David not hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down. Our part will be to deliver him up into the king's hand.

21 Saul said: Blessed are you of Yahwah, for you have compassion on me.

22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who saw him there. It is told me he deals very subtly.

23 See, take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself. Come again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you. It will come to pass, if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Yahudah.

24 They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.

25 Saul and his men went to seek him. They told David, so he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on this side of the mountain, David and his men on that side of the mountain. 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 a messenger came there to Saul, saying: Hurry and come, for the Philistines made a raid upon the land.

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 David went up from there, and dwelt in the strongholds of Engedi.

Chapter 24

1 It came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, it was told him, saying: Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Yisrayah, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 He came to the sheepcotes by the way, where a cave was. Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

4 The men of David said to him: Behold! The day of which Yahwah said to you: Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you will do to him as it seems good to you. David arose, and secretly cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.

5 It came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he cut off Saul's skirt.

6 He said to his men: Yahwah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Yahwah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahwah's anointed.

7 So David checked his men with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying: My master the king. When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.

9 David said to Saul: Why do you hearken to men's words? They say: Behold, David seeks your hurt.

10 Behold, today your eyes see that Yahwah delivered you into my hand in the cave. Some bade me kill you, but my eye spared you. I said: I will not put forth my hand against my master, for he is Yahwah's anointed.

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of your robe in my hand. I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you. Know you and see, there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand. I did not sin against you, though you hunt after my life to take it.

12 Yahwah judge between me and you, and Yahwah avenge me of you. But my hand will not be upon you.

13 As say the proverb of the ancients [Yasher 7:48, 11:8]: Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness. But my hand will not be upon you.

14 After whom is the king of Yisrayah come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.

15 Yahwah therefore is judge, and give sentence between me and you. See, plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.

16 It came to pass, when David made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this your voice, my son David? Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

17 He said to David: You are more righteous than I. You rendered good to me, whereas I rendered evil to you.

18 You declared today how you dealt well with me. When Yahwah delivered me up into your hand, you did not kill me.

19 If a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away well? Yahwah reward you good for what you did to me today.

20 Behold, I know you will surely be king, and the kingdom of Yisrayah will be established in your hand.

21 Swear now to me by Yahwah, you will not cut off my seed after me, you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.

22 David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.

Chapter 25

1 Samuel died. All Yisrayah gathered themselves together, lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

2 There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance. But the man was churlish and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.

4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men: Get you up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.

6 Thus you will say to him who lives in prosperity: Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all you have.

7 I heard you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come in a good day. I pray you, give to your servants whatsoever comes to your hand, 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 Nabal answered David's servants, and said: Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, my water, and my flesh that I killed for my shearers, and give it to men of whom I do not know where they are from?

12 So David's young men turned on their way, went back, and came and told him according to all these words.

13 David said to his men: Gird you on every man his sword. They girded on every man his sword, and David also girded on his sword. There went up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred abode by the baggage.

14 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 at them.

15 The men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither did we miss anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields.

16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know, and consider what you will do. Evil is determined against our master, and against all his house. He is such a worthless fellow that one cannot speak to him.

18 Then Abigail made haste, took two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 She said to her young men: Go on before me. Behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 It was so, she rode on her ass, and came down by the cover of the mountain. Behold, David and his men came down toward her. And she met them.

21 (Now David had said: Surely in vain did I keep all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He returned me evil for good.

22 Yahwah do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.)

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried, alighted from her ass, fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

24 She fell at his feet, and said: Upon me, my master, upon me be the iniquity. I pray you, let your handmaid speak in your ears, and you hear the words of your handmaid.

25 I pray you, let my master not regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal. As his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. I your handmaid did not see the young men of my master, whom you sent.

26 Now therefore, my master, as Yahwah lives, and as your soul lives, Yahwah withheld you from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand. Now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my master, be as Nabal.

27 Now this present which your servant brought to my master, let it be given to the young men that follow my master.

28 I pray you, forgive the trespass of your handmaid. Yahwah will certainly make my master a sure house, because my master fights the battles of Yahwah. Evil will not be found in you all your days.

29 Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my master will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahwah your Father. The souls of your enemies, He will sling them out, as from the hollow of a sling.

30 It will come to pass, when Yahwah does to my master according to all the good He spoke concerning you, and appoints you prince over Yisrayah,

31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offence of heart to my master, either that you shed blood without cause, or that my master has avenged himself. When Yahwah deals well with my master, then remember your handmaid.

32 David said to Abigail: Blessed is Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, who sent you to meet me today.

33 Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who kept me from bloodguiltiness today, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

34 For in very deed, as Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, lives, who withheld me from hurting you, except you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not be left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one man-child.

35 So David received of her hand what she brought him. He said to her: Go up in peace to your house. See, I hearkened to your voice, and accept your person.

36 Abigail came to Nabal. Behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken. Therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

37 It came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things. His heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

38 It came to pass about ten days after, Yahwah smote Nabal, so that he died.

39 When David heard Nabal was dead, he said: Blessed is Yahwah, who pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and kept back his servant from evil. Yahwah returned the evil-doing of Nabal upon his own head. David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

40 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 She arose, bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said: Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my master.

42 Abigail hurried, arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her. She went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. They became both of them his wives.

44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Chapter 26

1 The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying: Does David not hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisrayah with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. David abode in the wilderness, and he saw Saul come after him into the wilderness.

4 David sent out spies, and understood of a certainty that Saul was come.

5 David arose, and came to the place where Saul camped. David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were camped round about him.

6 Then David answered, and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Tseruyah, brother to Joab, saying: Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? Abishai said: I will go down with you.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night. Behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head. Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 Then said Abishai to David: Yahwah delivered up your enemy into your hand today. I pray you, let me smite him to the earth with the spear at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.

9 David said to Abishai: Do not destroy him. Who can put forth his hand against Yahwah's anointed, and be guiltless?

10 David said: As Yahwah lives, Yahwah will smite him. Or his day will come to die. Or he will go down into battle and perish.

11 Yahwah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahwah's anointed. I pray you, take the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head, and they got them away. No man saw it, nor knew it, nor did any awake. They were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahwah was fallen upon them.

13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off, a great space being between them.

14 David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: Do you not answer, Abner? Then Abner answered, and said: Who are you that cries to the king?

15 David said to Abner: Are you not a valiant man? Who is like to you in Yisrayah? Why then did you not keep watch over your master the king? One of the people came in to destroy the king your master.

16 This thing is not good that you did. As Yahwah lives, you are worthy to die, because you did not keep watch over your master, Yahwah's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

17 Saul knew David's voice, and said: Is this your voice, my son David? David said: It is my voice, my master, O king.

18 He said: Why does my master pursue after his servant? What did I do? Or what evil is in my hand?

19 I pray you, let my master the king hear the words of his servant. If it is Yahwah who stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, cursed are they before Yahwah. For they drove me out today that I should not cleave to the inheritance of Yahwah, saying: Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore, let my blood not fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahwah. The king of Yisrayah is come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.

21 Then Saul said: I sinned. Return, my son David. I will do you no more harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I played the fool, and erred exceedingly.

22 David answered, and said: Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 Yahwah will render to every man his righteousness, and his faithfulness. Yahwah delivered you into my hand today, and I would not put forth my hand against Yahwah's anointed.

24 Behold, as your life was much set by today in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahwah, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David: Blessed are you, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

Chapter 27

1 David said in his heart: I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Yisrayah. So I will escape out of his hand.

2 David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 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 It was told Saul David fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

5 David said to Achish: If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. Why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?

6 Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag pertains to the kings of Yahudah to this day.

7 The number of the days David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 David and his men went up and made a raid upon the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. Those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.

9 David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive. He took away the sheep, the oxen, the asses, the camels, and the apparel. He returned, and came to Achish.

10 Achish said: Who did you make a raid against today? David said: Against the South of Yahudah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.

11 David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying: Unless they should tell of us, saying; So David did. And so was his manner all the while he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

12 Achish believed David, saying: He made his people Yisrayah to utterly abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.

Chapter 28

1 It came to pass in those days, the Philistines gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Yisrayah. Achish said to David: You know assuredly, you will go out with me in the army, you and your men.

2 David said to Achish: Then you will know what your servant will do. Achish said to David: Therefore I will make you keeper of my head forever.

3 Now Samuel was dead. All Yisrayah lamented him, buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

4 The Philistines gathered themselves together, came, and camped in Shunem. Saul gathered all Yisrayah together, and they camped in Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

6 When Saul inquired of Yahwah, Yahwah did not answer him. Neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him: Behold, there is a woman that has a familiar spirit at En-dor.

8 Saul disguised himself, put on other clothing, went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. He said: Divine to me, I pray you, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I name to you.

9 The woman said to him: Behold, you know what Saul did, how he cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

10 Saul swore to her by Yahwah, saying: As Yahwah lives, there will no punishment happen to you for this thing.

11 Then the woman said: Who will I bring up to you? He said: Bring me up Samuel.

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. The woman spoke to Saul, saying: Why did you deceive me? For you are Saul.

13 The king said to her: Do not be afraid. What do you see? The woman said to Saul: I see a figure coming up out of the earth.

14 He said to her: What form is he of? She said: An old man comes up, and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived it was Samuel. He bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

15 Samuel said to Saul: Why do you disquiet me, to bring me up? Saul answered: I am sore distressed. The Philistines make war against me. Yahwah is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I called you, that you may make known to me what I will do.

16 Samuel said: Why then do you ask of me, seeing Yahwah is departed from you, and is become your adversary?

17 Yahwah did to you as he spoke by me. Yahwah took the kingdom out of your hand, and gave it to your neighbor, even to David.

18 Because you did not obey the voice of Yahwah, and did not execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore Yahwah did this thing to you today.

19 Moreover Yahwah will deliver Yisrayah also with you into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Yahwah will deliver the host of Yisrayah also into the hand of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul fell down his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him, for he ate no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 The woman came to Saul, saw he was sore troubled, and said to him: Behold, your handmaid hearkened to your voice. I put my life in my hand, and hearkened to your words you spoke to me.

22 I pray you, you also hearken to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you. 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, constrained him. He hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 The woman had a fatted calf in the house. She hurried, and killed it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it.

25 She brought it before Saul, and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

Chapter 29

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to Aphek. The Yisrayahites camped by the fountain in Jezreel.

2 The masters of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands. David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

3 Then the princes of the Philistines said: Why are these Hebrews here? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines: Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Yisrayah, who was with me these days, or rather these years, and I find no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day?

4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him. The princes of the Philistines said to him: Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you appointed him. Do not let him go down to battle with us, unless in the battle he become an adversary to us. For why should this fellow reconcile himself to his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men?

5 Is this not David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying: Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

6 Then Achish called David, and said to him: As God lives, you are upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the host is good in my sight. I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to today. Nevertheless the masters do not favor you.

7 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the masters of the Philistines.

8 David said to Achish: But what did I do? What did you find in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my master the king?

9 Achish answered, and said to David: I know you are good in my sight, as an angel of God. However, the princes of the Philistines said: He will not go up with us to the battle.

10 Now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your master that are come with you. As soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Chapter 30

1 It came to pass, David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day. The Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, had smote Ziklag, and burned it with fire.

2 They took the women captive, and all that were there, both small and great. They did not kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.

3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire. Their wives, their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.

4 Then David and the people with him lifted up their voice, and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 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 strengthened himself in Yahwah his Father.

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech: I pray you, bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought the ephod there to David.

8 David inquired of Yahwah, saying: If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them? He answered him: Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and will recover all without fail.

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.

10 David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint they could not go over the brook Besor.

11 They found an Egyptian in the field, brought him to David, gave him bread, and he ate. They gave him water to drink.

12 They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he ate, his spirit came to him again. He had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

13 David said to him: To whom do you belong? Where are you from? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite. My master left me, because I fell sick three days ago.

14 We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongs to Yahudah, and upon the South of Caleb. We burned Ziklag with fire.

15 David said to him: Will you bring me down to this troop? He said: Swear to me by God, that you will not kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.

16 When he brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil they took out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Yahudah.

17 David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. There escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled.

18 David recovered all the Amalekites took. David rescued his two wives.

19 There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything they took to them. David brought back all.

20 David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said: This is David's spoil.

21 David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint they could not follow David, whom also they made to abide at the brook Besor. They went forth to meet David, and to meet the people with him. When David came near to the people, he saluted them.

22 Then all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, answered, and said: Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.

23 Then David said: You will not do so, my brothers, with what Yahwah gave to us. Who preserved us, and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us?

24 Who will hearken to you in this matter? As his share is that goes down to the battle, so will his share be that tarries by the baggage. They will share alike.

25 It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Yisrayah to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Yahudah, even to his friends, saying: Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahwah.

27 To those who were in Beth-el, to those who were in Ramoth of the South, to those who were in Jattir,

28 to those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa,

29 to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 to those who were in Hormah, to those who were in Borashan, to those who were in Athach,

31 to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places David himself and his men were wont to haunt.

Chapter 31

1 Now the Philistines fought against Yisrayah. The men of Yisrayah fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

2 The Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons. The Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

3 The battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him. He was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.

4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer: Draw your sword. Thrust me through, unless these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

5 When his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.

6 So Saul died, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

7 When the men of Yisrayah that were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Yisrayah fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities, and fled. The Philistines came, and dwelt in them.

8 It came to pass the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings to the house of their idols, and to the people.

10 They put his armor in the house of Easter, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him what the Philistines did to Saul,

12 all the valiant men arose, went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. They came to Jabesh, and burned them there.

13 They took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.








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