So Elkanah her husband said to her - Hannah! wherefore shouldst thou weep? and wherefore wilt thou not eat? and wherefore should thy heart be sad? Am, I, not better to thee, than ten sons?

And she vowed a vow, and said - Yahweh of hosts! If thou wilt, look, upon the humiliation of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then will I give him unto Yahweh, all the days of his life, and no, razor, shall come upon his head.

And Eli said unto her, How long, wilt thou be, drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.

And Hannah responded and said - Nay! my lord; A woman depressed in spirit, am I: neither wine nor strong drink, have I drunk, - but I poured out my soul, before Yahweh.

Then responded Eli, and said - Go and prosper! And the, God of Israel, grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him!

And she said: Let thy serving-woman find favour, in thine eyes. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and, her countenance, was sad no longer.

But, Hannah, went not up, - for she said to her husband - Not till the boy is weaned, then will I take him, and he shall appear before Yahweh, and abide there evermore.

And Elkanah her husband said to her - Do what is good in thine own eyes, tarry until thou have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish his word! So the woman tarried, and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

And she said - Pardon, my lord! By the life of thy soul, my lord, - I, am the woman who was standing near thee here, praying unto Yahweh:

Then prayed Hannah, and said, My heart hath leaped for joy in Yahweh, My horn is exalted in Yahweh, My mouth is opened wide, o'er my foes, Because I rejoice in thy salvation.

And, if the man said to him, Let them at least, make incense, at once with the fat, then take thou as much as thy soul craveth, Then said he to him, But, at once, shalt thou give it; or else, I will take it by force.

So he said to them, Wherefore should ye do such things as these? for I keep hearing of your wicked doings, from all these people.

And there came a man of God, unto Eli, - and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, I, did indeed reveal myself, unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt, as servants unto the house of Pharaoh;

Hence, the oracle of Yahweh God of Israel, I, said, that, thy house, and the house of thy father, should go to and fro in my presence, unto times age-abiding: But, now, (is the oracle of Yahweh) - Be it far from me! For, them who honour me, will I honour, but, they who despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.

that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said - Behold me!

So he ran unto Eli and said - Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said - I called not, return - Its down. So he went, and lie down.

And again Yahweh called once there - Samuel! Then rose Samuel, and went unto Eli, and said - Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said - I called not, my son, return - lie down.

And again Yahweh called - Samuel! a third time. Then he arose, and went unto Eli, and said - Behold me! for thou calledst me. Then did Eli perceive, that, Yahweh, was calling the boy.

So Eli said to Samuel - Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call unto thee, that thou shalt say - Speak, Yahweh, for thy servant is listening. And Samuel went, and lay down in his place.

Then came Yahweh, and stood, and called as time after time - Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant is listening.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Lo! I am doing a thing, in Israel, - at which both ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle.

So Eli called Samuel, and said - Samuel! my son. And he said - Behold me!

And he said - What is the word, which he spake unto thee? I pray thee, do not hide it from me. So, let God do to thee, and, so, let him add, if thou hide from me a word, out of anything which he hath spoken unto thee.

So Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, Yahweh, he is; what is good in his own eyes, let him do.

And, when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us to-day, before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us, out of Shiloh, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that, when it cometh into our midst, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

And, when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said - What meaneth the noise of this loud shout of joy in the camp of the Hebrews? And they learned that, the ark of Yahweh, had come into the camp.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said - God hath come into the camp. And they said - Woe to us! for there hath not happened the like of this, heretofore.

And, when Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said - What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And, the man, hasted, and came, and told Eli.

So the man said unto Eli, I, am he that came in from the army, yea, I, from the army, fled to-day. And he said - What is the thing that hath happened, my son?

And the bearer of tidings answered, and said - Israel hath fled before the Philistines, Moreover also, a great smiting, hath taken place among the people, - Moreover also, thy two sons, are slain, Hophni and Phinehas, And, the ark of God, is taken.

And, about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said: Do not fear, for, to a son, hast thou given birth. But she neither answered nor regarded.

So she said - Exiled is the glory from Israel, - For the ark of God hath been taken.

So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said - What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said: To Gath, let the ark of the God of Israel go round. So they took round the ark of the God of Israel.

So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said - Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and restore it to its own place, that it slay not me, and my people. For there had come a deadly consternation, throughout all the city, heavy exceedingly, was the hand of God there.

And they said - If ye are going to send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away, empty, but ye must, surely return, to him, a guilt-offering, - then, shall ye be healed, and it shall be known to you, wherefore his hand would not turn away from you.

And they said - What shall be the guilt-offering, that we shall return to him? And they said - By the number of the lords of the Philistines, five tumours of gold, and five mice of gold, - for, one plague, was on you all, and on your lords.

Then said the men of Beth-shemesh, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and, unto whom, shall he go up from us?

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel unto Mizpah, - that I may pray for you, unto Yahweh.

So they gathered themselves unto Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said, there, We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.

And the sons of Israel said unto Samuel, Do not turn in silence from us, from making outcry unto Yahweh our God, - that he would save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And Samuel took a certain stone, and set it between Mizpah and Yeshanah, and called the name thereof Eben-ezer, - and said, Hitherto, hath Yahweh helped us.

and said unto him - Lo! thou, art old, and, thy sons, walk not in thy ways: Now, appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give unto us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they shall say unto thee, - for, not thee, have they rejected, but, me, have they rejected, from being king over them.

And he said, This, will be the manner of the king who will reign over you, - Your sons, will he take and appoint for himself, as his charioteers and as his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel, - and they said - Nay! but, a king, shall be over us:

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.

Now there had gone astray asses belonging to Kish, Saul's father, - so Kish said unto Saul his son - I pray thee, take with thee one of the young men, and arise - go, seek the asses.

They, had come into the land of Zuph when, Saul, said to his young man who was with him, Come! and let us return; lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be concerned for us.

And he said to him: Lo! I pray thee, a man of God, liveth in this city, and, the man, is held in honour, all that he saith, surely cometh to pass. Now, let us go thither; peradventure he may tell us our way, whereon we should have gone.

Then said Saul to his young man: Behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man, for, the bread, hath failed from our sacks, and, present, there is none to bring to the man of God, - what is there with us?

And the young man again answered Saul, and said - Lo! there is found in my hand, the fourth part of a shekel of silver, - which thou canst give to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.

Beforetime, in Israel, thus, said a man when he went to enquire of God, Come and let us go as far as the seer, - for, the prophet of to-day, used to be called, beforetime, the seer.

And Saul said unto his young man, Good, is thy word, come! let us go! So they went unto the city, where the man of God was.

They were going up the ascent of the city, when they found young women, coming out to draw water, - so they said unto these, Is, the seer, in this place?

And the young women answered them and said: He is, lo! before you now, even as, to-day, hath he entered the city, for the people have a sacrifice, to-day, in the high place.

And, when, Samuel, beheld Saul, Yahweh, answered him, Lo! the man, of whom I said unto thee, Here, is one shall control my people.

And Saul drew near unto Samuel, in the midst of the gate, - and said - I pray thee, do tell me, where is the house of the seer?

And Samuel answered Saul, and said - I, am, the seer! Go up before me, to the high place, so shall ye eat with me, to-day, - and I will let thee go in the morning, and, all that is in thy heart, will I tell thee.

Then answered Saul, and said - Am not I, a man of Benjamin, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and is not , my family, the poorest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore, then, hast thou spoken unto me of such a thing as this?

And Samuel said to the cook, Set on the portion that I gave thee, - of which I said unto thee, Put it by thee.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and placed it before Saul, and said - Lo! the part reserved! Set it before thee and eat, for, unto the time appointed, hath it been kept for thee, since the time that I said, The people, have I bidden. So Saul did eat with Samuel, on that day.

As they were going down the end of the city, Samuel, said unto Saul - Bid the young man, that he pass on before us, (and he passed on) but, thou, stand still where thou art, that I may let time hear the word of God.

Then took Samuel a flask of oil, and poured out upon his head, and kissed him, - and said - Is it not, that Yahweh hath anointed thee over his inheritance, as leader?

And it came to pass, that, all who knew him aforetime, looked, and lo! with the prophets, he did prophesy. So the people said, one to another - What, now, hath befallen the son of Kish? Is, even Saul, among the prophets?

Then responded one of that place, and said, But who is, their father? For this cause, it became a proverb, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?

Then said Saul's uncle unto him, and unto his young man - Whither have ye been? And he said, To seek the asses, and, when they were nowhere, to be seen, we came unto Samuel.

And Saul's uncle said, - Do tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said to you.

And Saul said unto his uncle, He, told, us that the asses were found, - but, as to the matter of the kingdom, he told him not what Samuel had said.

and said unto the sons of Israel - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel: I myself, brought up Israel, out of Egypt, - and rescued you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that distressed you.

Yet, ye, to-day, have rejected your God, who, himself, hath been giving you salvation from all your calamities and your distresses, and ye have said to him: A king, shalt thou set over us, - Now, therefore, present yourselves before Yahweh, by your tribes, and by your thousands.

Then asked they again of Yahweh, Hath there yet to come in hither a man? And Yahweh said, Lo! he, hath hid himself among the stores.

And Samuel said unto all the people - Have ye seen him whom Yahweh hath chosen, that there is none like him, among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said - Let the king live!

But, abandoned men, said - How can this one save us? So they treated him with contempt, and brought him no present, - but he was as one that was deaf.

Then came up Nahash the Ammonite, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead, - and all the man of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Solemnise with us a covenant, that we may serve thee.

And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, Hereby, will I solemnise a covenant with you by digging out for you, every one's right eye, - and laying it for a reproach, upon all Israel.

And the elders of Jabesh said unto him - Give us a respite of seven days, that we may send messengers throughout all the bounds of Israel, - and then, if there is none to save us, we will come out unto thee.

But lo! Saul, came in, following the oxen, out of the field, and Saul said, What aileth the people, that they should weep? Then were recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

So they said unto the messengers who had come - Thus, shall ye surely say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, shall ye have deliverance, about the time the son is hot. And, when the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced.

So the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow, will we come out unto you, - Then shall ye do with us, according to all that is good in your eyes.

Then said the people unto Samuel, Who is he that was saying, Shall, Saul, reign over us? Give up the men, that we may put them to death.

But Saul said, There shall not be put to death a man, this day, - for, to-day, hath Yahweh wrought deliverance in Israel.

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

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Lo! I have hearkened unto your voice, in all that ye said to me, - and have set over you a king.

And they said, Thou hast not oppressed us, neither hast thou crushed us, - neither hast thou taken, at the hand of any man, any thing.

And he said unto them - Witness, is Yahweh against you, and, witness, is his Anointed, this day, that ye have not found in my hand, any thing! And they said: Witness!

And Samuel said unto the people: Witness, is Yahweh, who wrought with Moses and with Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

But, when they made outcry unto Yahweh and said - We have sinned, in that we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, - now, therefore, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve thee,

But, when ye saw that, Nahash king of the sons of Ammon, came upon you, then said ye unto me, Nay! but, a king, shall reign over us, when, Yahweh your God, was your king!

And all the people said unto Samuel - Pray for thy servants, unto Yahweh thy God, and let it not be that we die, - For we have added, to all our sins, a wrong, in asking for ourselves a king.

Then said Samuel unto the people - Do not fear, ye, have done all this wrong, - nevertheless, do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh, with all your heart;

Then said Saul, Bring near unto me, the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings. And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

Then said Samuel - What hast thou done? And Saul said - Because I saw that the people had been scattered from me, and, thou, hadst not come within the appointed days, and, the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to Michmash,

therefore I said - Now, will the Philistines come down against me, at Gilgal, but, the face of Yahweh, have I not appeased: So I forced myself, and offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

And Samuel said unto Saul - Thou hast shewn thyself foolish, - thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee, for, now, would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding;

Now, a smith, could not be found, throughout all the land of Israel - for the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.

And it came about, on a certain day, that Jonathan son of Saul said unto the young man bearing his armour: Come! and let us pass over unto the garrison of the Philistines, that is on the other side, yonder! but, to his father, he told it not.

So Jonathan said unto the young man bearing his armour - Come! and let us cross over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised, peradventure, Yahweh may work by us, - for there is no restraint with Yahweh, to save by many, or by few.

And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart, - decide for thyself (lo! I am with thee!), according to thine own heart.

Then said Jonathan, Lo! we, are crossing over unto the men, - and will discover ourselves unto them.