and, he, had two wives, the name of the one, Hannah, and, the name of the other, Peninnah, - and Peninnah had children, but, Hannah, had no children.

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 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.

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.

And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, - and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

There is none holy like Yahweh, Nay! there, is none, except Thee, Nor, is, there a rock, like our God.

The feet of his loving ones, he doth guard, But, the lawless, in darkness shall be silent, - For, by strength, shall no man prevail.

Now, the sons of Eli, were abandoned men, - they knew not Yahweh.

Now, Eli, was very old, - but he used to hear all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they even lay with the women who did service, at the opening of the tent of meeting.

Nay, my sons! for it is no good report that I do hear: leading into transgression the people of Yahweh.

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.

Lo! days are coming, when I will hew off thine arm, and the arm of the house of thy father, - that there shall be no elder in thy house;

Now, the boy Samuel, was ministering unto Yahweh, before Eli, - and, the word of Yahweh, had become rare in those days, there was no well-known vision.

Now, Samuel, as yet knew not Yahweh, - nor, as yet, had been revealed unto him, the word of Yahweh.

And therefore have I sworn, respecting the house of Eli, - that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall receive no propitiatory-covering, by sacrifice or by present, unto times age-abiding.

So all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, came to know, - that Samuel had become confirmed as a prophet unto Yahweh.

Now, Eli, was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were fixed, that he could not see.

Now, his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, was with child, ready to give birth, and, when she heard the tidings, as to the taking of the ark of God, and the death of her father-in-law, and her husband, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her pains had seized her.

Now, the Philistines, having taken the ark of God, - brought it in from Eben-ezer, unto Ashdod.

Then called the Philistines for the priests and for the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Let us know, wherewith we shall send it to its own place.

Now, therefore, take and get ready, one new waggon, and two milch kine, whereon hath never come yoke, - then shall ye fasten the kine in the waggon, and withdraw their calves from them, into the shed;

Then shall ye look - if, by the way of its own boundary, it goeth up to Beth-shemesh, he, it was who caused us this great affliction, - but, if not, then shall we know that it was not, his hand, that smote us, a chance, it was, that befell us.

Now, they of Beth-shemesh, were reaping their wheat-harvest in the vale, - so they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to meet it.

Now, these, are the golden boils which, the Philistines returned as a guilt-offering unto Yahweh, - For Ashdod, one, for Gaza, one, for Ashkelon, one, for Gath, one, for Ekron, one;

So the Philistines were subdued, and, no more, came within the boundary of Israel, - and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines, all the days of Samuel.

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.

Now, therefore, hearken to their voice, - save that thou, enter protest, against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them.

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

Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name, was Kish - son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjamite, - a mighty man of valour;

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.

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.

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.

As ye enter the city, so, shall ye surely find him, ere yet he shall go up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he hath come, for, he, doth bless the sacrifice, after that, will they eat who have been bidden. Now, therefore, go up, for, about this very time, shall ye surely find him.

Now, Yahweh, had unveiled the ear of Samuel, - one day before Saul came, saying:

And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal, for lo! I am coming down unto thee, to offer up ascending-offerings, to sacrifice peace-offerings, - seven days, shalt thou tarry, until I come unto thee, then will I let thee know what thou shalt do.

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?

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.

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.

Now, therefore, lo! the king going to and fro before you, But, I, am old and grey-headed, and, my sons, lo! they are with you, - But, I, have gone to and fro before you from my youth until this day.

Now, therefore, take your stand and let me plead with you, before Yahweh, - and tell you all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he wrought with you, and with your fathers:

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!

Now, therefore, lo! the king whom ye have chosen, for whom ye have asked, - lo! therefore, Yahweh hath set over you a king.

Even now, stand still and see this great thing, - which Yahweh is about to do before your eyes:

Is it not wheat harvest, to-day? I will cry unto Yahweh, that he may give forth thunderings and rain, - know ye then and see, that, your wrong, is great which ye have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves, a king.

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;

Whereas, now, shall thy kingdom not be established, - Yahweh hath sought out for him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath commanded him to be leader over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee.

Now, Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with him, were abiding in Geba of Benjamin, - but, the Philistines, had encamped in Michmash.

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.

Now the garrison of the Philistines had come out to the pass of Michmash.

Now, Saul, was tarrying in the uttermost part of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron, - and, the people that were with him, were about six hundred men;

and, Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, was priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod, - and, the people, knew not that Jonathan had departed.

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 the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said - Come up unto us, and we will let you know a thing. Then said Jonathan unto his armour-bearer - Come up after me, for Yahweh hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

Now, the men of Israel, were tired out on that day, - yet had Saul bound the people by an oath, saying - Cursed, be the man that eateth food until the evening, and I be avenged upon mine enemies. So none of the people had tasted food.

So the people came into the forest, and lo! there were streams of honey, - but no man reached his hand to his mouth, because the people revered the oath.

How much more if haply the people had, eaten freely, to-day of the spoil of their enemies, which they found? for, now, would not the smiting of the Philistines have been, mighty?

Then said Saul, Come near hither, all ye chiefs of the people, - and get to know and see, wherein, hath been this sin, to-day.

And Saul said unto Yahweh - O God of Israel! now set forth the truth. Then were, Jonathan and Saul, taken, and, the people, escaped.

And Samuel said unto Saul, It was, me, Yahweh sent to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel, - now, therefore, hearken thou to the voice of Yahweh's words.

Now, go and smite Amalek, and devote ye to destruction all that he hath, and spare him not, - but thou shalt slay both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and sheep, both camel and ass.

Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, - and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.

Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, - For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!

Then he said: I have sinned, Now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, - and turn again with me, then will I bow down unto Yahweh thy God.

And Samuel did no more see Saul, until the day of his death, for Samuel pined for Saul, - but, Yahweh, was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice, - when, I, will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee.

So he sent, and brought him in. Now, he, was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes, and noble mien. Then said Yahweh - Rise - anoint him, for, this, is, he.

Now, David, was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose, name, was Jesse, and, who, had eight sons, - and, the man, in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.

Now, Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, ready to fight with the Philistines.

Now, as he was speaking with them, lo! the champion coming up, Goliath the Philistine, by name, of Gath, coming up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he spake according to these words, - and David heard them .

Now, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from before him, and feared exceedingly.

Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, - then was kindled the anger of Eliab against David, and he said - Wherefore is it that thou hast come down? and to whom hast thou entrusted those few sheep in the wilderness? I, know thy pride, and the foolishness of thy heart, for, to see the battle, hast thou come down.

And David said, What have I done, now? Was there not, a cause?

This day, will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee, and will give thy dead body and the dead bodies of the host of Philistines, this day, unto the birds of heaven, and unto the wild beasts of the earth, - that all the earth may know that Israel hath a God;

and that all this gathered host may know that, not with sword and with spear, doth Yahweh save, - for, unto Yahweh, belongeth the battle, and he will deliver you into our hand.

And, when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said unto Abner, prince of the host, Whose son is the young man, Abner? And Abner said, By the life of thy soul, O king! I know not.

And Saul commanded his servants - Speak ye unto David quietly saying, Lo! the king delighteth in thee, and, all his servants, love thee, - now, therefore, become thou son-in-law to the king.

Then said Saul - Thus, shall ye say unto David - The king hath no delight in purchase-price, but rather in a hundred foreskins of Philistines, by avenging himself on the enemies of the king. But, Saul, thought to let David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

And Saul saw and knew that, Yahweh, was with David, and that, all Israel, loved him.

but, Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted in David, exceedingly, - so Jonathan told David, saying, Saul, my father, is seeking to put thee to death, - now, therefore, take heed to thyself I pray thee, in the morning, and abide thou in concealment, and hide thyself;

So then Jonathan spake of David things that were good, unto Saul his father, - and said unto him - May the king not sin against his servant - against David; for he hath not sinned against, thee, nay, indeed, his doings have been good to theeward exceedingly.

But David sware yet further, and said - Thy father, doth know, that I have found favour in thine eyes, therefore saith he, - Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he grieve; but, indeed, by the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, surely there is but as it were a step betwixt me and death!

And David said unto Jonathan - Lo! the new moon, is to-morrow, and, I, must not sit with the king, to eat, - let me go then, and hide myself in the field, until the evening.

If, thus, he say - It is well, - thy servant shall have, peace, - but, if it, anger, him, know that harm hath been determined by him.

And Jonathan said - Far be it from thee! but, if I, get to know, that harm is determined by my father, to bring it upon thee, is not, that, the thing that I will tell thee?

but thou shalt not cut off thy lovingkindness from my house, unto times age-abiding, - no! not when Yahweh hath cut off the enemies of David, every one from off the face of the ground.

Then said Jonathan unto him - To-morrow, is the new moon, and thou wilt be missed, for thy seat will be empty;

And lo! I will send the boy saying , Go, find the arrow! If I, say, to the boy - Lo! the arrows, are on this side of thee - take them, then come, for there is peace for thee, and no cause for fear , by the life of Yahweh.

So David hid himself in the field - and, when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat, food,

and said - Let me go, I pray thee, for, a family sacrifice, have we in the city, and my brethren have commanded me, now, therefore, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me slip away, I pray thee, that I may see my brethren. For this cause, hath he not come in unto the table of the king.

Then was Saul's anger kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of rebellious perversity! do I not know that thou art, confederate, with the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and to the confusion of the shame of thy mother?

For, as long as, the son of Jesse, liveth on the ground, thou wilt not be established, thou nor thy kingdom, Now, therefore, send and fetch him unto me, for, doomed to death, is he!

And Saul hurled his spear at him, to smite him. So Jonathan knew that it was, determined, of his father, to put David to death.

Jonathan therefore rose up from the table, in a glow of anger, - and did eat no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had reviled him.

But, the lad, knew, nothing, only Jonathan and David, knew the matter.

Then came David to Nob, unto Ahimelech, the priest, - and Ahimelech trembled when he met David, and said unto him - Why art thou, alone, and, no man, with thee?

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest - The king, hath charged me with a matter, and hath said unto me - Let, no man, know aught of the business on which I am sending thee, and with which I have charged thee, - But, unto the young men, have I appointed, such and such a place.

Now, therefore, what is there under thy hand? Five loaves, give thou into my hand, - or, whatever can be found.

And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, - but, hallowed bread, there is, if the young men have kept themselves, at least from women.