So then that man went up, out of his city, from time to time, to worship and to sacrifice unto Yahweh of hosts, in Shiloh, - and, there, were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Yahweh.

And, when the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give, to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

And Hannah rose up, after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk, - and, Eli the priest, was sitting upon his chair, by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh;

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 so it was, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.

But as for, Hannah, she, was speaking in her heart, only her lips, were moving, but, her voice, could not be heard, - so Eli thought she had been drunken.

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

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

And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up, to offer unto Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and each his own vow.

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.

So they slew the bullock, - and took the boy in, unto Eli.

Hence, I also, have loaned him unto Yahweh, all the days that he liveth. He, is lent unto Yahweh. And he bowed down there, unto Yahweh.

The bow of the mighty, is dismayed, - While, the fainting, are girded with strength;

The sated, have, for bread, taken hire, But, the famished, have left off their toil, - So that, the barren, hath given birth unto seven, While, she that hath many sons, languisheth:

As for Yahweh, - they shall be shattered who contend with him, Over him, in the heavens will he thunder, Yahweh, will judge the ends of the earth, - That he may give strength to his King, And exalt the horn of his Anointed One.

Then went Elkanah to Ramah, unto his own house, - but, the boy, remained ministering unto Yahweh, before Eli the priest.

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

and would strike it into the boiler, or into the trough, or into the kettle, or into the pot, all that the fork would bring up, the priest took for himself. Thus and thus, used they to do unto all Israel, who came thither, in Shiloh.

Also, before any could make perfume with the fat, the priests young man would come in and say to the person who was sacrificing, Come! give flesh for the priest's roastings, - for he will not take of thee boiled flesh - only raw.

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.

And Eli used to bless Elkanah and his wife, and to say - Yahweh give thee seed of this woman, instead of the loan that hath been lent unto Yahweh. So they went their way to his own place.

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.

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.

If one man sin against another, God will interpose, but, if, against Yahweh, a man sin, who will intercede, for him? But they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, for Yahweh was pleased to put them to death.

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;

choosing him out of all the tribes of Israel unto myself, to minister as priest, to offer upon mine altar, to perfume with incense to bear an ephod before me, - Therefore gave I unto the house of thy father all the altar-flames of the sons of Israel.

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;

But thou shalt descry distress at home, in all that shall gladden Israel, - and there shall not be an elder in thine own house, all the days.

But, any man of thine whom I may not cut off from mine altar, it shall be - to consume his eyes, and grieve his soul; Howbeit, all the multitude of thy house, shall die, by the sword of men.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, According to that which is in my heart and in my soul, will he do; Therefore will I build for him an assured house, and he shall go to and fro in presence of mine Anointed, all the days.

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.

But it came to pass, at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, his eyes, having begun to be dim, he could not see,

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.

In that day, will I confirm against Eli, all that I have spoken against his house, - beginning and finishing.

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.

And Samuel lay until the morning, and rose early in the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, - but, Samuel, feared to tell the appearing, unto Eli.

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

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 Samuel grew, - and, Yahweh, proved to he with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground.

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

And so it was, when the word of Samuel had reached all Israel, that Israel went forth to meet the Philistines in battle, and they encamped near Eben-ezer, while, the Philistines, encamped in Aphek.

So the people sent to Shiloh, and bare from thence the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim, - and, there, were the two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, namely, Hophni and Phinehas.

And so it was, when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, that all Israel brake out into a loud shout of joy, - so that the earth rang again.

Woe to us! Who shall rescue us out of the hand of these majestic gods? These, are the gods, who smote the Egyptians with all manner of smiting in the desert!

And, the ark of God, was taken, - and, the two sons of Eli, were slain, Hophni and Phinehas.

And, when he entered, lo! Eli was sitting upon his chair, by the wayside, watching, for his heart was trembling for the ark of God, - and, the man, entered to tell the news in the city, and all the city made outcry.

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.

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

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?

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 - 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.

Wherefore ye shall make likenesses of your turnouts, and likenesses of your mice that are laying waste the land, and shall, give unto the, God of Israel, glory, - Peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your god, and from off your land.

And the golden mice, by the number of all the cities of the Philistines, pertaining to the five lords, both fortified cities, and country villages, - yea, even the great meadow whereon they rested the ark of Yahweh, until this day, is in the field-land of Joshua, the man of Beth-shemesh.

And so it was, that, from the day the ark came to dwell in Kiriath-jearim, the days multiplied, and became twenty years, - and all the house of Israel went mourning after Yahweh.

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If, with all your heart, ye are returning unto Yahweh, then put away the gods of the foreigner out of your midst, and the Ashtoreths - and firmly set your heart towards Yahweh, and serve him, alone, that he may deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

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

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 Samuel judged Israel, all the days of his life.

And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.

So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, - and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

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.

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.

According to all the doings which they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even until this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so, are they doing even unto thee.

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.

So then Samuel spake all the words of Yahweh unto the people, who were asking of him, a king.

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;

and he will appoint for himself, princes of thousands, and princes of fifties, - and to plough his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and the instruments of his chariots;

And, your daughters, will he take, - as perfumers and as cooks, and as bakers;

And, your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best of them, will he take, and give to his servants;

And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers and to his servants;

And, your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your oxen, even the goodliest, and your asses, will he take, - and put them to his work;

Your flocks, will he tithe, - and, ye yourselves, shall become his servants.

Then will ye make outcry, in that day, because of your king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, - and Yahweh will not answer you, in that day.

so shall, even we, become like all the nations, - and our king shall judge us, and go forth before us, and fight our battles.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, - and spake them in the ears of Yahweh.

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 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.

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.

About this time to-morrow, will I send unto thee, a man out of the land of Benjamin, whom thou shalt anoint, to be leader over my people Israel, and he shall save my people, out of the hand of the Philistines, - for I have looked upon the oppression, because their outcry hath come in unto me.

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.

And, as for the asses that went astray from thee three days ago, do not regard them, for they are found, - but to whom belongeth all that is desirable in Israel? is it not to thee, and to all the house of thy father?

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?

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?

When thou departest, to-day, from me, then shalt thou find two men by the grave of Rachel, within the boundary of Benjamin, in Zelzah, - and they will say unto thee, The asses are found, which thou wentest to seek, and lo! thy father hath abandoned caring for the asses, and is concerned for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

then will they ask thee, of thy welfare, - and give thee two cakes of bread, which thou shalt receive at their hand.

Then will come suddenly upon thee, the Spirit of Yahweh, and thou shalt be moved to prophesy with them, - and shalt be changed into another man.

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 so it was, that, when he turned away to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart, - and all these signs came to pass that day.

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?

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.

And, when Samuel had brought near all the tribes of Israel, then was taken the tribe of Benjamin.

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!

Then Samuel declared unto the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a scroll, and laid it up before Yahweh. And Samuel sent away all the people, every man to his own house.

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.