and, she being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto Yahweh, and, wept sore.

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.

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

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:

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.

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.

Then sent they the ark of God to Ekron, - and so it was, when the ark of God entered Ekron, that the Ekronites made outcry, saying - They have brought round unto me the ark of the God of Israel, to slay me, and my people!

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, he, had a son, whose name, was Saul, a choice young man and of noble appearance, and there was not a man of the sons of Israel, more noble than he, - from his shoulders and upwards, was he taller than any of the people.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 took Saul and his young man, and brought them into the guest-chamber, - and gave them a place at the head of them who were bidden, they being about thirty persons.

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.

And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.

And it came to pass, at the uprisings of the dawn, that Samuel called unto Saul on the house-top, saying, Arise! that I may send thee away. So Saul arose, and they two, he and Samuel, went forth abroad.

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.

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, when he had brought near the tribe of Benjamin, by their families, then was taken the family of Matri, - and, when he had brought near the family of Matri, man by man, then was taken Saul the son of Kish; so they sought him, but he was not to be found.

Yea, even Saul, went to his own house, at Gibeah, - and the valiant men whose heart God had moved went with him.

And, when the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spake the words in the ears of the people, all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

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.

And the Spirit of God came suddenly upon Saul, when he heard these words, - and his anger raged furiously.

So he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout all the bounds of Israel by the hand of messengers - saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul, and after Samuel, so, shall it be done unto his oxen. Then felt the dread of Yahweh, upon the people, and they came forth, as one man.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul set the people in three companies, and they entered into the midst of the host, during the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the day was hot. And it came to pass that, they who were left, were scattered, so that there were not left among them, two together.

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.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king there, before Yahweh, in Gilgal, and offered there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Yahweh, - and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced there, exceedingly.

Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; and, when he had reigned two years over Israel,

Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel, of whom there were with Saul, two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel, and, a thousand, were with Jonathan, in Gibeah of Benjamin, - but, the rest of the people, he let go, every man to his own home.

Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it, - and, Saul, blew with a horn throughout all the land saying, Let the Hebrews hear!

And, all Israel, heard say - Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines, Moreover, also, Israel have made themselves odious among the Philistines, - so the people were called together to follow Saul, to Gilgal.

And, Hebrews, had passed over the Jordan, to the land of Gad, and Gilead, - but, Saul, was yet in Gilgal, and all the people, trembled after him.

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

And it came to pass, as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice, lo! Samuel, had come, - and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him.

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,

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;

And Samuel arose, and ascended from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

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.

Thus would it come to pass, in the day of battle, that there was found - neither sword nor spear, in the hand of any of the people, that were with Saul and Jonathan, but such were found belonging to Saul and to Jonathan his son.

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.

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 the scouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and lo! the camp, melted away, hither and thither.

Then said Saul unto the people who were with him: Number, I pray you, and see who hath departed from us. So they numbered; and lo! Jonathan and his armour-bearer were missing.

Then said Saul unto Ahijah, Bring near the ark of God; for the ark of God was, on that day, in the midst of the sons of Israel.

And it came to pass, as soon as Saul had spoken unto the priest, that, the tumultuous noise that was in the camp of the Philistines, went on and on, increasing. Then said Saul unto the priest, - Withdraw thy hand.

And Saul and all the people that were with him gathered themselves together, and came as far as the host, - and lo! the sword of every man was against his fellow, an exceeding great confusion.

And, the Hebrews who had aforetime belonged to the Philistines, who had come up with them in the host, even they, turned round so as to be with Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.

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.

And they told Saul, saying, Lo! the people, are sinning against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And he said - Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me, here, a great stone.

And Saul said - Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them - Bring near unto me every man his ox,, and every man his lamb, and slay them here, and then eat, so shall ye not sin against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And all the people brought near - every man that which was in his hand, that night, and they slew them there.

And Saul built an altar unto Yahweh, - the same, was the first altar that he built unto Yahweh.

Then said Saul - Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and make of them a prey until the morning light, and let us not leave of them, a man. And they said, All that is good in thine eyes, do! Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

So Saul asked of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not, that day.

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.

Then said he unto all Israel - Ye, shall be on one side, and, I and Jonathan my son, will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, What is good in thine eyes, do!

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 Saul said, Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. Then was, Jonathan, taken.

And Saul said unto Jonathan, Come tell me, what thou hast done. So Jonathan told him, and said, I, just tasted, with the end of the staff that was in my hand, a little honey, here I am - I must die!

Then said Saul: So, may God do, and, so, may he add, surely thou must, die, Jonathan!

But the people said unto Saul - Shall, Jonathan, die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! By the life of Yahweh, there shall not fall a hair of his head to the ground, for, with God, hath he wrought this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.

Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, - and, the Philistines, departed unto their own place.

And, Saul, took possession of the kingdom over Israel, - and made war round about against all his enemies - against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and, whomsoever he turned against, he was victorious.

And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua, - and, the names of his two daughters, were, the name of the firstborn, Merab, and, the name of the younger, Michal, -

and, the name of Saul's wife, was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, - and the name of the prince of his host, Abner, son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

And, Kish, was Saul's father, and, Ner, Abner's father, was son of Abiel.

And the war was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul, - and, whensoever Saul saw any mighty man, or any son of valour, he drew him unto himself.

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.

So then Saul called together the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, - and ten thousand men of Judah.

And Saul came as far as the city of Amalek, - and stirred up strife in the ravine.

Then said Saul unto the Kenites - Go, depart, get you down out of the midst of the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, yet, ye, dealt in lovingkindness, with all the sons of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed out of the midst of the Amalekites.

And Saul smote Amalek, - from Havilah, till thou enterest Shur, which is over against Egypt.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and the oxen and the lambs, also the fatlings, and all that was good, and would not devote them to destruction, - but, all the cattle that was contemptible and diseased, that, devoted they to destruction.

I am grieved that I made Saul to be king, for he hath turned back from following me, and, my words, hath he not established. And it was vexing to Samuel, so that he made outcry unto Yahweh, all the night.

And Samuel rose early to meet Saul, in the morning, and it was told Samuel, saying - Saul having come to Carmel, and lo! having set him up a sign, hath gone round, and passed over, and descended to Gilgal.

And Samuel came unto Saul, - and Saul said unto him - Blessed, be thou by Yahweh: I have established the word of Yahweh.

Then said Saul - From the Amalekites, have they brought them in; in that the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God, - but, the rest, have we devoted to destruction.

Then said Samuel unto Saul, Stay, and let me tell thee, that which Yahweh hath spoken unto me, this night. And he said to him - Speak.

And Saul said unto Samuel - As indeed I have hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh, and have been on the journey on which Yahweh sent me, - and have brought in Agag, king of Amalek, and, the Amalekites, have I devoted to destruction.

Then said Saul unto Samuel - I have sinned; for I have transgressed the bidding of Yahweh, and thy words, - for I feared the people, and hearkened unto their voice.

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not turn again with thee, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath Yahweh rejected thee from being king over Israel.

So then Samuel turned again, after Saul - and Saul bowed down unto Yahweh.

Then Samuel departed unto Ramah, - but, Saul, went up unto his own house, at Gibeah of Saul.

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.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel - How long, art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that, I, have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me, among his sons, a king.

And Samuel said, How can I go? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer, take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come.

But, the spirit of Yahweh, departed from Saul, - and there terrified him a sad spirit, from Yahweh.