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, unto Hannah, used he to give one portion, - howbeit, Hannah, he loved, although, Yahweh, had restrained her from having children.

And her rival used even to cause her great vexation, for the sake of provoking her, - because Yahweh had restrained her from having children.

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;

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 so it was, when the days had come round during which Hannah was with child, that she bare a son, - and called his name Samuel, Because, of Yahweh, I asked him.

Then took she him up with her, when she had weaned him, with a bullock of three years old, and one ephah of meal, and a skin of wine, and took him to the house of Yahweh, at Shiloh, - the boy yet being young.

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.

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

Thus did Yahweh again appear in Shiloh, - for Yahweh had revealed himself unto Samuel in Shiloh, in the word of 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.

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 it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backwards, at the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died, for, old, was the man, and, heavy, - and, he had judged Israel forty years.

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.

And, when they rose up early in the morning of the morrow, lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh - and, the head of Dagon, and both the palms of his hands, had been cut off against the threshold, only, Dagon himself, was left to him.

And so it was, after they had taken it round, then was the hand of Yahweh against the city, with an exceeding great consternation, and he smote the men of the city, from the least, even unto the greatest, - and they brake out with tumours.

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.

Wherefore, then, should ye make your heart dull, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh made their heart dull! When he had done his great doings upon them, did they not let them go, and they departed?

And, when he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the ark of Yahweh, yea smote of the people seventy men and fifty thousand men, the people mourned, for that Yahweh had smitten the people with a great smiting.

And, when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered themselves together unto Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel, - and, when the sons of Israel heard it, they shrank with fear, from the face of the Philistines.

And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even as far as Gath; even the boundaries thereof, did Israel rescue out of the hand of the Philistines, - thus came there to be peace between Israel and the Amorites.

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.

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

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, when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

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

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.

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.

How that, when Jacob had come into Egypt, - and your fathers had made outcry unto Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and he caused them to dwell in this place;

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

So, the men of Israel, saw they were in a strait, for the people had been harassed, - and the people had hidden themselves in caves, and in thickets, and among cliffs, and in holes, and in pits.

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.

And he waited seven days, by the set time that Samuel had named, but Samuel came not to Gilgal, - and the people were scattered from him.

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,

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.

Howbeit they had a file for the sickles, and the mattocks, and the three-pronged forks, and the axes, - and for setting the goads.

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

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 they two discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines, - and the Philistines said - Lo! Hebrews, coming forth out of the holes, wherein they had hidden themselves.

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, 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.

And, all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves throughout the hill country of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines had fled, and, they also, followed hard after them in the battle.

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, all the land, had entered into the forest, - and there was honey upon the face of the ground.

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?

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 Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said - Peaceably, comest thou?

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.

And the three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle, - and, the names of his three sons who went into the battle, were Eliab the firstborn, and, the next to him, Abinadab, and, the third, Shammah.

So then David rose up early in the morning, and entrusted the sheep to a keeper, and took up the provisions and went his way, as Jesse had commanded him, - and came into the circular rampart, as, the force, was going forth into the ranks, and shouted for the fight.

And David girded his sword above his military coat, but was reluctant to go, for he had not proved them, - so David said unto Saul - I cannot go in these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

Then took he his stick in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the torrent-bed, and put them in the shepherd's-pouch which he had - even in the wallet, and had his sling in his hand, - and so drew near unto the Philistine.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that, the soul of Jonathan, was knit with, the soul of David, so that Jonathan loved him, as his own soul.

And, when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house, - and, David, began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being in Saul's hand,

And Saul feared because of David, - for Yahweh was with him, whereas, from Saul, he had departed.

So then Saul said unto David - Lo! my elder daughter Merab, her, will I give thee to wife, only, approve thyself unto me as a son of valour and fight the battles of Yahweh. Saul, however, had said to himself - Let not, my own hand, be upon him, but let, the hand of the Philistines, be upon him.

So, when his servants told David these words, the thing was right in the eyes of David, to become son-in-law unto the king, - and the days had not expired.

So, David, fled, and escaped, and came in unto Samuel in Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him, - and he and Samuel departed, and dwelt in Naioth.

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

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.

And, when the lad came as far as the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow, beyond, thee?

So the priest gave him hallowed bread , - because there was there no bread, save the Presence-Bread, which had to be removed from before Yahweh, to put hot bread, on the day when it should be taken away.

And there gathered themselves unto him - every one that was in distress, and every one that had a creditor, and every one embittered in soul, and he came to be over them as a prince, - and there were with him, about four hundred men.

So Abiathar told David, - that Saul had slain the priests of Yahweh.

And, when it was told Saul that David had entered Keilah, Saul said - God hath given him over into my hand, for he hath shut himself in by entering into a city with folding doors and bar.

Then arose David and his men, about six hundred, and went forth out of Keilah, and went to and fro, whithersoever they could, - and, unto Saul, it was told that David had escaped out of Keilah, so he forbare to go forth.

Then David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, David, being in the wilderness of Ziph, in the thicket.

Then Saul and his men departed, to seek him ; but it had been told David, and he had gone down the cliff, and taken up his abode in the wilderness of Maon, - and when Saul had, heard it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: Lo! David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, - because he had cut off the corner of the robe which belonged to Saul.

Lo! this day, have thine own eyes seen, how Yahweh had delivered thee up, to-day, into my hand in the cave, and, when one bade me slay thee, I looked with compassion upon thee, - and I said - I will not thrust forth my hand against my lord, for, the Anointed of Yahweh, is he!

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Thy voice, is this, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

Thou, then, hast told to-day, how thou hast dealt with me, for good, - how, when Yahweh had surrendered me into thy hand, thou didst not slay me.

Now there was, a man, in Maon, whose cattle were in Carmel, and, the man, was exceeding great, and, he, had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, - and so it was, that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Now, David, had said - Surely, in vain, did I guard all that pertained to this man in the wilderness, so that there was, nothing, missed of all that he had, - seeing he hath returned to me evil for good.

Nevertheless, by the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath restrained me from harming, thee, surely, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, there had not been left unto Nabal, by the light of the morning, so much as a little boy.

So David received at her hand, that which she had brought him, - and, unto herself, he said - Go up, in peace, unto thy house, see! I have hearkened unto thy voice, and accepted thy person.

And, when Abigail came unto Nabal, lo! he, had a banquet in his house, like the banquet of a king, and, the heart of Nabal, was glad accordingly, he having drunk deeply, - so she told him nothing - less or more, until the light of the morning.

And it came to pass, in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, and his wife told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.

Saul, indeed, had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, - to Palti, sun of Laish, who was of Gallim.

David therefore sent runners, - and took knowledge that Saul had come, for a certainty.

So then David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped, and David saw the place where Saul was lying, with Abner, son of Ner, prince of his host, - and, Saul, was lying within the circular trench, with, the people, encamped round about him.

So David took the spear, and the cruse of water, from near the head of Saul, and they went their way, - and no man saw, and no man knew, and no man awoke, for all of them were sleeping, for, a deep sleep from Yahweh, had fallen upon them.

And, when it was told Saul, that David had fled to Gath, he added no more, to seek him.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid against the Geshurites and the Gizrites and the Amalekites, - for, they, were the inhabitants of the land who had been from age-past times, as thou enterest Shur, even as far as the land of Egypt.

Now, Samuel, was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city, - Saul, moreover had put away them who had familiar spirits and them who were oracles, out of the land.

Then Saul hastened, and fell prostrate - the whole length of him - to the earth, and was sore afraid, at the words of Samuel, and indeed, no, strength, was left in him, for he had not eaten food all the day and all the night.

Now, the woman, had a calf fattening, in the shed. So she hastened, and sacrificed it, - and took meal, and kneaded, and baked thereof, unleavened cakes;

And it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that, the Amalekites, had made a raid into the South, and into Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, from small even unto great, they had not put one to death, - but had driven them forth, and gone their way.

So, when David and his men came to the city, lo! it was burnt with fire, - and, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, had been taken captive.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice, and wept, - until they had no more strength to weep.

And, the two wives of David, had been taken captive, - Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite.