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.

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

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.

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.

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.

For this boy, I prayed, - And Yahweh hath given me my petition which I asked of him.

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.

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.

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.

Also, a little robe, used his mother to make for him, and bring it up to him, from year to year, - when she came up with her husband, to offer the sacrifice of the year.

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.

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.

And it shall be, that, any that is left in thy house, shall come bowing down to him for a small coin of silver, and for a cake of bread, and shall say: Appoint me, I pray thee, to one of the priestly offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.

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

Therefore do I tell him, that I am about to judge his house unto times age-abiding, for the iniquity which he knoweth, in that his sons are cursing God, and he hath not rebuked them.

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

And, when they of Ashdod rose early on the morrow and entered into the house of Dagon, they looked and lo! Dagon, was lying prostrate on his face to the earth, before the ark of Yahweh, - so they took Dagon and restored him to his place.

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 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.

and ye shall take the ark of Yahweh, and place it in the waggon, also, the jewels of gold which ye send back to him as a guilt-offering, shall ye put into a coffer, at the side thereof, - so shall ye let it go, and it shall depart.

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.

So Samuel took one sucking lamb, and offered it up, as an entire ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh, - and Samuel made outcry unto Yahweh, for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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 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, when they came thither to the hill, lo! a band of prophets coming to meet him, - then came suddenly upon him, the Spirit of God, and he was moved to prophesy in their midst.

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 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 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.

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 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.

So they ran, and fetched him thence, and, when he presented himself in the midst of the people, then was he seen to be taller than any of the people, from his shoulders and upwards.

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!

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

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.

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.

If ye will revere Yahweh, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the bidding of Yahweh, then shall, both ye and your king that reigneth over you, continue to follow after Yahweh your God.

Only, revere Yahweh, and serve him in truth, with all your heart, - for see, what great things he hath done with you.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

So Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and, his armour-bearer, followed him, - and they fell before Jonathan, and, his armour-bearer, was slaying after him.

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.

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.

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.

For, by the life of Yahweh, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, yet shall he, die. But there was none ready to answer him, of all the people.

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!

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.

Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I have well considered what Amalek did unto Israel - how he lay in wait for him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.

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.

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 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 Samuel said unto him, Yahweh hath rent the kingdom of Israel from off thee, to-day, - and will give it unto a neighbour of thine, who is better than thou.

Then said Samuel - Bring ye near unto me - Agag, king of Amalek, And Agag came unto him, in fetters. Then said Agag, Surely, terrible, is the bitterness of death!

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.

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.

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?

But Yahweh said unto Samuel - Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him, - for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For, man, looketh to the outward appearance, but, Yahweh, looketh to the heart.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel, - and he said, Neither of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.

Then said Samuel unto Jesse - Are these all the young men? And he said - There yet remaineth, the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse - Do, send, and summon him, for we cannot sit round, until he cometh in hither.

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.

And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.

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

Then said the servants of Saul unto him, - Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee:

And Saul said unto his servants, - I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto me.

Then responded one of the young men and said - Lo! I have seen - a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and, Yahweh, is with him.

And David came in unto Saul, - and stood before him, - and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.

And so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre, and play with his hand, - and Saul would be refreshed, and be joyful, and, the sad spirit, would depart from him.

and, the shaft of his spear, was like a weaver's beam, and, the flashing head of his spear, was six hundred shekels of iron, - and, his shield-bearer, was coming on before him.

And he took his stand, and cried unto the ranks of Israel, and said unto them, Wherefore should ye come out, to set in array for battle? Am not, I, a Philistine, while, ye, are servants unto Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down unto me:

If he prevail in fighting with me, and smite me, then will we become your servants, - but, if, I, prevail over him, and smite him, then shall ye become our servants, and serve, us.

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.

Then David entrusted the provisions that were upon him to the care of the keeper of the stores, and ran unto the ranks, - and came and asked for the welfare of his brethren.

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

And the men of Israel said - Have ye seen this man that is coming up? For, to reproach Israel, is he coming. So then it shall be, that, the man that shall smite him, the same, will the king enrich with great riches, and, his own daughter, will give him, and, his father's house, will he make free in Israel.

Then spake David unto the men that were standing by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that shall smite yonder Philistine, and so shall take away reproach from off Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of a Living God?

And the people answered him, according to this word saying, - So, shall it be done to the man that shall smite him.

Then turned he from him unto another, and said - according to this word, - and the people returned him an answer, like the first.

And the words which David spake were overheard, - and, when they told them before Saul, he summoned him.

And David said unto Saul, Let not the heart of my lord fail, because of him, - thy servant, will go, and fight with this Philistine.