And there was a certain man, of Ramathaim-zuphi, of the hill country of Ephraim, - whose name, was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite;

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

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.

And, the custom of the priests with the people, was - when any man offered a sacrifice, then would come the priests young man, as the flesh was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand;

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 so it was, that, the sin of the young men, was exceeding great, before Yahweh, - for men scorned the offerings of Yahweh.

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.

But, the boy Samuel, went on growing in stature, and in favour, - both with Yahweh, and also with men.

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.

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.

And the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and, when the battle spread, then was Israel smitten before the Philistines, - and there were slain of the army in the field about four thousand men.

Take courage, and quit yourselves like men, ye Philistines, lest ye come into bondage to the Hebrews, as they have been in bondage unto you, - therefore must ye quit yourselves like men, and fight.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his home; and the slaughter became exceeding great, - and there fell of Israel - thirty thousand footmen.

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and entered Shiloh on the same day, - with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

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.

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?

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.

And, when the men of Ashdod saw that, so, it was, then kept they saying, Let not the ark of the God of Israel abide with us, for, hard, is his hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

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.

And, the men who died not, were smitten with the tumours, - so the cry of the city for help, ascended the heavens.

The men, therefore, did so, and took two milch kine, and fastened them in the waggon, - but, their calves, shut they up in the shed.

And the kine went straight along the road, on the way to Beth-shemesh, yea, along the main highway, they went, lowing as they went, turning not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, the lords of the Philistines, went along after them, as far as the bounds of Beth-shemesh.

And, the waggon, entered into the field of Joshua, a man of Beth-shemesh, and stood still, there, where also, was a great stone, - so they clave into pieces the planks of the waggon, and, the kine, offered they up as an ascending-sacrifice, unto Yahweh.

And, the Levites, took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, wherein were the jewels of gold, and put them upon the great stone, - and, the men of Beth-shemesh, caused to go up ascending-offerings and offered sacrifices, that day, unto Yahweh.

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, 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.

Then said the men of Beth-shemesh, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and, unto whom, shall he go up from us?

Then came the men of Kiriath-jearim and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab, in the hill, - and, Eleazar his son, hallowed they, to guard the ark of Yahweh.

And the men of Israel went forth out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, - and smote them as far as under Beth-car.

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;

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.

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;

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.

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.

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.

Beforetime, in Israel, thus, said a man when he went to enquire of God, Come and let us go as far as the seer, - for, the prophet of to-day, used to be called, beforetime, the seer.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 shalt thou pass on quickly from thence onwards, and come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there shall find thee there, three men going up unto God, at Bethel, - one, carrying three kids, and, another, carrying three cakes of bread, and, another, carrying a skin of wine;

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.

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, 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.

Then asked they again of Yahweh, Hath there yet to come in hither a man? And Yahweh said, Lo! he, hath hid himself among the stores.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, when he numbered them in Bezek, the sons of Israel were found to be - three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

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.

So the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow, will we come out unto you, - Then shall ye do with us, according to all that is good in your eyes.

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.

Behold me! testify against me, before Yahweh, and before his Anointed - Whose, ox, have I taken? or whose, ass, have I taken? or whom have I oppressed? Whom have I crushed? or at whose, hands, have I taken a bribe, to cover up mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it unto you.

And they said, Thou hast not oppressed us, neither hast thou crushed us, - neither hast thou taken, at the hand of any man, any thing.

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.

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.

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.

So all Israel went down to the Philistines, - to sharpen every man his share, and his mattock, and his axe, and his sickle.

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;

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.

Then said Jonathan, Lo! we, are crossing over unto the men, - and will discover ourselves unto them.

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.

And the first smiting wherewith Jonathan and his armour-bearer smote, was about twenty men, - within, as it were, half a furrow's length of a yoke of land.

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, 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.

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.

Then responded one from among the people, and said - With an oath, did thy father charge the people, saying - Cursed, be the man that eateth food to-day! And so the people were faint.

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.

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.

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.

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 Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep, in mine ears, - and the lowing of oxen, which I can hear?

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 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.

Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man, skilled in playing on the lyre, - so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand, and thou shalt be joyful.

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.