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 they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, - and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.

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.

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.

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.

There is none holy like Yahweh, Nay! there, is none, except Thee, Nor, is, there a rock, like our God.

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:

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;

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.

And Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons, and two daughters. Thus did the boy Samuel grow up with 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.

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;

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.

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.

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 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.

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 the Philistines were afraid, for they said - God hath come into the camp. And they said - Woe to us! for there hath not happened the like of this, heretofore.

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.

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?

Now, therefore, take and get ready, one new waggon, and two milch kine, whereon hath never come yoke, - then shall ye fasten the kine in the waggon, and withdraw their calves from them, into the shed;

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 they put the ark of Yahweh, into the waggon, - also the coffer, with the mice of gold, and the likenesses of their tumours.

Now, they of Beth-shemesh, were reaping their wheat-harvest in the vale, - so they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to meet it.

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.

So they gathered themselves unto Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said, there, We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.

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, his returning, was to Ramah, for, there, was his house, and, there, judged he Israel, - so he built there an altar unto Yahweh.

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.

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.

And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not, - then passed they through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, then passed he through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

But Saul said, There shall not be put to death a man, this day, - for, to-day, hath Yahweh wrought deliverance in Israel.

Then said Samuel unto the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, - and let us there renew the kingdom.

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.

And, when they forgat Yahweh their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, prince of the host of Jabin, king of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them;

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 the spoilers came forth out of the camp of the Philistines, in three companies, the first company, turned unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;

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

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, between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over up to the garrison of the Philistines, there was a crag of rock on the one side, and a crag of rock on the other side; and, the name of the one, was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh.

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.

And there came to be a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the outposts and the spoilers, they too, trembled, - and the earth quaked, so it became a preternatural trembling.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

And the Philistines gathered together their hosts, unto battle, and they were gathered together unto Socoh, which belongeth unto Judah, - and they encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim;

And there came forth a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, Goliath, his name, from Gath, - his height, six cubits and a span;

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.

But, as for David, he, was the youngest, - and, the three eldest, followed Saul;

also these ten slices of soft cheese, shalt thou take to the captain of their thousand, - and, as for thy brethren, give good heed to their welfare, their pledge, also shalt thou receive.

And David said, What have I done, now? Was there not, a cause?

Then said David unto Saul, Thy servant used to tend his father's sheep, - and there would come a lion, or a bear, and carry off a lamb out of the flock;

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine, with the sling and with the stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, - but, sword, was there none in the hand of David.

So David ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off, therewith, his head, - and, when the Philistines saw that their hero was slain, they fled.

And the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines, - and plundered their camps.

But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king, - with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.

Wherefore David arose, and went - he and his men, and smote among the Philistines two hundred men, and David brought in their foreskins, and gave them in full tale unto the king, that he might become son-in-law unto the king, and Saul gave him Michal his daughter, to wife.

then came there a sad spirit of Yahweh unto Saul, he being in his house, seated, with his spear in his hand, - while, David, played with his hand,

So Michal let down David, through the window, and he departed and fled, and escaped.

And he said unto him - Far be it! thou shalt not die. Lo! my father doeth nothing, great or small, without unveiling mine ear, - wherefore, then, should my father hide from me, this thing? There is, nothing, in this.

But David sware yet further, and said - Thy father, doth know, that I have found favour in thine eyes, therefore saith he, - Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he grieve; but, indeed, by the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, surely there is but as it were a step betwixt me and death!

If thy father, enquire, for me, then shalt thou say - David, did ask leave, of me, to run to Bethlehem, his own city, for, a yearly sacrifice, is to be held there for all the family.

Thus shalt thou do a lovingkindness for thy servant, for, into a covenant of Yahweh, hast thou brought thy servant, with thee, - But, if there is in me transgression, put me to death, thyself, for, unto thy father, wherefore shouldst thou bring me in?

Then said Jonathan unto David - Witness be Yahweh God of Israel, that I will sound my father about this time to-morrow or the third day, and lo! if there he good towards David, will I not, then, send unto thee, and unveil thine ear?

and, when thou hast tarried three days, thou shalt come down quickly and enter the place, where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the deed, and shall remain by the side of this mound.

And, as for me - three arrows to the side, will I shoot, - as though I shot at a mark.

And lo! I will send the boy saying , Go, find the arrow! If I, say, to the boy - Lo! the arrows, are on this side of thee - take them, then come, for there is peace for thee, and no cause for fear , by the life of Yahweh.

As soon as, the lad, was gone, David, arose from beside the South, and fell on his face to the earth, and bowed himself down three times, - and they kissed each other, and wept over each other, until, David, exceeded.

Now, therefore, what is there under thy hand? Five loaves, give thou into my hand, - or, whatever can be found.

And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, - but, hallowed bread, there is, if the young men have kept themselves, at least from women.

And David answered the priest and said to him - Of a truth, women, have been withheld from us, of late, through my coming out, and the wallets of the young men have become hallowed, - while the bread , itself, is in a manner common, and the more so since, to-day, there are other loaves to be hallowed, in the vessel.