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.

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.

Now, the sons of Eli, were abandoned men, - they knew not Yahweh.

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;

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.

And, the ark of God, was taken, - and, the two sons of Eli, were slain, Hophni and Phinehas.

Now, Eli, was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were fixed, that he could not see.

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

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 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, when Samuel was offering up the ascending-sacrifice, the Philistines, drew near to fight against Israel, - but Yahweh thundered with a great noise throughout that day, over the Philistines, and confused them, and they were smitten before Israel.

So the Philistines were subdued, and, no more, came within the boundary of Israel, - and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines, all the days of Samuel.

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 the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, - they were judges in Beer-sheba.

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

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.

They were going up the ascent of the city, when they found young women, coming out to draw water, - so they said unto these, Is, the seer, in this place?

So they went up into the city. As they were entering into the midst of the city, lo! Samuel, coming out over against them, to ascend the high place.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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, 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.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

But, Jonathan, heard not his father putting the people on oath, so he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honey-copse, - and brought back his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened.

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 unto Yahweh - O God of Israel! now set forth the truth. Then were, Jonathan and Saul, taken, and, the people, escaped.

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 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, the Philistines, were standing near the hill on one side, and, the Israelites, were standing near the hill on the other side, - while, the valley, was between them.

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and feared exceedingly.

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.

Now, Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, ready to fight with the Philistines.

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.

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

But, all Israel and Judah, were in love with David, - for he was going out and coming in before them.

So then Jonathan spake of David things that were good, unto Saul his father, - and said unto him - May the king not sin against his servant - against David; for he hath not sinned against, thee, nay, indeed, his doings have been good to theeward exceedingly.

So Saul sent messengers to take David, but, when they saw the assembly of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, then came the Spirit of God upon the messengers of Saul, and, they also, were, moved to prophesy.

And, when they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, then were, they also, moved to prophesy. And, when Saul again sent messengers a third time, then were, they also, moved to prophesy.

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!

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.

And, when Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him - Saul, being seated in Gibeah under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants stationed by him, -

then said Saul unto his servants who were stationed by him - Hear, I pray you, ye Benjamites! What! even to all of you, will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards? All of you, will he appoint to be princes of thousands, and princes of hundreds?

Then the king sent to call Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father - the priests, who were in Nob, - and they came, all of them, unto the king.

And the king said unto the runners that were stationed by him - Turn ye round and put to death the priests of Yahweh, because, their hand also, is with David, and because they knew that he was, in flight, and unveiled not mine ear. But the servants of the king were not willing to thrust forth their hand, to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.

So they arose and departed to Ziph, before Saul, - but, David and his men, were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, to the right of Jeshimon.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and, David and his men, on that side of the mountain, - wherefore David became hurried, to get away from the presence of Saul, but, Saul and his men, were surrounding David and his men, to capture then:

And Samuel died, and all Israel were gathered together, and made lamentation for him, and buried him within his own house, in Ramah, - and David arose and went down into the wilderness of Maon.

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, therefore, have I heard that thou hast shearers, - Well, the shepherds that thou hast, have been with us, we reproached them not, neither missed they, anything, all the days they were in Carmel.

But, the men, were exceeding good to us, - and we were not harmed, neither missed we, anything, all the days we went to and fro with them, while we were in the fields:

A wall, became they unto us, both by night and by day, all the days we were with them, tending the flock.

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 David arose, and he and the six hundred men that were with him passed over, unto Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

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.

Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts, towards Aphek, - and, the Israelites, were encamping by the fountain, that is in Jezreel.

And, the lords of the Philistines, were passing on by hundreds, and by thousands, - but, David and his men, were passing on in the rear, with Achish.

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.

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

And David was in sore distress, for the people had spoken of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were embittered, every man for his own sons and for his own daughters, - but David emboldened himself in Yahweh his God.

So David went, he, and the six hundred men, who were with him, and they came in as far as the ravine of Besor, - where, they who had to be left behind, stayed.

But David pursued, he. and four hundred men, - but the two hundred men stayed, because they were too wearied to cross over the ravine of Besor.

So he brought him down, and lo! they were left to themselves over the face of all the land, - eating, and drinking, and dancing around, for all the great spoil which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

And David came unto the two hundred men, who had been too wearied to follow David, and whom they had suffered to remain at the ravine of Besor, - and they came forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him, and when David came near unto the people, they enquired of his success.

to them who were in Bethel, and to them who were in Ramoth of the South, and to them who were in Jattir,

and to them who were in Aroer, and to them who were in Siphmoth, and to them who were in Eshtemoa,

and to them who were in Racal, and to them who were in the cities of the Jerameelites, and to them who were in the cities of the Kenites,

and to them who were in Hormah, and to them who were in Cor-ashan, and to them who were in Athach,

and to them who were in Hebron, - and to all the places where David had been to and fro, he and his men.

Now, as, the Philistines, were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain, in Mount Gilboa.

And, when the men of Israel who were across the vale, and who were across the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled, and the Philistines entered, and took up their abode therein.