Thus did Yahweh, on that day, save Israel, - and, the battle, passed over by Beth-aven.

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 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.

Then said he unto all Israel - Ye, shall be on one side, and, I and Jonathan my son, will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, What is good in thine eyes, do!

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

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.

And, Saul, took possession of the kingdom over Israel, - and made war round about against all his enemies - against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and, whomsoever he turned against, he was victorious.

Then made he ready a force, and smote the Amalekites, - and delivered Israel out of the hand of such as plundered them.

And Samuel said unto Saul, It was, me, Yahweh sent to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel, - now, therefore, hearken thou to the voice of Yahweh's words.

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.

Then said Saul unto the Kenites - Go, depart, get you down out of the midst of the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, yet, ye, dealt in lovingkindness, with all the sons of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed out of the midst of the Amalekites.

And Samuel said, Was it not, when, little, thou wast in thine own eyes, that thou wast made, head of the tribes of Israel, - and that Yahweh anointed thee to be king over Israel?

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not turn again with thee, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath Yahweh rejected thee from being king over Israel.

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.

Moreover also, the Eminence of Israel, will not lie, neither will he repent, - For no, iron of earth, is, he, to repent!

Then he said: I have sinned, Now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, - and turn again with me, then will I bow down unto Yahweh thy God.

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 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.

and, Saul and the men of Israel, gathered themselves together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the army in array against the Philistines.

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:

And the Philistine said - I, reproach the ranks of Israel, this day, - give me a man, that we may fight together.

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

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

So Israel and the Philistines set in array for battle, army against army.

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?

Then said David unto the Philistine - Thou, art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin, - but, I, am coming unto thee in the name of Yahweh of hosts, God of the ranks of Israel which thou hast reproached.

This day, will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee, and will give thy dead body and the dead bodies of the host of Philistines, this day, unto the birds of heaven, and unto the wild beasts of the earth, - that all the earth may know that Israel hath a God;

Then arose the men of Israel and Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, as far as the entrance into Gath, and as far as the gates of Ekron, - and the slain of the Philistines fell in the way to the two gates, even as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.

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.

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

And David said unto Saul - Who am, I, or who are my kinsfolk, the family of my father, in Israel, - that I should become son-in-law, to the king?

And Saul saw and knew that, Yahweh, was with David, and that, all Israel, loved him.

And, when he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Yahweh wrought a great victory for all Israel, thou sawest, and didst rejoice. Wherefore, then, shouldst thou sin against innocent blood by putting David to death, without cause?

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?

Then said David: O Yahweh, God of Israel, thy servant, hath heard, that Saul is seeking to come unto Keilah, - to destroy the city, for my sake:

Will the owners of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, I pray thee, tell thy servant. And Yahweh said - He will come down.

and said unto him, - Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, but, thou, shalt become king over Israel, and, I, shall be, next, unto thee, yea and, Saul my father, knoweth this.

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men, out of all Israel, - and went to seek David and his men, over the face of the rocks of the mountain-goats.

After whom, hath the king of Israel come forth? After whom, art thou in pursuit? After a dead dog! after a single flea!

Now, therefore, lo! I know that thou, shalt indeed become king, - and that the kingdom of Israel, shall be established in thy hand.

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.

And it shall be, when Yahweh shall do for my lord, according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, - and shall put thee in charge as leader over Israel,

Then said David unto Abigail, - Blessed, be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day, to meet me;

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.

Then Saul arose, and went down into the wilderness of Ziph, and, with him, three thousand chosen men of Israel, - to seek David in the wilderness of Zip.

And David said unto Abner - Art not thou, a man? Who indeed is like thee, in Israel? Wherefore, then, hast thou not kept watch over thy lord, the king? For one of the people hath entered, to destroy the king - thy lord.

Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth, away from the presence of Yahweh, - for the king of Israel hath come out to hunt for a single flea, as when one pursueth a partridge among the mountains.

And David said, unto his own heart, Now, shall I be swept off, in a single day, by the hand of Saul, - there is nothing for me better than that I, escape, into the land of the Philistines, so shall Saul give up seeking for me any more, in any of the bounds of Israel, so shall I escape out of his hand.

And Achish believed in David, saying, - He hath made himself, odious, unto his own people, unto Israel, therefore shall he be my servant all his life long.

And it came to pass, in those days, when the Philistines gathered together their hosts for war, to fight with Israel, that Achish said unto David, Thou must, know, that, with me, shalt thou go forth in the host, thou and thy men.

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.

So then the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came in, and encamped in Shunem, - and Saul gathered together all Israel, and they encamped in Gilboa.

that Yahweh may deliver, Israel also, with thee, into the hand of the Philistines, and, to-morrow, thou and thy sons with thee are about to fall, - the host of Israel also, will Yahweh deliver, into the hand of the Philistines.

Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews doing ? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines - Is not this David, servant of Saul king of Israel, who hath been with me this year, or two, and I have found in him nothing, from the day of his coming over unto me unto this day?

And so it came to pass, from that day forward, that he appointed it, for a statute and for a custom unto Israel, until this day.

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.

And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.

And they lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, - for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes - slain! How have fallen - the mighty!

Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, - who clothed you in crimson, decked with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!

and made him king for Gilead, and for the Ashurites, and for Jezreel, - and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over, all Israel.

Forty years old, was Ish-bosheth son of Saul, when he began to reign over Israel, and, two years, reigned he, - but, the house of Judah, followed David.

So the battle became exceeding obstinate, on that day, - and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.

So Joab blew with the horn, and all the people stood still, and they neither pursued Israel further, - nor fought any more.

by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul, - and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba.

So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, saying - Whose, is the land? Saying also - Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel.

Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, - In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.

Now, therefore, act, - for Yahweh, spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant, will I save my people Israel, out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin, - and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David, in Hebron, all that was pleasing in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.

Then said Abner unto David - I will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israel - that they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he departed in peace.

So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner.

And the king said unto his servants, - Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?

Now, when Ish-bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his hands became feeble, - and, all Israel, were dismayed.

Then came all the tribes of Israel unto David, in Hebron, - and spake, saying - Behold us! thy bone and thy flesh, we are.

Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou, wast he that led out and brought in, Israel, - and Yahweh said to thee - Thou, shalt be shepherd unto my people, Israel, and, thou, shalt become leader over Israel.

So all the elders of Israel came unto the king, in Hebron, and King David solemnised to them a covenant in Hebron, before Yahweh, - and they anointed David to be king over Israel.

in Hebron, reigned he over Judah, seven years, and six months, - and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years, over all Israel and Judah.

So David perceived that Yahweh had established him to be king over Israel, - and that he had exalted his kingdom, for the sake of his people Israel.

And, when the Philistine heard that they had anointed David to be king over Israel, then came up all the Philistines to seek to secure David, and David heard of it, and went down into the citadel.

And David, once more, gathered together all the choice young men in Israel, thirty thousand.

And, David and all the house of Israel, were dancing for joy before Yahweh, with all boldness and with songs, - and with lyres, and with harps, and with timbrels, and with sistrums, and with cymbals.

So, David and all the house of Israel, were bringing up the ark of Yahweh, - with triumphant shoutings, and with the sound of a horn.

And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and to women - to every one, a loaf of bread, and a sweet drink, and a raisin-cake, - and all the people went their way, every one unto his own house;

and David returned, to bless his household. Then came forth Michal Saul's daughter to meet David, and said - How honoured, to-day, was the king of Israel in disrobing himself to-day, in the sight of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the low people, might disrobe himself?

And David said unto Michal, Before Yahweh, I will dance, - blessed, be Yahweh, who made choice of me above thy father, and above all his house, putting me in charge as leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel, - therefore will I dance before Yahweh;

seeing that I have not dwelt in a house, since the day that I brought up the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even unto this day, - but have been wandering in a tent as my habitation?

Wheresoever I have wandered with any of the sons of Israel, spake I ever, a word, with any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I charged to shepherd my people Israel, saying, - Wherefore have ye not built me a house, of cedar?

Now, therefore, thus, shalt thou say unto my servant, unto David: Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, I myself, took thee away from the pasture, from after the flock, - to become leader over my people, over Israel;

and will appoint a place for my people, for Israel, and will plant them, and they shall inhabit their place, and be unsettled no more, - neither shall the sons of perversity again humiliate them, as at first;

even from the day when I put judges in charge over my people Israel, thus will I give thee rest from all thine enemies. And Yahweh must tell thee that, a house, will Yahweh make for thee.

Who, then, is like thy people, like Israel, a nation alone in the earth? whom God went to redeem for himself as a people, so to make himself a name, and to do for you the great deed, fearful things also for thy land, to make way for thy people, whom thou hadst redeemed for thyself, out of Egypt, dealing with nations and their god's;

and hast established for thyself thy people Israel - for thyself as a people, unto times age-abiding, - thou thyself, also, O Yahweh, becoming their God.

that thy name may be age-abidingly magnified, saying, Yahweh of hosts, is God over Israel, and so, the house of thy servant David, be established before thee.

For, thou, O Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, hast unveiled the ear of thy servant, saying - A house, will I build for thee. For this cause, hath thy servant found in his heart, to pray unto thee, this prayer.

And David reigned over all Israel, - and so it was that David used to execute justice and righteousness for all his people;