And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said to her, Do not fear, for you have borne a son. But she did not answer, nor set her heart.

And neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

And the men of Ashdod saw that it was so. And they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us. For His hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our god.

And it happened that they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it happened as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought around the ark of the God of Israel to us in order to kill us and our people.

And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.

And the men that did not die were stricken with the hemorrhoids. And the cry of the city went up to the heavens.

And take the ark of Jehovah and lay it on the cart. And put the jewels of gold which you return to Him for a trespass offering in a box in its side. And send it away so that it may go.

And watch. If it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us. It was a chance that happened to us.

And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen, they returned to Ekron on that day.

And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had come together to Mizpeh. And the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the sons of Israel heard, and they were afraid of the Philistines.

And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease from crying to Jehovah our God for us, so that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And it happened as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But Jehovah thundered with a great noise on that day on the Philistines, and troubled them. And they were beaten before Israel.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, works with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so they do also to you.

And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

And we shall be, also we, like all the nations, so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.

And he said to him, Behold now, in this city is a man of God, and an honorable man. All that he says surely comes to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can declare our way to us, how to go.

Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be leader over My people Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on My people because their cry has come to Me.

And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place. For you shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart.

And Samuel said to the cook, Bring that part which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it beside you.

And the cook took up the shoulder and that on it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is reserved! Set it before you and eat. For until this set time it has been kept for you, since I said, I have invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.

And they arose early. And it happened about the spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, so that I may send you away. And Saul arose, and both of them went out, he and Samuel outside.

They were going down to the end of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to pass on before us and pass on. And you stand still awhile, so that I may cause you to hear the Word of God.

After that you shall come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. And it will happen to you when you come there to the city, even you shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a harp and a tambourine and a flute and a lyre before them. And they shall prophesy.

And it happened when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God changed him with another heart. And all those signs came on that day.

And it happened when all who knew him before saw him, behold, he prophesied among the prophets. And the people said to one another, What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

And Saul's uncle said to him and to his young man, Where did you go? And he said, To look for the asses. And when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel.

And Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But he did not tell him of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel spoke.

And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom Jehovah has 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 to him, Bear with us seven days, so that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then if there is no man to save us, we will come out to you.

And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field. And Saul said, What is wrong with the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

And they said to the messengers that came, So shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

And the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.

And it was so on the next day, Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the middle of the army at the morning watch. And they killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And the ones who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men so that we may put them to death.

And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

And now stand still, so that I may reason with you before Jehovah of all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did to you and to your fathers.

And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, even though Jehovah your God was your King.

Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, and He shall send thunder and rain, so that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, that which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking a king for you.

And Samuel called to Jehovah, And Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Jehovah your God, so that we will not die. For we have added evil to all our sins, to ask a king for us.

Also, I, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah from ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way.

And the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were distressed). And the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and you did not come in the days appointed, and the Philistines gathered themselves at Michmash,

And another company turned the way to Beth-horon. And one company turned the way of the border that looks toward the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

And the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father.

And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. It may be that Jehovah will work for us. For there is no restraint to Jehovah, to save by many or by few.

And his armor-bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart. Turn, for behold, I am with you according to your heart.

And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.

And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also followed them in the battle.

And Jehovah saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth-aven.

And the men of Israel were distressed on that day. For Saul had commanded the people, saying, Cursed is the man that eats food until evening, so that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint.

And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me today.

And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, Let each one bring his ox here, and each man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat. And do not sin against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And each man of all the people brought his ox in his hand that night, and killed them there.

And Saul built an altar to Jehovah. The same was the first altar that he built to Jehovah.

And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do all that seems good to you. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.

And Saul asked counsel of God: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not that day.

And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked out this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die.

Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed.

It repents Me that I have set up Saul to be king. For he has turned back from following Me and has not done My commands. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.

And now please pardon my sin and turn again with me so that I may worship Jehovah.

And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent.

And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.

And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of Jehovah came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

And it happened when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.

And the three oldest sons of Jesse went out, and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third Shammah.

And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be, the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away this shame from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you and take your head from you and give the bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air today, and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

And all this multitude shall know that Jehovah does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is Jehovah's, and He will give you into our hands.

And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the earth.

And David ran and stood on the Philistine, and took out his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled.

And Saul took him that day and would not let him go home to his father's house any more.

And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?

And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a trap to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. And Saul said to David a second time, Today you shall be my son-in-law.

And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And they killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.

And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.

And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened as often as they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious.

And Saul thought to strike David even to the wall with the spear. But he burst forth from Saul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed so that I may kill him.

And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me so, and sent away my enemy so that he has escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you?

And David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel, to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.

And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he lay down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?

And he said to him, Far be it. You shall not die! Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small that he will not show to me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.

And David swore again and said, Your father certainly knows that I have found grace in your eyes. And he said, Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be full of sorrow. But truly as Jehovah lives, and as your soul lives, only a step is between me and death.

And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening.

If your father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked me that he might run to his city Bethlehem. For there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

If he says so, It is well, peace will be to your servant, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him.

And Jonathan said, Far be it from you. For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come on you, then would I not tell you?

And you shall not only show me the kindness of Jehovah while I still live, so that I do not die,