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?

And Samuel said to the cook, Set on the portion that I gave thee, - of which I said unto thee, Put it by thee.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and placed it before Saul, and said - Lo! the part reserved! Set it before thee and eat, for, unto the time appointed, hath it been kept for thee, since the time that I said, The people, have I bidden. So Saul did eat with Samuel, on that day.

And it came to pass, at the uprisings of the dawn, that Samuel called unto Saul on the house-top, saying, Arise! that I may send thee away. So Saul arose, and they two, he and Samuel, went forth abroad.

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 took Samuel a flask of oil, and poured out upon his head, and kissed him, - and said - Is it not, that Yahweh hath anointed thee over his inheritance, as leader?

After that, shalt thou come unto the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines, - and it shall be, as thou comest in thither into the city, thou shalt light upon a band of prophets, coming down from the high place, and, before them, a harp, and a timbrel, and a flute, and a lyre, they having been moved to prophesy.

And so it was, that, when he turned away to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart, - and all these signs came to pass that day.

And it came to pass, that, all who knew him aforetime, looked, and lo! with the prophets, he did prophesy. So the people said, one to another - What, now, hath befallen the son of Kish? Is, even Saul, among the prophets?

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 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.

and said unto the sons of Israel - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel: I myself, brought up Israel, out of Egypt, - and rescued you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that distressed you.

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!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Lo! I have hearkened unto your voice, in all that ye said to me, - and have set over you a king.

And he said unto them - Witness, is Yahweh against you, and, witness, is his Anointed, this day, that ye have not found in my hand, any thing! And they said: Witness!

How that, when Jacob had come into Egypt, - and your fathers had made outcry unto Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and he caused them to dwell in this place;

But, when they made outcry unto Yahweh and said - We have sinned, in that we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, - now, therefore, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve thee,

But, when ye saw that, Nahash king of the sons of Ammon, came upon you, then said ye unto me, Nay! but, a king, shall reign over us, when, Yahweh your God, was your king!

If ye will revere Yahweh, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the bidding of Yahweh, then shall, both ye and your king that reigneth over you, continue to follow after Yahweh your God.

Is it not wheat harvest, to-day? I will cry unto Yahweh, that he may give forth thunderings and rain, - know ye then and see, that, your wrong, is great which ye have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves, a king.

So Samuel cried unto Yahweh, and Yahweh gave forth thunderings and rain, on that day, - and all the people greatly feared Yahweh, and Samuel.

And all the people said unto Samuel - Pray for thy servants, unto Yahweh thy God, and let it not be that we die, - For we have added, to all our sins, a wrong, in asking for ourselves a king.

and turn not aside after vanities, that can neither profit nor deliver, because, vanities, they are.

As for me also, far be it from me, that I should sin against Yahweh, by ceasing to pray for you, - but I will direct you, in the good and right way.

Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it, - and, Saul, blew with a horn throughout all the land saying, Let the Hebrews hear!

And, the Philistines, gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, a people also like the sand that is on the sea-shore for multitude, - and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

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 it came to pass, as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice, lo! Samuel, had come, - and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him.

Then said Samuel - What hast thou done? And Saul said - Because I saw that the people had been scattered from me, and, thou, hadst not come within the appointed days, and, the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to Michmash,

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.

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.

and, the second company, turned unto the way of Beth-horon, - and, the third company, turned unto the way of the boundary that overlooketh the valley of Zeboim, towards the wilderness.

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 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;

and, Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, was priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod, - and, the people, knew not that Jonathan had departed.

And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart, - decide for thyself (lo! I am with thee!), according to thine own heart.

Then said Saul unto Ahijah, Bring near the ark of God; for the ark of God was, on that day, in the midst of the sons of Israel.

And it came to pass, as soon as Saul had spoken unto the priest, that, the tumultuous noise that was in the camp of the Philistines, went on and on, increasing. Then said Saul unto the priest, - Withdraw thy hand.

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.

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.

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.

Howbeit they smote the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, - but the people became exceeding 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.

And Saul built an altar unto Yahweh, - the same, was the first altar that he built unto Yahweh.

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.

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.

And Saul said unto Jonathan, Come tell me, what thou hast done. So Jonathan told him, and said, I, just tasted, with the end of the staff that was in my hand, a little honey, here I am - I must die!

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.

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.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and the oxen and the lambs, also the fatlings, and all that was good, and would not devote them to destruction, - but, all the cattle that was contemptible and diseased, that, devoted they to destruction.

I am grieved that I made Saul to be king, for he hath turned back from following me, and, my words, hath he not established. And it was vexing to Samuel, so that he made outcry unto Yahweh, all the night.

Then said Saul - From the Amalekites, have they brought them in; in that the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God, - but, the rest, have we devoted to destruction.

Then said Samuel unto Saul, Stay, and let me tell thee, that which Yahweh hath spoken unto me, this night. And he said to him - Speak.

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?

Wherefore, then, didst thou not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh, - but didst rush upon the spoil, and do that which was wrong in the sight of Yahweh?

Then said Samuel - Doth that which is pleasing unto Yahweh consist in ascending-offerings and sacrifices, So much as in hearkening unto the voice of Yahweh? Lo! to hearken, is, better, than, sacrifice. And, to give heed, than, the fat of rams;

Now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, - and turn again with me, that I may bow down unto Yahweh.

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 Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said - Peaceably, comest thou?

And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab, - and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed.

And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.

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.

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

Now, David, was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose, name, was Jesse, and, who, had eight sons, - and, the man, in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.

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.

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?

And the people answered him, according to this word saying, - So, shall it be done to the man that shall smite him.

Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, - then was kindled the anger of Eliab against David, and he said - Wherefore is it that thou hast come down? and to whom hast thou entrusted those few sheep in the wilderness? I, know thy pride, and the foolishness of thy heart, for, to see the battle, hast thou come down.

Then said the Philistine unto David, A dog, am, I, that thou art coming unto me, with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David, by his god.

And the Philistine said unto David, - Come, unto me, that I may give thy flesh to the birds of heaven, and to the beasts of the field.

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;

and that all this gathered host may know that, not with sword and with spear, doth Yahweh save, - for, unto Yahweh, belongeth the battle, and he will deliver you into our hand.

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.

And David thrust his hand into his pouch, and took from thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine, in his forehead, - that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face, to the earth.

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 it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that, the soul of Jonathan, was knit with, the soul of David, so that Jonathan loved him, as his own soul.

And Saul took him, that day, - and suffered him not to return unto the house of his father.

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.

And the women that made merry responded to each other in song, and said, - Saul, hath smitten, his thousands, but, David, his, tens of thousands.

And Saul was eyeing David from that day forward.

And, when it came to pass, on the morrow, that a superhuman spirit of sadness came suddenly upon Saul, and he was moved to raving in the midst of the house, - and, David, began playing with his hand, as he had done day by day, that a spear being in Saul's hand,

And it came to pass that David, in all his ways, acted prudently, - and, Yahweh, was with him.

And, when Saul saw that, he, was acting very prudently, he was afraid of him.

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?

But it came to pass, within the time for giving Merab daughter of Saul to David, that, she, was given to Adriel the Meholathite, to wife.

And Saul said to himself - I will give her unto him, that she may prove to him a snare, and that, the hand of the Philistines, may be upon him. So then Saul said unto David, A second time, mayest thou become my son-in-law to-day.

And the servants of Saul spake, in the ears of David, these words. And David said - Seemeth it a light thing, in your eyes, to become son-in-law to the king, seeing that, I, am a poor man and lightly esteemed?