that Yahweh called unto Samuel, and he said - Behold me!

So he ran unto Eli and said - Behold me! for thou calledst me. And he said - I called not, return - Its down. So he went, and lie down.

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 again Yahweh called - Samuel! a third time. Then he arose, and went unto Eli, and said - Behold me! for thou calledst me. Then did Eli perceive, that, Yahweh, was calling the boy.

So Eli said to Samuel - Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call unto thee, that thou shalt say - Speak, Yahweh, for thy servant is listening. And Samuel went, and lay down in his place.

Therefore do I tell him, that I am about to judge his house unto times age-abiding, for the iniquity which he knoweth, in that his sons are cursing God, and he hath not rebuked them.

So Eli called Samuel, and said - Samuel! my son. And he said - Behold me!

And he said - What is the word, which he spake unto thee? I pray thee, do not hide it from me. So, let God do to thee, and, so, let him add, if thou hide from me a word, out of anything which he hath spoken unto thee.

So Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said, Yahweh, he is; what is good in his own eyes, let him do.

And Samuel grew, - and, Yahweh, proved to he with him, and let none of all his words fall to the ground.

And, when he entered, lo! Eli was sitting upon his chair, by the wayside, watching, for his heart was trembling for the ark of God, - and, the man, entered to tell the news in the city, and all the city made outcry.

And, when Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said - What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And, the man, hasted, and came, and told Eli.

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

So the man said unto Eli, I, am he that came in from the army, yea, I, from the army, fled to-day. And he said - What is the thing that hath happened, my son?

And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backwards, at the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died, for, old, was the man, and, heavy, - and, he had judged Israel forty years.

Then was the hand of Yahweh heavy against them of Ashdod, and he astounded them, - and smote with tumours Ashdod and her bounds.

And so it was, after they had taken it round, then was the hand of Yahweh against the city, with an exceeding great consternation, and he smote the men of the city, from the least, even unto the greatest, - and they brake out with tumours.

Wherefore ye shall make likenesses of your turnouts, and likenesses of your mice that are laying waste the land, and shall, give unto the, God of Israel, glory, - Peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your god, and from off your land.

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?

Then shall ye look - if, by the way of its own boundary, it goeth up to Beth-shemesh, he, it was who caused us this great affliction, - but, if not, then shall we know that it was not, his hand, that smote us, a chance, it was, that befell us.

And the kine went straight along the road, on the way to Beth-shemesh, yea, along the main highway, they went, lowing as they went, turning not aside, to the right hand or to the left. And, the lords of the Philistines, went along after them, as far as the bounds of Beth-shemesh.

And, when he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the ark of Yahweh, yea smote of the people seventy men and fifty thousand men, the people mourned, for that Yahweh had smitten the people with a great smiting.

Then said the men of Beth-shemesh, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and, unto whom, shall he go up from us?

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If, with all your heart, ye are returning unto Yahweh, then put away the gods of the foreigner out of your midst, and the Ashtoreths - and firmly set your heart towards Yahweh, and serve him, alone, that he may deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

And the sons of Israel said unto Samuel, Do not turn in silence from us, from making outcry unto Yahweh our God, - that he would save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he used to take his journey, from year to year, and go round to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, - and used to judge Israel, at all these places.

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

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;

And he said, This, will be the manner of the king who will reign over you, - Your sons, will he take and appoint for himself, as his charioteers and as his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

and he will appoint for himself, princes of thousands, and princes of fifties, - and to plough his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and the instruments of his chariots;

And, your daughters, will he take, - as perfumers and as cooks, and as bakers;

And, your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best of them, will he take, and give to his servants;

And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers and to his servants;

And, your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your oxen, even the goodliest, and your asses, will he take, - and put them to his work;

Your flocks, will he tithe, - and, ye yourselves, shall become his servants.

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.

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.

And he said to him: Lo! I pray thee, a man of God, liveth in this city, and, the man, is held in honour, all that he saith, surely cometh to pass. Now, let us go thither; peradventure he may tell us our way, whereon we should have gone.

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.

Beforetime, in Israel, thus, said a man when he went to enquire of God, Come and let us go as far as the seer, - for, the prophet of to-day, used to be called, beforetime, the seer.

And the young women answered them and said: He is, lo! before you now, even as, to-day, hath he entered the city, for the people have a sacrifice, to-day, in the high place.

As ye enter the city, so, shall ye surely find him, ere yet he shall go up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he hath come, for, he, doth bless the sacrifice, after that, will they eat who have been bidden. Now, therefore, go up, for, about this very time, shall ye surely find him.

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.

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 Samuel answered Saul, and said - I, am, the seer! Go up before me, to the high place, so shall ye eat with me, to-day, - and I will let thee go in the morning, and, all that is in thy heart, will I tell thee.

And, when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spread a couch for Saul upon the house-top, and he lay down.

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.

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, 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.

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?

And, when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

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.

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.

So they ran, and fetched him thence, and, when he presented himself in the midst of the people, then was he seen to be taller than any of the people, from his shoulders and upwards.

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.

And the Spirit of God came suddenly upon Saul, when he heard these words, - and his anger raged furiously.

So he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout all the bounds of Israel by the hand of messengers - saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul, and after Samuel, so, shall it be done unto his oxen. Then felt the dread of Yahweh, upon the people, and they came forth, as one man.

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.

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 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!

Now, therefore, take your stand and let me plead with you, before Yahweh, - and tell you all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he wrought with you, and with your fathers:

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;

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;

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.

Only, revere Yahweh, and serve him in truth, with all your heart, - for see, what great things he hath done with you.

Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; and, when he had reigned two years over Israel,

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 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.

Then said Saul, Bring near unto me, the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings. And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

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.

And Samuel said unto Saul - Thou hast shewn thyself foolish, - thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee, for, now, would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding;

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.

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 said Jonathan: My father hath afflicted the land, - See, I pray you, how my own eyes have been brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

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 they told Saul, saying, Lo! the people, are sinning against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And he said - Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me, here, a great stone.

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

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!

Then said Saul: So, may God do, and, so, may he add, surely thou must, die, Jonathan!

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 the war was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul, - and, whensoever Saul saw any mighty man, or any son of valour, he drew him unto himself.

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.

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.

And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, - but, all the people, devoted he to destruction at the edge of the sword.

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

For, as the sin of divination, is, rebelliousness, - and, as transgression with household gods, is, stubbornness, - Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, therefore hath he rejected thee from being king.

And, when Samuel turned about to go away, then laid he hold of the skirt of his robe, and it was rent.

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.