1:1Now there was a certain man of Ramatayim-Tzofim, of the hill-country of Efrayim, and his name was Elkana, the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Tzuf, an Efratite: 1:2and he had two wives; the name of the one was Channah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Channah had no children. 1:3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of `Eli, Chofni and Pinechas, kohanim to the LORD, were there. 1:4When the day came that Elkana sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 1:5but to Channah he gave a double portion; for he loved Channah, but the LORD had shut up her womb. 1:6Her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 1:7as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 1:8Elkana her husband said to her, Channah, why weep you? and why don't you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better to you than ten sons? 1:9So Channah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now `Eli the kohen was sitting on his seat by the door-post of the temple of the LORD. 1:10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept sore. 1:11She vowed a vow, and said, the LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a man-child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come on his head. 1:12It happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that `Eli marked her mouth. 1:13Now Channah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore `Eli thought she had been drunken. 1:14`Eli said to her, How long will you be drunken? put away your wine from you. 1:15Channah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD. 1:16Don't count your handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. 1:17Then `Eli answered, Go in peace; and the God of Yisra'el grant your petition that you have asked of him. 1:18She said, Let your handmaid find favor in your sight. So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression wasn't sad any more. 1:19They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkana knew Channah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 1:20It happened, when the time was come about, that Channah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Shemu'el, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. 1:21The man Elkana, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 1:22But Channah didn't go up; for she said to her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide forever. 1:23Elkana her husband said to her, Do what seems you good; wait until you have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him. 1:24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one efah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. 1:25They killed the bull, and brought the child to `Eli. 1:26She said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. 1:27For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him: 1:28therefore also I have granted him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is granted to the LORD. He worshiped the LORD there.
2:1Channah prayed, and said:
My heart exults in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD;
My mouth is enlarged over my enemies;
Because I rejoice in your salvation.
2:2There is none holy as the LORD;
For there is none besides you,
Neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
Don't let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the LORD is a God of knowledge,
By him actions are weighed.
2:4The bows of the mighty men are broken;
Those who stumbled are girded with strength.
2:5Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread;
Those who were hungry have ceased to hunger:
Yes, the barren has borne seven;
She who has many children languishes.
2:6The LORD kills, and makes alive:
He brings down to She'ol, and brings up.
2:7The LORD makes poor, and makes rich:
He brings low, he also lifts up.
2:8He raises up the poor out of the dust,
He lifts up the needy from the dunghill,
To make them sit with princes,
Inherit the throne of glory:
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,
He has set the world on them.
2:9He will keep the feet of his holy ones;
But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;
For by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10Those who strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces;
Against them will he thunder in the sky:
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
He will give strength to his king,
Exalt the horn of his anointed.
2:11Elkana went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister to the LORD before `Eli the kohen. 2:12Now the sons of `Eli were base men; they didn't know the LORD. 2:13The custom of the kohanim with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the kohen's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand; 2:14and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the kohen took therewith. So they did in Shiloh to all the Yisra'elim who came there. 2:15Yes, before they burnt the fat, the kohen's servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the kohen; for he will not have boiled flesh of you, but raw. 2:16If the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say, No, but you shall give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 2:17The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for the men despised the offering of the LORD. 2:18But Shemu'el ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen efod. 2:19Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 2:20`Eli blessed Elkana and his wife, and said, the LORD give you seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of the LORD. They went to their own home. 2:21The LORD visited Channah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Shemu'el grew before the LORD. 2:22Now `Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Yisra'el, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting. 2:23He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people. 2:24No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: you make the LORD's people to disobey. 2:25If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they didn't listen to the voice of their father, because the LORD was minded to kill them. 2:26The child Shemu'el grew on, and increased in favor both with the LORD, and also with men. 2:27There came a man of God to `Eli, and said to him, Thus says the LORD, Did I reveal myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house? 2:28and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Yisra'el to be my kohen, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an efod before me? and did I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Yisra'el made by fire? 2:29Why kick you at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Yisra'el my people? 2:30Therefore the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now the LORD says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 2:31Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man in your house. 2:32You shall see the affliction of my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Yisra'el; and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 2:33The man of yours, whom I shall not cut off from my altar, shall be to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 2:34This shall be the sign to you, that shall come on your two sons, on Chofni and Pinechas: in one day they shall die both of them. 2:35I will raise me up a faithful kohen, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my anointed forever. 2:36It shall happen, that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Please put me into one of the kohanim' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
3:1The child Shemu'el ministered to the LORD before `Eli. The word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 3:2It happened at that time, when `Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3:3and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Shemu'el had laid down to sleep, in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was; 3:4that the LORD called Shemu'el; and he said, Here am I. 3:5He ran to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I didn't call; lie down again. He went and lay down. 3:6The LORD called yet again, Shemu'el. Shemu'el arose and went to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered, I didn't call, my son; lie down again. 3:7Now Shemu'el didn't yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him. 3:8The LORD called Shemu'el again the third time. He arose and went to `Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. `Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 3:9Therefore `Eli said to Shemu'el, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, the LORD; for your servant hears. So Shemu'el went and lay down in his place. 3:10The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Shemu'el, Shemu'el. Then Shemu'el said, Speak; for your servant hears. 3:11The LORD said to Shemu'el, Behold, I will do a thing in Yisra'el, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 3:12In that day I will perform against `Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 3:13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn't restrain them. 3:14Therefore I have sworn to the house of `Eli, that the iniquity of `Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever. 3:15Shemu'el lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Shemu'el feared to show `Eli the vision. 3:16Then `Eli called Shemu'el, and said, Shemu'el, my son. He said, Here am I. 3:17He said, "What is the thing that the LORD has spoken to you? Please don't hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you." 3:18Shemu'el told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. He said, It is the LORD: let him do what seems him good. 3:19Shemu'el grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 3:20All Yisra'el from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva knew that Shemu'el was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 3:21The LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed himself to Shemu'el in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1The word of Shemu'el came to all Yisra'el. Now Yisra'el went out against the Pelishtim to battle, and encamped beside Even-Ha`ezer: and the Pelishtim encamped in Afek. 4:2The Pelishtim put themselves in array against Yisra'el: and when they joined battle, Yisra'el was struck before the Pelishtim; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men. 4:3When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Yisra'el said, Why has the LORD struck us today before the Pelishtim? Let us get the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4:4So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits above the Keruvim: and the two sons of `Eli, Chofni and Pinechas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 4:5When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Yisra'el shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 4:6When the Pelishtim heard the noise of the shout, they said, What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 4:7The Pelishtim were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore. 4:8Woe to us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness. 4:9Be strong, and behave yourselves like men, O you Pelishtim, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 4:10The Pelishtim fought, and Yisra'el was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Yisra'el thirty thousand footmen. 4:11The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of `Eli, Chofni and Pinechas, were slain. 4:12There ran a man of Binyamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with dirt on his head. 4:13When he came, behold, `Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 4:14When `Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What means the noise of this tumult? The man hurried, and came and told `Eli. 4:15Now `Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. 4:16The man said to `Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. He said, How went the matter, my son? 4:17He who brought the news answered, Yisra'el is fled before the Pelishtim, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Chofni and Pinechas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 4:18It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that `Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Yisra'el forty years. 4:19His daughter-in-law, Pinechas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came on her. 4:20About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Don't be afraid; for you have brought forth a son. But she didn't answer, neither did she regard it. 4:21She named the child Ikhavod, saying, The glory is departed from Yisra'el; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 4:22She said, The glory is departed from Yisra'el; for the ark of God is taken.
5:1Now the Pelishtim had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Even-Ha`ezer to Ashdod. 5:2The Pelishtim took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 5:3When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 5:4When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off on the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 5:5Therefore neither the kohanim of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day. 5:6But the hand of the LORD was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders of it. 5:7When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Yisra'el shall not abide with us; for his hand is sore on us, and on Dagon our god. 5:8They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Pelishtim to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Yisra'el? They answered, Let the ark of the God of Yisra'el be carried about to Gat. They carried the ark of the God of Yisra'el there. 5:9It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them. 5:10So they sent the ark of God to `Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to `Ekron, that the `Ekroni cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Yisra'el to us, to kill us and our people. 5:11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Pelishtim, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Yisra'el, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 5:12The men who didn't die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
6:1The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Pelishtim seven months. 6:2The Pelishtim called for the kohanim and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
6:3They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Yisra'el, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."
6:4Then they said, "What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him?"
They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Pelishtim; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 6:5Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Yisra'el: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6:6Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed? 6:7Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cattle, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cattle to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 6:8and take the ark of the LORD, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go. 6:9Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then 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."
6:10The men did so, and took two milk cattle, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; 6:11and they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. 6:12The cattle took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Pelishtim went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh. 6:13They of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 6:14The cart came into the field of Yehoshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cattle for a burnt offering to the LORD. 6:15The Levi'im took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to the LORD. 6:16When the five lords of the Pelishtim had seen it, they returned to `Ekron the same day. 6:17These are the golden tumors which the Pelishtim returned for a trespass-offering to the LORD: for Ashdod one, for `Aza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gat one, for `Ekron one; 6:18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Pelishtim belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, which stone remains to this day in the field of Yehoshua the Beth-shemite. 6:19He struck of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the teivah of the LORD, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter. 6:20The men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 6:21They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiryat-Ye`arim, saying, The Pelishtim have brought back the ark of the LORD; come you down, and bring it up to you.
7:1The men of Kiryat-Ye`arim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Avinadav in the hill, and sanctified El`azar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 7:2It happened, from the day that the ark abode in Kiryat-Ye`arim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Yisra'el lamented after the LORD. 7:3Shemu'el spoke to all the house of Yisra'el, saying, If you do return to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the `Ashtarot from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Pelishtim. 7:4Then the children of Yisra'el did put away the Ba`alim and the `Ashtarot, and served the LORD only. 7:5Shemu'el said, Gather all Yisra'el to Mitzpah, and I will pray for you to the LORD. 7:6They gathered together to Mitzpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. Shemu'el judged the children of Yisra'el in Mitzpah. 7:7When the Pelishtim heard that the children of Yisra'el were gathered together at Mitzpah, the lords of the Pelishtim went up against Yisra'el. When the children of Yisra'el heard it, they were afraid of the Pelishtim. 7:8The children of Yisra'el said to Shemu'el, "Don't cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Pelishtim." 7:9Shemu'el took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering to the LORD: and Shemu'el cried to the LORD for Yisra'el; and the LORD answered him. 7:10As Shemu'el was offering up the burnt offering, the Pelishtim drew near to battle against Yisra'el; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Pelishtim, and confused them; and they were struck down before Yisra'el. 7:11The men of Yisra'el went out of Mitzpah, and pursued the Pelishtim, and struck them, until they came under Beit-Kar. 7:12Then Shemu'el took a stone, and set it between Mitzpah and Shen, and called the name of it Even-Ha`ezer, saying, Hitherto has the LORD helped us. 7:13So the Pelishtim were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Yisra'el: and the hand of the LORD was against the Pelishtim all the days of Shemu'el. 7:14The cities which the Pelishtim had taken from Yisra'el were restored to Yisra'el, from `Ekron even to Gat; and the border of it did Yisra'el deliver out of the hand of the Pelishtim. There was shalom between Yisra'el and the Amori. 7:15Shemu'el judged Yisra'el all the days of his life. 7:16He went from year to year in circuit to Beit-El and Gilgal, and Mitzpah; and he judged Yisra'el in all those places. 7:17His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Yisra'el: and he built there an altar to the LORD.
8:1It happened, when Shemu'el was old, that he made his sons judges over Yisra'el. 8:2Now the name of his firstborn was Yo'el; and the name of his second, Aviyah: they were judges in Be'er-Sheva. 8:3His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 8:4Then all the elders of Yisra'el gathered themselves together, and came to Shemu'el to Ramah; 8:5and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 8:6But the thing displeased Shemu'el, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Shemu'el prayed to the LORD. 8:7The LORD said to Shemu'el, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8:8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. 8:9Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them. 8:10Shemu'el told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king. 8:11He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; 8:12and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 8:13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 8:14He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 8:15He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 8:16He will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 8:17He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. 8:18You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you in that day. 8:19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Shemu'el; and they said, No: but we will have a king over us, 8:20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 8:21Shemu'el heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 8:22The LORD said to Shemu'el, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Shemu'el said to the men of Yisra'el, Go you every man to his city.
9:1Now there was a man of Binyamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Aviel, the son of Tzeror, the son of Bekhorat, the son of Afiach, the son of a Binyamini, a mighty man of valor. 9:2He had a son, whose name was Sha'ul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Yisra'el a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 9:3The donkeys of Kish, Sha'ul's father, were lost. Kish said to Sha'ul his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys. 9:4He passed through the hill-country of Efrayim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn't find them: then they passed through the land of Sha`alim, and there they weren't there: and he passed through the land of the Binyamini, but they didn't find them. 9:5When they had come to the land of Tzuf, Sha'ul said to his servant who was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us. 9:6He said to him, See now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes surely to pass: now let us go there; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. 9:7Then said Sha'ul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 9:8The servant answered Sha'ul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9:9(In earlier times in Yisra'el, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he who is now called a Prophet was before called a Seer.) 9:10Then said Sha'ul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. 9:11As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here? 9:12They answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he is come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place: 9:13as soon as you are come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he does bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat who are invited. Now therefore get you up; for at this time you shall find him. 9:14They went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold, Shemu'el came out toward them, to go up to the high place. 9:15Now the LORD had revealed to Shemu'el a day before Sha'ul came, saying, 9:16Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Binyamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Yisra'el; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Pelishtim: for I have looked on my people, because their cry is come to me. 9:17When Shemu'el saw Sha'ul, the LORD said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people. 9:18Then Sha'ul drew near to Shemu'el in the gate, and said, Tell me, Please, where the seer's house is. 9:19Shemu'el answered Sha'ul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today: and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 9:20As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don't set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Yisra'el? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house? 9:21Sha'ul answered, Am I not a Binyamini, of the smallest of the tribes of Yisra'el? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Binyamin? why then speak you to me after this manner? 9:22Shemu'el took Sha'ul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 9:23Shemu'el said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it by you. 9:24The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Sha'ul. Shemu'el said, Behold, that which has been reserved! set it before you and eat; because to the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, I have invited the people. So Sha'ul ate with Shemu'el that day. 9:25When they were come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Sha'ul on the housetop. 9:26They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day, that Shemu'el called to Sha'ul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send you away. Sha'ul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Shemu'el, abroad. 9:27As they were going down at the end of the city, Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand you still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.
10:1Then Shemu'el took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, Isn't it that the LORD has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? 10:2When you are departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Binyamin at Tzeltzach; and they will tell you, The donkeys which you went to seek are found; and, behold, your father has left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 10:3Then shall you go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tavor; and there shall meet you there three men going up to God to Beit-El, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 10:4and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. 10:5After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Pelishtim: and it shall happen, when you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: 10:6and the Spirit of the LORD will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 10:7Let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you. 10:8You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shall you wait, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do. 10:9It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Shemu'el, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. 10:10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them. 10:11It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Sha'ul also among the prophets? 10:12One of the same place answered, Who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Sha'ul also among the prophets? 10:13When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 10:14Sha'ul's uncle said to him and to his servant, Where went you? He said, To seek the donkeys; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Shemu'el. 10:15Sha'ul's uncle said, Tell me, Please, what Shemu'el said to you. 10:16Sha'ul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Shemu'el spoke, he didn't tell him. 10:17Shemu'el called the people together to the LORD to Mitzpah; 10:18and he said to the children of Yisra'el, Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, I brought up Yisra'el out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you: 10:19but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands. 10:20So Shemu'el brought all the tribes of Yisra'el near, and the tribe of Binyamin was taken. 10:21He brought the tribe of Binyamin near by their families; and the family of the Matri was taken; and Sha'ul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. 10:22Therefore they asked of the LORD further, Is there yet a man to come here? the LORD answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the baggage. 10:23They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 10:24Shemu'el said to all the people, "You see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?"
All the people shouted, and said, Long live the king. 10:25Then Shemu'el told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. Shemu'el sent all the people away, every man to his house. 10:26Sha'ul also went to his house to Gevah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched. 10:27But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his shalom.
11:1Then Nachash the `Ammonite came up, and encamped against Yavesh-Gil`ad: and all the men of Yavesh said to Nachash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you. 11:2Nachash the `Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Yisra'el. 11:3The elders of Yavesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Yisra'el; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to you. 11:4Then came the messengers to Gevah of Sha'ul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 11:5Behold, Sha'ul came following the oxen out of the field; and Sha'ul said, What ails the people that they weep? They told him the words of the men of Yavesh. 11:6The Spirit of God came mightily on Sha'ul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 11:7He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Yisra'el by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Sha'ul and after Shemu'el, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 11:8He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Yisra'el were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehudah thirty thousand. 11:9They said to the messengers who came, Thus shall you tell the men of Yavesh-Gil`ad, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance. The messengers came and told the men of Yavesh; and they were glad. 11:10Therefore the men of Yavesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you. 11:11It was so on the next day, that Sha'ul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the `Ammonim until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 11:12The people said to Shemu'el, Who is he who said, Shall Sha'ul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 11:13Sha'ul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the LORD has worked deliverance in Yisra'el. 11:14Then said Shemu'el to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 11:15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Sha'ul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before the LORD; and there Sha'ul and all the men of Yisra'el rejoiced greatly.
12:1Shemu'el said to all Yisra'el, Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 12:2Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 12:3Here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 12:4They said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man's hand. 12:5He said to them, the LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness. 12:6Shemu'el said to the people, It is the LORD who appointed Moshe and Aharon, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 12:7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 12:8When Ya`akov was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moshe and Aharon, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 12:9But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Chatzor, and into the hand of the Pelishtim, and into the hand of the king of Mo'av; and they fought against them. 12:10They cried to the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Ba`alim and the `Ashtarot: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you. 12:11The LORD sent Yerubba`al, and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shemu'el, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12:12When you saw that Nachash the king of the children of `Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king. 12:13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and, behold, the LORD has set a king over you. 12:14If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the mitzvah of the LORD, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God, well: 12:15but if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the mitzvah of the LORD, then will the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 12:16Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 12:17Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. 12:18So Shemu'el called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Shemu'el. 12:19All the people said to Shemu'el, Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 12:20Shemu'el said to the people, "Don't be afraid; you have indeed done all this evil; yet don't turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart: 12:21and don't turn aside; for then would you go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 12:22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people to himself. 12:23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 12:24Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 12:25But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king."
13:1Sha'ul was forty years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Yisra'el, 13:2Sha'ul chose him three thousand men of Yisra'el, of which two thousand were with Sha'ul in Mikhmash and in the Mount of Beit-El, and one thousand were with Yonatan in Gevah of Binyamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 13:3Yonatan struck the garrison of the Pelishtim that was in Geva: and the Pelishtim heard of it. Sha'ul blew the shofar throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 13:4All Yisra'el heard say that Sha'ul had struck the garrison of the Pelishtim, and also that Yisra'el was had in abomination with the Pelishtim. The people were gathered together after Sha'ul to Gilgal. 13:5The Pelishtim assembled themselves together to fight with Yisra'el, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Mikhmash, eastward of Beit-Aven. 13:6When the men of Yisra'el saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. 13:7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Yarden to the land of Gad and Gil`ad; but as for Sha'ul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 13:8He stayed seven days, according to the set time that Shemu'el had appointed: but Shemu'el didn't come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 13:9Sha'ul said, Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace-offerings. He offered the burnt offering. 13:10It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Shemu'el came; and Sha'ul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 13:11Shemu'el said, What have you done? Sha'ul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn't come within the days appointed, and that the Pelishtim assembled themselves together at Mikhmash; 13:12therefore said I, Now will the Pelishtim come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering. 13:13Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, You have done foolishly; you have not kept the mitzvah of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom on Yisra'el forever. 13:14But now your kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you. 13:15Shemu'el arose, and got him up from Gilgal to Gevah of Binyamin. Sha'ul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 13:16Sha'ul, and Yonatan his son, and the people who were present with them, abode in Geva of Binyamin: but the Pelishtim encamped in Mikhmash. 13:17The spoilers came out of the camp of the Pelishtim in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ofrat, to the land of Shual; 13:18and another company turned the way to Beit-Choron; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Tzevo`im toward the wilderness. 13:19Now there was no smith found throughout all Eretz-Yisra'el; for the Pelishtim said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 13:20but all the Yisra'elim went down to the Pelishtim, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; 13:21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 13:22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Sha'ul and Yonatan: but with Sha'ul and with Yonatan his son was there found. 13:23The garrison of the Pelishtim went out to the pass of Mikhmash.
14:1Now it fell on a day, that Yonatan the son of Sha'ul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Pelishtim' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he didn't tell his father. 14:2Sha'ul abode in the uttermost part of Gevah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 14:3and Achiyah, the son of Achituv, Ikhavod's brother, the son of Pinechas, the son of `Eli, the kohen of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an efod. The people didn't know that Yonatan was gone. 14:4Between the passes, by which Yonatan sought to go over to the Pelishtim' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Botzetz, and the name of the other Senneh. 14:5The one crag rose up on the north in front of Mikhmash, and the other on the south in front of Geva. 14:6Yonatan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us; for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. 14:7His armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you, behold, I am with you according to your heart. 14:8Then said Yonatan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves to them. 14:9If they say thus to us, Wait until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 14:10But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for the LORD has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign to us. 14:11Both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Pelishtim: and the Pelishtim said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 14:12The men of the garrison answered Yonatan and his armor bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. Yonatan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me; for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Yisra'el. 14:13Yonatan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Yonatan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14:14That first slaughter, which Yonatan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land. 14:15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling. 14:16The watchmen of Sha'ul in Gevah of Binyamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went here and there. 14:17Then said Sha'ul to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. When they had numbered, behold, Yonatan and his armor bearer were not there. 14:18Sha'ul said to Achiyah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Yisra'el. 14:19It happened, while Sha'ul talked to the kohen, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Pelishtim went on and increased: and Sha'ul said to the kohen, Withdraw your hand. 14:20Sha'ul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great confusion. 14:21Now the Hebrews who were with the Pelishtim as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Yisra'elim who were with Sha'ul and Yonatan. 14:22Likewise all the men of Yisra'el who had hid themselves in the hill-country of Efrayim, when they heard that the Pelishtim fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 14:23So the LORD saved Yisra'el that day: and the battle passed over by Beit-Aven. 14:24The men of Yisra'el were distressed that day; for Sha'ul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food. 14:25All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 14:26When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 14:27But Yonatan didn't hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 14:28Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint. 14:29Then said Yonatan, My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 14:30How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now has there been no great slaughter among the Pelishtim. 14:31They struck of the Pelishtim that day from Mikhmash to Ayalon. The people were very faint; 14:32and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 14:33Then they told Sha'ul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. He said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone to me this day. 14:34Sha'ul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against the LORD in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there. 14:35Sha'ul built an altar to the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built to the LORD. 14:36Sha'ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtim by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the kohen, Let us draw near here to God. 14:37Sha'ul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Pelishtim? will you deliver them into the hand of Yisra'el? But he didn't answer him that day. 14:38Sha'ul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 14:39For, as the LORD lives, who saves Yisra'el, though it be in Yonatan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 14:40Then said he to all Yisra'el, Be you on one side, and I and Yonatan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Sha'ul, Do what seems good to you. 14:41Therefore Sha'ul said to the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Show the right. Yonatan and Sha'ul were taken by lot; but the people escaped. 14:42Sha'ul said, Cast lots between me and Yonatan my son. Yonatan was taken. 14:43Then Sha'ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what you have done. Yonatan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die. 14:44Sha'ul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Yonatan. 14:45The people said to Sha'ul, Shall Yonatan die, who has worked this great salvation in Yisra'el? Far from it: as the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Yonatan, that he didn't die. 14:46Then Sha'ul went up from following the Pelishtim; and the Pelishtim went to their own place. 14:47Now when Sha'ul had taken the kingdom over Yisra'el, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Mo'av, and against the children of `Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Tzovah, and against the Pelishtim: and wherever he turned himself, he put them to the worse. 14:48He did valiantly, and struck the `Amaleki, and delivered Yisra'el out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 14:49Now the sons of Sha'ul were Yonatan, and Yishvi, and Malki-Shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merav, and the name of the younger Mikhal: 14:50and the name of Sha'ul's wife was Achino'am the daughter of Achima`atz. The name of the captain of his host was Aviner the son of Ner, Sha'ul's uncle. 14:51Kish was the father of Sha'ul; and Ner the father of Aviner was the son of Aviel. 14:52There was sore war against the Pelishtim all the days of Sha'ul: and when Sha'ul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.
15:1Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, the LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Yisra'el: now therefore listen you to the voice of the words of the LORD. 15:2Thus says the LORD of Hosts, I have marked that which `Amalek did to Yisra'el, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 15:3Now go and strike `Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don't spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. 15:4Sha'ul summoned the people, and numbered them in Tela'im, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Yehudah. 15:5Sha'ul came to the city of `Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 15:6Sha'ul said to the Kinim, Go, depart, get you down from among the `Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them; for you shown kindness to all the children of Yisra'el, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kinim departed from among the `Amaleki. 15:7Sha'ul struck the `Amaleki, from Chavilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 15:8He took Agag the king of the `Amaleki alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 15:9But Sha'ul 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 wouldn't utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 15:10Then came the word of the LORD to Shemu'el, saying, 15:11It repents me that I have set up Sha'ul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my mitzvot. Shemu'el was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night. 15:12Shemu'el rose early to meet Sha'ul in the morning; and it was told Shemu'el, saying, Sha'ul came to Karmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. 15:13Shemu'el came to Sha'ul; and Sha'ul said to him, Blessed are you by the LORD: I have performed the mitzvah of the LORD. 15:14Shemu'el said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15:15Sha'ul said, They have brought them from the `Amaleki: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 15:16Then Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me this night. He said to him, Say on. 15:17Shemu'el said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Yisra'el? the LORD anointed you king over Yisra'el; 15:18and the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the `Amaleki, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 15:19Why then didn't you obey the voice of the LORD, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD?" 15:20Sha'ul said to Shemu'el, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of `Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the `Amaleki. 15:21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal. 15:22Shemu'el said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and terafim. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king. 15:24Sha'ul said to Shemu'el, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the mitzvah of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 15:25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. 15:26Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Yisra'el. 15:27As Shemu'el turned about to go away, Sha'ul laid hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 15:28Shemu'el said to him, the LORD has torn the kingdom of Yisra'el from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 15:29Also the Strength of Yisra'el will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. 15:30Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, Please, before the elders of my people, and before Yisra'el, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God. 15:31So Shemu'el turned again after Sha'ul; and Sha'ul worshiped the LORD. 15:32Then said Shemu'el, Bring you here to me Agag the king of the `Amaleki. Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 15:33Shemu'el said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. Shemu'el hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 15:34Then Shemu'el went to Ramah; and Sha'ul went up to his house to Gevah of Sha'ul. 15:35Shemu'el came no more to see Sha'ul until the day of his death; for Shemu'el mourned for Sha'ul: and the LORD repented that he had made Sha'ul king over Yisra'el.
16:1The LORD said to Shemu'el, How long will you mourn for Sha'ul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Yisra'el? fill your horn with oil, and go: I will send you to Yishai the Beit-Hallachmite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. 16:2Shemu'el said, How can I go? if Sha'ul hear it, he will kill me. The LORD said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 16:3Call Yishai to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you. 16:4Shemu'el did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beit-Lechem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Come you peaceably? 16:5He said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Yishai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 16:6It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eli'av, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. 16:7But the LORD said to Shemu'el, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 16:8Then Yishai called Avinadav, and made him pass before Shemu'el. He said, Neither has the LORD chosen this. 16:9Then Yishai made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has the LORD chosen this. 16:10Yishai made seven of his sons to pass before Shemu'el. Shemu'el said to Yishai, the LORD has not chosen these. 16:11Shemu'el said to Yishai, Are here all your children? He said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. Shemu'el said to Yishai, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he come here. 16:12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. The LORD said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. 16:13Then Shemu'el took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Shemu'el rose up, and went to Ramah. 16:14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Sha'ul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 16:15Sha'ul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 16:16Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well. 16:17Sha'ul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 16:18Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Yishai the Beit-Hallachmite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and the LORD is with him. 16:19Therefore Sha'ul sent messengers to Yishai, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep. 16:20Yishai took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Sha'ul. 16:21David came to Sha'ul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 16:22Sha'ul sent to Yishai, saying, Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight. 16:23It happened, when the evil spirit from God was on Sha'ul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Sha'ul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
17:1Now the Pelishtim gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Sokho, which belongs to Yehudah, and encamped between Sokho and `Azeka, in Efes-Dammim. 17:2Sha'ul and the men of Yisra'el were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Pelishtim. 17:3The Pelishtim stood on the mountain on the one side, and Yisra'el stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 17:4There went out a champion out of the camp of the Pelishtim, named Golyat, of Gat, whose height was six cubits and a span. 17:5He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 17:6He had brass shin-armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 17:7The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him. 17:8He stood and cried to the armies of Yisra'el, and said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am I not a Pelishti, and you servants to Sha'ul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 17:9If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us. 17:10The Pelishti said, I defy the armies of Yisra'el this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 17:11When Sha'ul and all Yisra'el heard those words of the Pelishti, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 17:12Now David was the son of that Efratite of Beit-Lechem-Yehudah, whose name was Yishai; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Sha'ul, stricken in years among men. 17:13The three eldest sons of Yishai had gone after Sha'ul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eli'av the firstborn, and next to him Avinadav, and the third Shammah. 17:14David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Sha'ul. 17:15Now David went back and forth from Sha'ul to feed his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem. 17:16The Pelishti drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17:17Yishai said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an efah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; 17:18and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and look how your brothers fare, and take their pledge. 17:19Now Sha'ul, and they, and all the men of Yisra'el, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Pelishtim. 17:20David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Yishai had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 17:21Yisra'el and the Pelishtim put the battle in array, army against army. 17:22David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 17:23As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Pelishti of Gat, Golyat by name, out of the ranks of the Pelishtim, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 17:24All the men of Yisra'el, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 17:25The men of Yisra'el said, Have you seen this man who is come up? surely to defy Yisra'el is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Yisra'el. 17:26David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man who kills this Pelishti, and takes away the reproach from Yisra'el? for who is this uncircumcised Pelishti, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 17:27The people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 17:28Eli'av his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eli'av's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why are you come down? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle. 17:29David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 17:30He turned away from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 17:31When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Sha'ul; and he sent for him. 17:32David said to Sha'ul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Pelishti. 17:33Sha'ul said to David, You are not able to go against this Pelishti to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 17:34David said to Sha'ul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, 17:35I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 17:36Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Pelishti shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 17:37David said, the LORD who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Pelishti. Sha'ul said to David, Go, and the LORD shall be with you. 17:38Sha'ul clad David with his clothing, and he put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 17:39David girded his sword on his clothing, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. David said to Sha'ul, I can't go with these; for I have not proved them. David put them off him. 17:40He took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Pelishti. 17:41The Pelishti came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 17:42When the Pelishti looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 17:43The Pelishti said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? The Pelishti cursed David by his gods. 17:44The Pelishti said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field. 17:45Then said David to the Pelishti, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Yisra'el, whom you have defied. 17:46This day will the LORD deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Pelishtim this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Yisra'el, 17:47and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand. 17:48It happened, when the Pelishti arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Pelishti. 17:49David put his hand in his bag, and took there a stone, and slang it, and struck the Pelishti in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 17:50So David prevailed over the Pelishti with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Pelishti, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 17:51Then David ran, and stood over the Pelishti, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath of it, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Pelishtim saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 17:52The men of Yisra'el and of Yehudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Pelishtim, until you come to Gai, and to the gates of `Ekron. The wounded of the Pelishtim fell down by the way to Sha`arayim, even to Gat, and to `Ekron. 17:53The children of Yisra'el returned from chasing after the Pelishtim, and they plundered their camp. 17:54David took the head of the Pelishti, and brought it to Yerushalayim; but he put his armor in his tent. 17:55When Sha'ul saw David go forth against the Pelishti, he said to Aviner, the captain of the host, Aviner, whose son is this youth? Aviner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell. 17:56The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!"
17:57As David returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, Aviner took him, and brought him before Sha'ul with the head of the Pelishti in his hand. 17:58Sha'ul said to him, Whose son are you, you young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Hallachmite.
18:1It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Sha'ul, that the soul of Yonatan was knit with the soul of David, and Yonatan loved him as his own soul. 18:2Sha'ul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 18:3Then Yonatan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 18:4Yonatan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 18:5David went out wherever Sha'ul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Sha'ul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Sha'ul's servants. 18:6It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the women came out of all the cities of Yisra'el, singing and dancing, to meet king Sha'ul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music. 18:7The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Sha'ul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands. 18:8Sha'ul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 18:9Sha'ul eyed David from that day and forward. 18:10It happened on the next day, that an evil spirit from God came mightily on Sha'ul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Sha'ul had his spear in his hand; 18:11and Sha'ul cast the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. David avoided out of his presence twice. 18:12Sha'ul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Sha'ul. 18:13Therefore Sha'ul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. 18:14David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 18:15When Sha'ul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him. 18:16But all Yisra'el and Yehudah loved David; for he went out and came in before them. 18:17Sha'ul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merav, her will I give you as wife: only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD's battles. For Sha'ul said, Don't let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Pelishtim be on him. 18:18David said to Sha'ul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Yisra'el, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 18:19But it happened at the time when Merav, Sha'ul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to `Adri'el the Mecholati as wife. 18:20Mikhal, Sha'ul's daughter, loved David: and they told Sha'ul, and the thing pleased him. 18:21Sha'ul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Pelishtim may be against him. Therefore Sha'ul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time. 18:22Sha'ul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 18:23Sha'ul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? 18:24The servants of Sha'ul told him, saying, On this manner spoke David. 18:25Sha'ul said, Thus shall you tell David, The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Sha'ul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Pelishtim. 18:26When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired; 18:27and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Pelishtim two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Sha'ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as wife. 18:28Sha'ul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Mikhal, Sha'ul's daughter, loved him. 18:29Sha'ul was yet the more afraid of David; and Sha'ul was David's enemy continually. 18:30Then the princes of the Pelishtim went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Sha'ul; so that his name was much set by.
19:1Sha'ul spoke to Yonatan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Yonatan, Sha'ul's son, delighted much in David. 19:2Yonatan told David, saying, Sha'ul my father seeks to kill you: now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself: 19:3and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will commune with my father of you; and if I see anything, I will tell you. 19:4Yonatan spoke good of David to Sha'ul his father, and said to him, Don't let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you: 19:5for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Pelishti, and the LORD worked a great victory for all Yisra'el: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? 19:6Sha'ul listened to the voice of Yonatan: and Sha'ul swore, As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death. 19:7Yonatan called David, and Yonatan showed him all those things. Yonatan brought David to Sha'ul, and he was in his presence, as before. 19:8There was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Pelishtim, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 19:9An evil spirit from the LORD was on Sha'ul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 19:10Sha'ul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Sha'ul's presence, and he struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. 19:11Sha'ul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Mikhal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain. 19:12So Mikhal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 19:13Mikhal took the terafim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair at the head of it, and covered it with the clothes. 19:14When Sha'ul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 19:15Sha'ul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 19:16When the messengers came in, behold, the terafim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at the head of it. 19:17Sha'ul said to Mikhal, Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped? Mikhal answered Sha'ul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you? 19:18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Shemu'el to Ramah, and told him all that Sha'ul had done to him. He and Shemu'el went and lived in Nayot. 19:19It was told Sha'ul, saying, Behold, David is at Nayot in Ramah. 19:20Sha'ul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Shemu'el standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Sha'ul, and they also prophesied. 19:21When it was told Sha'ul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Sha'ul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 19:22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Sekhu: and he asked and said, Where are Shemu'el and David? One said, Behold, they are at Nayot in Ramah. 19:23He went there to Nayot in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Nayot in Ramah. 19:24He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Shemu'el, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Sha'ul also among the prophets?"
20:1David fled from Nayot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity?" and "What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"
20:2He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die: behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."
20:3David swore moreover, and said, Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, Don't let Yonatan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. 20:4Then said Yonatan to David, Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you. 20:5David said to Yonatan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening. 20:6If your father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beit-Lechem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 20:7If he says, 'It is well;' your servant shall have shalom: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him. 20:8Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you: but if there be in me iniquity, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father? 20:9Yonatan said, Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn't I tell you that? 20:10Then said David to Yonatan, Who shall tell me if perchance your father answer you roughly? 20:11Yonatan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. They went out both of them into the field. 20:12Yonatan said to David, the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, be witness: when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you? 20:13The LORD do so to Yonatan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don't disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in shalom: and the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. 20:14You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of the LORD, that I not die; 20:15but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the LORD has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth. 20:16So Yonatan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, the LORD will require it at the hand of David's enemies. 20:17Yonatan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 20:18Then Yonatan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 20:19When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you did hide yourself when the business was in hand, and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20:20I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 20:21Behold, I will send the boy, saying, Go, find the arrows. If I tell the boy, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you; take them, and come; for there is shalom to you and no hurt, as the LORD lives. 20:22But if I say thus to the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; go your way; for the LORD has sent you away. 20:23As touching the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever. 20:24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food. 20:25The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Yonatan stood up, and Aviner sat by Sha'ul's side: but David's place was empty. 20:26Nevertheless Sha'ul didn't say anything that day: for he thought, Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean. 20:27It happened on the next day after the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty: and Sha'ul said to Yonatan his son, Why doesn't the son of Yishai come to meat, neither yesterday, nor today? 20:28Yonatan answered Sha'ul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beit-Lechem: 20:29and he said, Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he has commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, I pray you, and see my brothers. Therefore he is not come to the king's table. 20:30Then Sha'ul's anger was kindled against Yonatan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don't I know that you have chosen the son of Yishai to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? 20:31For as long as the son of Yishai lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.
20:32Yonatan answered Sha'ul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
20:33Sha'ul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Yonatan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 20:34So Yonatan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 20:35It happened in the morning, that Yonatan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 20:36He said to his boy, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 20:37When the boy was come to the place of the arrow which Yonatan had shot, Yonatan cried after the boy, and said, Isn't the arrow beyond you? 20:38Yonatan cried after the boy, Go fast! Hurry! Don't delay! Yonatan's boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 20:39But the boy didn't know anything: only Yonatan and David knew the matter. 20:40Yonatan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city. 20:41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 20:42Yonatan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, the LORD shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever. He arose and departed: and Yonatan went into the city.
21:1Then came David to Nov to Achimelekh the kohen: and Achimelekh came to meet David trembling, and said to him, Why are you alone, and no man with you? 21:2David said to Achimelekh the kohen, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place. 21:3Now therefore what is under your hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present. 21:4The kohen answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women. 21:5David answered the kohen, and said to him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels be holy? 21:6So the kohen gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Sha'ul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Do'eg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Sha'ul. 21:8David said to Achimelekh, Isn't there here under your hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste. 21:9The kohen said, The sword of Golyat the Pelishti, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the efod: if you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. David said, There is none like that; give it me. 21:10David arose, and fled that day for fear of Sha'ul, and went to Akhish the king of Gat. 21:11The servants of Akhish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Didn't they sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Sha'ul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'" 21:12David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Akhish the king of Gat. 21:13He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 21:14Then said Akhish to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 21:15Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
22:1David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of `Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 22:2Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 22:3David went there to Mitzpeh of Mo'av: and he said to the king of Mo'av, Please let my father and my mother come forth, and be with you, until I know what God will do for me. 22:4He brought them before the king of Mo'av: and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 22:5The prophet Gad said to David, Don't stay in the stronghold; depart, and get you into the land of Yehudah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Cheret. 22:6Sha'ul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him: now Sha'ul was sitting in Gevah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 22:7Sha'ul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Binyamini; will the son of Yishai give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 22:8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Yishai, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 22:9Then answered Do'eg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Sha'ul, and said, I saw the son of Yishai coming to Nov, to Achimelekh the son of Achituv. 22:10He inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him food, and gave him the sword of Golyat the Pelishti. 22:11Then the king sent to call Achimelekh the kohen, the son of Achituv, and all his father's house, the kohanim who were in Nov: and they came all of them to the king. 22:12Sha'ul said, Hear now, you son of Achituv. He answered, Here I am, my lord. 22:13Sha'ul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Yishai, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 22:14Then Achimelekh answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 22:15Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: don't let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more. 22:16The king said, You shall surely die, Achimelekh, you, and all your father's house. 22:17The king said to the guard who stood about him, Turn, and kill the kohanim of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn't disclose it to me. But the servants of the king wouldn't put forth their hand to fall on the kohanim of the LORD. 22:18The king said to Do'eg, Turn you, and fall on the kohanim. Do'eg the Edomite turned, and he fell on the kohanim, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore a linen efod. 22:19Nov, the city of the kohanim, struck he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 22:20One of the sons of Achimelekh, the son of Achituv, named Avyatar, escaped, and fled after David. 22:21Avyatar told David that Sha'ul had slain the LORD's kohanim. 22:22David said to Avyatar, I knew on that day, when Do'eg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Sha'ul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of your father's house. 22:23Abide you with me, don't be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard.
23:1They told David, saying, Behold, the Pelishtim are fighting against Ke`ilah, and are robbing the threshing floors. 23:2Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and strike these Pelishtim? the LORD said to David, Go, and strike the Pelishtim, and save Ke`ilah. 23:3David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Yehudah: how much more then if we go to Ke`ilah against the armies of the Pelishtim? 23:4Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. The LORD answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Ke`ilah; for I will deliver the Pelishtim into your hand. 23:5David and his men went to Ke`ilah, and fought with the Pelishtim, and brought away their cattle, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Ke`ilah. 23:6It happened, when Avyatar the son of Achimelekh fled to David to Ke`ilah, that he came down with an efod in his hand. 23:7It was told Sha'ul that David was come to Ke`ilah. Sha'ul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars. 23:8Sha'ul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Ke`ilah, to besiege David and his men. 23:9David knew that Sha'ul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Avyatar the kohen, Bring here the efod. 23:10Then said David, O LORD, the God of Yisra'el, your servant has surely heard that Sha'ul seeks to come to Ke`ilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 23:11Will the men of Ke`ilah deliver me up into his hand? will Sha'ul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, the God of Yisra'el, I beg you, tell your servant. The LORD said, He will come down. 23:12Then said David, Will the men of Ke`ilah deliver up to me and my men into the hand of Sha'ul? the LORD said, They will deliver you up. 23:13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Ke`ilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Sha'ul that David was escaped from Ke`ilah; and he gave up going there. 23:14David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Zif. Sha'ul sought him every day, but God didn't deliver him into his hand. 23:15David saw that Sha'ul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Zif in the wood. 23:16Yonatan, Sha'ul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 23:17He said to him, Don't be afraid; for the hand of Sha'ul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Yisra'el, and I shall be next to you; and that also Sha'ul my father knows. 23:18They two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Yonatan went to his house. 23:19Then came up the Zifim to Sha'ul to Gevah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Chakhilah, which is on the south of the desert? 23:20Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand. 23:21Sha'ul said, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me. 23:22Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly. 23:23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Yehudah. 23:24They arose, and went to Zif before Sha'ul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma`on, in the `Aravah on the south of the desert. 23:25Sha'ul and his men went to seek him. They told David: why he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Ma`on. When Sha'ul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma`on. 23:26Sha'ul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Sha'ul; for Sha'ul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 23:27But there came a messenger to Sha'ul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Pelishtim have made a raid on the land. 23:28So Sha'ul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Pelishtim: therefore they called that place Sela-Hammachlekot. 23:29David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of `En-Gedi.
24:1It happened, when Sha'ul was returned from following the Pelishtim, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of `En-Gedi. 24:2Then Sha'ul took three thousand chosen men out of all Yisra'el, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 24:3He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Sha'ul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 24:4The men of David said to him, Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Sha'ul's robe secretly. 24:5It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off Sha'ul's skirt. 24:6He said to his men, the LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed. 24:7So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Sha'ul. Sha'ul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 24:8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Sha'ul, saying, My lord the king. When Sha'ul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. 24:9David said to Sha'ul, Why listen you to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks your hurt? 24:10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but my eye spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed. 24:11Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it. 24:12The LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 24:13As says the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be on you. 24:14After whom is the king of Yisra'el come out? after whom do you pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 24:15The LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand. 24:16It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Sha'ul, that Sha'ul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Sha'ul lifted up his voice, and wept. 24:17He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil. 24:18You have declared this day how that you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. 24:19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 24:20Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Yisra'el shall be established in your hand. 24:21Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house. 24:22David swore to Sha'ul. Sha'ul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.
25:1Shemu'el died; and all Yisra'el gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 25:2There was a man in Ma`on, whose possessions were in Karmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Karmel. 25:3Now the name of the man was Naval; and the name of his wife Avigayil; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Kalev. 25:4David heard in the wilderness that Naval was shearing his sheep. 25:5David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to Karmel, and go to Naval, and greet him in my name: 25:6and thus shall you tell him who lives in prosperity, Shalom be to you, and shalom be to your house, and shalom be to all that you have. 25:7Now I have heard that you have shearers: your shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them, all the while they were in Karmel. 25:8Ask your young men, and they will tell you: therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David. 25:9When David's young men came, they spoke to Naval according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 25:10Naval answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Yishai? there are many servants now-a-days who break away every man from his master. 25:11Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don't know where they come from? 25:12So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words. 25:13David said to his men, Gird you on every man his sword. They girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage. 25:14But one of the young men told Avigayil, Naval's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and he railed at them. 25:15But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields: 25:16they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 25:17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one can't speak to him. 25:18Then Avigayil made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 25:19She said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she didn't tell her husband, Naval. 25:20It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them. 25:21Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him: and he has returned me evil for good. 25:22God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one man-child. 25:23When Avigayil saw David, she hurried, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. 25:24She fell at his feet, and said, On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid. 25:25Please don't let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Naval; for as his name is, so is he; Naval is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn't see the young men of my lord, whom you did send. 25:26Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, seeing the LORD has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Naval. 25:27Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 25:28Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you all your days. 25:29Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling. 25:30It shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Yisra'el, 25:31that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid. 25:32David said to Avigayil, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, who sent you this day to meet me: 25:33and blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, that have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand. 25:34For in very deed, as the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, except you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn't have been left to Naval by the morning light so much as one man-child. 25:35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said to her, Go up in shalom to your house; behold, I have listened to your voice, and have accepted your person. 25:36Avigayil came to Naval; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Naval's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 25:37It happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Naval, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 25:38It happened about ten days after, that the LORD struck Naval, so that he died. 25:39When David heard that Naval was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Naval, and has kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Naval has the LORD returned on his own head. David sent and spoke concerning Avigayil, to take her to him as wife. 25:40When the servants of David were come to Avigayil to Karmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife. 25:41She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 25:42Avigayil hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 25:43David also took Achino'am of Yizre`el; and they became both of them his wives. 25:44Now Sha'ul had given Mikhal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Layish, who was of Gallim.
26:1The Zifim came to Sha'ul to Gevah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself in the hill of Chakhilah, which is before the desert? 26:2Then Sha'ul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Zif, having three thousand chosen men of Yisra'el with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Zif. 26:3Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Chakhilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the wilderness. 26:4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Sha'ul was come of a certainty. 26:5David arose, and came to the place where Sha'ul had encamped; and David saw the place where Sha'ul lay, and Aviner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Sha'ul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him. 26:6Then answered David and said to Achimelekh the Chittite, and to Avishai the son of Tzeru'yah, brother to Yo'av, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the camp? Avishai said, I will go down with you. 26:7So David and Avishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Aviner and the people lay round about him. 26:8Then said Avishai to David, God has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day: now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time. 26:9David said to Avishai, Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? 26:10David said, As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. 26:11The LORD forbid that I should put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go. 26:12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Sha'ul's head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen on them. 26:13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 26:14and David cried to the people, and to Aviner the son of Ner, saying, Don't you answer, Aviner? Then Aviner answered, Who are you who cries to the king? 26:15David said to Aviner, Aren't you a valiant man? and who is like you in Yisra'el? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord. 26:16This thing isn't good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head. 26:17Sha'ul knew David's voice, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 26:18He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand? 26:19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to the LORD's inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods. 26:20Now therefore, don't let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD: for the king of Yisra'el is come out to seek a flea, as when one does hunt a partridge in the mountains. 26:21Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 26:22David answered, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and get it. 26:23The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed. 26:24Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all oppression. 26:25Then Sha'ul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Sha'ul returned to his place.
27:1David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Sha'ul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Pelishtim; and Sha'ul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Yisra'el: so shall I escape out of his hand. 27:2David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Akhish the son of Ma`okh, king of Gat. 27:3David lived with Akhish at Gat, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Achino'am the Yizre`elite, and Avigayil the Karmelite, Naval's wife. 27:4It was told Sha'ul that David was fled to Gat: and he sought no more again for him. 27:5David said to Akhish, If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you? 27:6Then Akhish gave him Tziklag that day: why Tziklag pertains to the kings of Yehudah to this day. 27:7The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Pelishtim was a full year and four months. 27:8David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshuri, and the Gizri, and the `Amaleki; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. 27:9David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Akhish. 27:10Akhish said, Against whom have you made a raid today? David said, Against the South of Yehudah, and against the South of the Yerachme'eli, and against the South of the Kinim. 27:11David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gat, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Pelishtim. 27:12Akhish believed David, saying, He has made his people Yisra'el utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.
28:1It happened in those days, that the Pelishtim gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Yisra'el. Akhish said to David, Know you assuredly, that you shall go out with me in the host, you and your men. 28:2David said to Akhish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Akhish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever. 28:3Now Shemu'el was dead, and all Yisra'el had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Sha'ul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 28:4The Pelishtim gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Sha'ul gathered all Yisra'el together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 28:5When Sha'ul saw the host of the Pelishtim, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 28:6When Sha'ul inquired of the LORD, the LORD didn't answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 28:7Then said Sha'ul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at En-dor. 28:8Sha'ul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you. 28:9The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Sha'ul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 28:10Sha'ul swore to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing. 28:11Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Shemu'el. 28:12When the woman saw Shemu'el, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Sha'ul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Sha'ul. 28:13The king said to her, Don't be afraid: for what do you see? The woman said to Sha'ul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. 28:14He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Sha'ul perceived that it was Shemu'el, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 28:15Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? Sha'ul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Pelishtim make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do. 28:16Shemu'el said, Why then do you ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from you, and is become your adversary? 28:17The LORD has done to you, as he spoke by me: and the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. 28:18Because you didn't obey the voice of the LORD, and didn't execute his fierce wrath on `Amalek, therefore has the LORD done this thing to you this day. 28:19Moreover the LORD will deliver Yisra'el also with you into the hand of the Pelishtim; and tomorrow shall you and your sons be with me: the LORD will deliver the host of Yisra'el also into the hand of the Pelishtim. 28:20Then Sha'ul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Shemu'el: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 28:21The woman came to Sha'ul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 28:22Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way. 28:23But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed. 28:24The woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake matzah of it: 28:25and she brought it before Sha'ul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
29:1Now the Pelishtim gathered together all their hosts to Afek: and the Yisra'elim encamped by the spring which is in Yizre`el. 29:2The lords of the Pelishtim passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Akhish. 29:3Then said the princes of the Pelishtim, What do these Hebrews here? Akhish said to the princes of the Pelishtim, Isn't this David, the servant of Sha'ul the king of Yisra'el, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day? 29:4But the princes of the Pelishtim were angry with him; and the princes of the Pelishtim said to him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men? 29:5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Sha'ul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands? 29:6Then Akhish called David, and said to him, As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the host is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords don't favor you. 29:7Therefore now return, and go in shalom, that you not displease the lords of the Pelishtim. 29:8David said to Akhish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 29:9Akhish answered David, I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Pelishtim have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 29:10Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 29:11So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Pelishtim. The Pelishtim went up to Yizre`el.
30:1It happened, when David and his men were come to Tziklag on the third day, that the `Amaleki had made a raid on the South, and on Tziklag, and had struck Tziklag, and burned it with fire, 30:2and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great: they didn't kill any, but carried them off, and went their way. 30:3When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive. 30:4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 30:5David's two wives were taken captive, Achino'am the Yizre`elite, and Avigayil the wife of Naval the Karmelite. 30:6David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 30:7David said to Avyatar the kohen, the son of Achimelekh, Please bring me here the efod. Avyatar brought there the efod to David. 30:8David inquired of the LORD, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? He answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all. 30:9So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 30:10But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't go over the brook Besor. 30:11They found a Mitzrian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. 30:12They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 30:13David said to him, To whom belong you? and whence are you? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an `Amaleki; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. 30:14We made a raid on the South of the Kereti, and on that which belongs to Yehudah, and on the South of Kalev; and we burned Tziklag with fire. 30:15David said to him, Will you bring me down to this troop? He said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop. 30:16When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Pelishtim, and out of the land of Yehudah. 30:17David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day: and there not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled. 30:18David recovered all that the `Amaleki had taken; and David rescued his two wives. 30:19There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all. 30:20David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. 30:21David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him: and when David came near to the people, he greeted them. 30:22Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, and said, Because they didn't go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart. 30:23Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which the LORD has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. 30:24Who will listen to you in this matter? for as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike. 30:25It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Yisra'el to this day. 30:26When David came to Tziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Yehudah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: 30:27To those who were in Beit-El, and to those who were in Ramot of the South, and to those who were in Yattir, 30:28and to those who were in `Aro`er, and to those who were in Shefamot, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, 30:29and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Yerachme'eli, and to those who were in the cities of the Kinim, 30:30and to those who were in Chormah, and to those who were in Kor-`Ashan, and to those who were in `Atakh, 30:31and to those who were in Chevron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.
31:1Now the Pelishtim fought against Yisra'el: and the men of Yisra'el fled from before the Pelishtim, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 31:2The Pelishtim followed hard on Sha'ul and on his sons; and the Pelishtim killed Yonatan, and Avinadav, and Malki-Shua, the sons of Sha'ul. 31:3The battle went sore against Sha'ul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. 31:4Then said Sha'ul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Sha'ul took his sword, and fell on it. 31:5When his armor bearer saw that Sha'ul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him. 31:6So Sha'ul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 31:7When the men of Yisra'el who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Yarden, saw that the men of Yisra'el fled, and that Sha'ul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Pelishtim came and lived in them. 31:8It happened on the next day, when the Pelishtim came to strip the slain, that they found Sha'ul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 31:9They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Pelishtim round about, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people. 31:10They put his armor in the house of the `Ashtarot; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 31:11When the inhabitants of Yavesh-Gil`ad heard concerning him that which the Pelishtim had done to Sha'ul, 31:12all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Sha'ul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Yavesh, and burnt them there. 31:13They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Yavesh, and fasted seven days.
Notes:
[1] back to 1:3 priests
[2] back to 1:9 priest
[3] back to 2:11 priest
[4] back to 2:13 priests
[5] back to 2:13 priest
[6] back to 2:14 priest
[7] back to 2:15 priest
[8] back to 2:15 priest
[9] back to 2:28 priest
[10] back to 2:35 priest
[11] back to 2:36 priests
[12] back to 5:5 priests
[13] back to 6:2 priests
[14] back to 6:19 ark
[15] back to 12:14 commandment
[16] back to 12:15 commandment
[17] back to 13:3 trumpet
[18] back to 13:13 commandment
[19] back to 14:3 priest
[20] back to 14:19 priest
[21] back to 14:19 priest
[22] back to 14:36 priest
[23] back to 15:11 commandments
[24] back to 15:13 commandment
[25] back to 15:24 commandment
[26] back to 21:1 priest
[27] back to 21:2 priest
[28] back to 21:4 priest
[29] back to 21:5 priest
[30] back to 21:6 priest
[31] back to 21:9 priest
[32] back to 22:11 priest
[33] back to 22:11 priests
[34] back to 22:17 priests
[35] back to 22:17 priests
[36] back to 22:18 priests
[37] back to 22:18 priests
[38] back to 22:19 priests
[39] back to 22:21 priests
[40] back to 23:9 priest
[41] back to 28:24 unleavened bread
[42] back to 30:7 priest