There was a man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim named Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Thohu, the son of Zuph an Ephrathite:
And the said man went out of his city every feastful day, to pray and to offer unto the LORD of Hosts: where the two sons of Eli (Hophni and Phinehes) were the LORD's priests.
Then said Elkanah her husband to her: Hannah why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thine heart so troubled? am not I better to thee, than ten sons
Then Hannah rose up after that they had eaten and drunk in Siloh. And Eli the priest sat upon a stool by one of the side posts of the temple of the LORD.
and vowed a vow and said: LORD of Hosts, if thou wilt look on the wretchedness of thine handmaid and shalt remember me and not forget thine handmaid, and shalt give unto thine handmaid a man child I will give him unto the LORD, all the days of his life and there shall neither razor or shears come upon his head.
Hannah answered and said: not so my lord, I am a woman sorrowful in mine heart, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.
And they rose up early and bowed themselves before the LORD, and then returned and went to their house to Ramath. And Elkanah lay by his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.
but Hannah went not up for she said unto her husband: I will tarry until the lad be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and there abide for ever.
And Elkanah her husband said to her: do what seemeth thee best: tarry until thou hast weaned him, only the LORD make good his saying. And so the woman abode and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.
And then she took him with her, when she had weaned him, with three bullocks and an Epha of flour and a bottle of wine, and brought him into the house of the LORD in Siloh, how be it the child was yet young.
And Hannah prayed and said: mine heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is high in the LORD and my mouth is wide open over mine enemies, for I rejoice in thy saving.
They that were full, have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry cease so to be: insomuch that the barren hath borne seven, and she that had many children is waxed feeble.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill: to set them among princes, and to inherit them with the seat of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the round world upon them.
The LORD's adversaries shall be made to fear him: and out of heaven he shall thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the world, and shall give might unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
and thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron or pot. And all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took away. And so they did unto all Israel that came thither to Siloh.
Yea: and thereto before they had offered the fat, the priest's lad came and said to the man that offered: give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
And if any man said unto him, let the fat be offered according to the day, and then take as much as thine heart desireth. The lad would answer him, thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it with violence.
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from feast to feast when she came up with her husband to offer the offering of the said feast.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: the LORD give thee seed of this woman, for that she hath lent the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they slept with the women that waited in the door of the tabernacle of witness,
If one man sin against another, daysmen may make his peace: but if a man sin against the LORD, who can be his daysman? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
And there came a man of God unto Eli and said unto him: thus sayeth the LORD. I appeared unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharao's house.
And I chose thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest for to offer upon mine altar and to burn incense, and to wear an Ephod before me. And I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel.
Wherefore kick ye against my sacrifice and against mine offering which I command in the tabernacle, and honourest thy children above me, and make yourselves fat of the first fruits of all the offerings of Israel my people?
Wherefore the LORD God of Israel sayeth: I said that thine house and the house of thy father should have walked before me for ever. But now the LORD sayeth that be far from me: for them that worship|honoureth| me I will worship,|honour| and they that despise me, shall be despised,|not be regarded.|
And thou shalt see thine enemy in the tabernacle, in all that shall please Israel, and there shall not be an elder in thine house while the world standeth.
Nevertheless I will not destroy all thy males from my altar, to daze thy sight with all and to make thine heart melt. And all the multitude of thine house shall die young.
And I will stir me up a faithful priest that shall do as it is in mine heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house. And he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
And they that are left in thine house, shall come and crouch to him for a little piece of silver and a cake of bread, and shall say: put me I pray thee in one office or other among the priests, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
and he ran unto Eli and said here am I for thou calledest me. And he said I called thee not: go again and sleep. And he went and laid him down to sleep.
And the LORD called once again: Samuel, and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said: I am here, thou didst call me. And he answered: I called thee not my son. Go again and take thy rest:
And the LORD went and called Samuel the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said: I am here, for thou hast called me. Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the lad.
And said unto him, go and lie down: and if he call thee again then say, speak on LORD, for thy servant heareth. And Samuel went and laid him down in his place.
For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever. For the wickedness which he knoweth, how his sons are ungracious, and he was not wroth therewith.
And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the wickedness of Eli's house, shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, while the world standeth.
And he said what is that he said unto thee? See ye hide it not from me. The LORD do so and so to thee, if thou hide anything from me, of all that he said unto thee.
And Samuel spake unto all Israel. And Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside the help stone. And the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
And put themselves in array against Israel. And in the end of the battle Israel was put to the worse before the Philistines. And the Philistines slew in array along by the fields, about a four thousand men.
And when the people were come into their tents, the elders of Israel said: wherefore hath the LORD beaten us this day before the Philistines? let us fetch the ark of the appointment of the LORD, out of Siloh unto us, and let it come among us and save us out of the hands of our enemies.
And the people sent to Siloh, and fetched from thence the ark of the appointment of the LORD of Hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubins. And there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehes with the ark of the appointment of God.
When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they said: what meaneth the sound of this mighty shout in the host of the Hebrews? And they understood how that the ark of the LORD was come into the host.
Woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of this mighty God? This is the God that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.
Be strong and quite yourselves like men, ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men therefore and fight.
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was put to the worse and fled, every man into his tent. And there was a mighty great slaughter, so that there were overthrown of Israel, thirty thousand footmen.
And when the man came in, Eli sat upon a stool by the wayside looking: for his heart feared for the ark of God. And the man came in and told it in the city. And all the city cried.
And the messenger answered and said: Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there is a great slaughter chanced among the people, and thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehes are dead, and thereto the ark of God is taken.
And when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off his stool backward toward the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was old and unwieldy, and he had judged Israel forty year.
And his daughter-in-law Phinehes' wife was with child and nye the birth. And when she heard the tidings of the taking of the ark of God, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed, for her pains came upon her.
And about the time of her death, the women that stood about her, said unto her: fear not for thou hast borne a son. But she answered not nor regarded it.
And she named the child Ichabod saying: honour is departed from Israel. Because the ark of God was taken, and her father-in-law and her husband were dead.
And when they of Asdod were up in the morning behold, Dagon lay grovelling upon the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon and set him in his place again.
And when they were up early in the next morning behold, Dagon lay grovelling upon the ground before the ark of the LORD, and his head and his two hands cut off upon the threshold, that the body onely was left on him.
And when the men of Asdod saw that it was so, they said: the ark of the God of Israel shall not abide here with us, for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our god.
And so they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them and said: what shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? Then said they of Geth let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about.
And when they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was in the city with a mighty great plague, and he smote the men of the city both small and great: and they were smitten in their secret places, with the Emerods.
Then they sent the ark of God to Akaron. And as soon as the ark of God came to Akaron, the Akaronites cried out saying: they have brought the ark of the God of Israel unto us: to slay us and our people.
Then they sent and fetched all the lords of the Philistines unto them and said: send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go home again unto his own place, that it slay us not with our people. For there was a plague of death thorowout all the city, and the hand of God was exceeding sore there,
the Philistines called for the priests and the soothsayers saying: what shall we do with the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it home again.
They answered if you send the ark of the God of Israel home again send it not empty: But reward it with a trespass offering: and then ye shall be whole, and it shall be known to you, why his hand departeth not from you.
Then said they, what shall be the trespass offering which we shall reward him with? And they answered: five golden arses with Emerods and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For it was one manner of plague that was on you all, and on your lords too.
Wherefore ye shall make images like to your arses with Emerods and images like to your mice that destroyed your land, and shall give glory unto the God of Israel: that he may take his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
Wherefore should ye harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharao hardened their hearts, which for all that (when he had played his pageants with them) were fain to let the people go and depart.
Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine, on whose neck never came yoke. And tie the kine in the cart, and bring the calves home from them.
Then take the ark of the LORD and put it in the cart, and put the Jewels of gold (which ye reward him with for a trespass offering) in a forcer by the side thereof and send it away and let it go.
And mark if he go up by the way that leadeth unto his own coast, to Bethsames, then it is he that did us this great evil. But and if he do not, then it is not his hand that smote us, but it was a chance that happened us.
And the kine took the straight way to Bethsames, both one way, and as they went, lowed, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them until they came to the borders of Bethsames.
And the cart came into the grove of one Jehosua a Bethsamite, and stood still there. There was there also a great stone. And they clave the wood of the cart and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the forcer that was thereby, wherein the Jewels of gold were and put them on the great stone. And the men of Bethsames sacrificed burnt sacrifice and offered offerings that same day unto the LORD.
These are the golden arses with Emerods which the Philistines gave to amends for a trespass offering to the LORD: for Asdod one: for Gaza one: for Askalon one: for Geth one: and for Akaron one.
And the golden mice were according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines thorow the five lordships: both of walled towns and of towns unwailed, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Jehosua the Bethsamite.
And he plagued the men of Bethsames, because they had seen the ark of the LORD. And he slew of the people fifty thousand and three score and ten persons. And the people lamented, because the LORD had slain so great a slaughter of them.
And they sent messengers to the inhabiters of Kariath Jarim saying: The Philistines have brought home again the Ark of the LORD: come down and fetch it up to you.
And the men of Kariathjarim came and set up the ark of the LORD, and brought it unto the house of Abinadab in Gabaah and sanctified Eleazar his son to wait upon the ark of the LORD.
And Samuel spake unto all Israel saying: if ye be come again unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods from among you, and Astharoth, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD and serve him alone, and so shall he rid you out of the hands of the Philistines.
And they gathered together to Mazphah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted the same day and said there: we have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the causes of the children of Israel in Mazphah.
When the Philistines heard, that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mazphah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraid of the Philistines
And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it altogether for a burnt offering, unto the LORD and cried unto the LORD for Israel: and the LORD heard him.
And as Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. But the LORD thundered a great thunder the same day upon the Philistines, and turmoiled them, that they were beaten before Israel.
And the Samuel took a stone and pitched it between Mazphah and Sen, and called the name thereof the stone of help, saying: thus far hath the LORD holp us.
And so the Philistines were brought under that they came no more into the coasts of Israel: for the hand of the LORD was upon the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Thereto the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel came again to Israel, even from Akaron to Geth, with the coasts of the same, which Israel plucked out of the hands of the Philistines. For there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
And the LORD said unto Samuel, hear the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee. For they have not cast thee away, but me: that I should not reign over them.
and he said: this shall be the duty of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons and put them to his chariots and make his horsemen of them and they must run before his chariot,
and will make him captains of them over thousands and over fifties, and set them to ear his ground, and to gather in his harvest, and to make instruments of war and apparel for his chariots.
Now there was a man of Benjamin named Cis the son of Abiel, the son of Zeroz; the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man that was a Jeminite, a man of might:
the same had a son called Saul, a goodly young man, so that among the children of Israel, there was none goodlier than he, and was thereto from the shoulders upward higher than all the other people.
And it chanced that the Asses of this Cis Saul's father were lost. Then said Cis to Saul his son: Take one of the lads with thee and up and go seek the Asses.
And they went thorow mount Ephraim and thorow the land of Salisa, and found them not. Then they went thorow the land of Salim, and there they were not. Then they went also thorow the land of Jemini, and they found them not.
Then when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the young man that was with him: come let us return, lest my father leave caring for the Asses, and take thought for us. And he answered him:
behold there is in this city a worshipful man of God, and all that he sayeth, cometh to pass. Now then let us go thither: peradventure he shall shew us what way we may go.
Then said Saul to his lad: if we go what shall we bring the man? For our bread is all spent out of our hampers and there is none other present to bring the man of God, what have we?
Before time in Israel when a man went to seek an answer of God, thus wise he spake, come and let us go to the Sear. For he that is now called a prophet, was in the old time called a Sear.
And the maidens answered them, yea: behold, he goeth before you. Make haste now, for he came this day to the city, for the people must offer this day in the hill.
When ye be come into the city, so shall you find him, yer he go up to the hill to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he must bless the offering. And then eat they that be bidden to the feast. Now therefore get you up for even now shall ye find him.
tomorrow this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, him shalt thou anoint to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people and their cry is come unto me.
and Samuel answered Saul and said: I am the sear, go up before me unto the hill, for ye shall eat with me to day. And tomorrow I will let thee go early, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart,
and as for thine asses that were lost this day three days, care not for them, for they are found. And moreover whose shall the beautiful things of Israel be? belong they not unto thee, and unto all thy father's house?
But Saul answered and said: am not I the son of a Jeminite of the smallest tribe of Israel, and my kindred the least of all the kindreds of the tribe of Benjamin, wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
And Samuel took Saul and his lad and brought them into the parlour and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden: which were upon a thirty persons.
And the cook took up the shoulder and brought it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: behold, that which is left: put it before thee and eat, for I kept it for thee of purpose, when I called the people. And so Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
and they arose early. And about the spring of the day Samuel called Saul upon the top of the house saying: up that I may send thee away. And Saul arose. And they went out at the doors both of them, both he and Samuel.
And when they were come almost out of the town, Samuel said to Saul: bid the lad go before us, and he went, but stand thou still awhile even now, that I may shew thee what God sayeth.
And then Samuel took a box of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said: the LORD hath anointed thee to be a captain over his inheritance.
And now when thou art departed from me, thou shalt meet two men by Rahel's sepulchre in the borders of Benjamin even at Zalezah. And they will say unto thee, the asses which thou wentest to seek, are found see, thy father hath left the care of the Asses and sorroweth for you saying: what shall I do for my son?
Then thou shalt go forth from thence and shalt come to the oak of Thabor. And there shalt thou meet three men going to God to Bethel: one carrying three kids: and another carrying three loaves of bread: and the third carrying a bottle of wine.
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where the Philistines keep their watch. And when thou art come thither to the city thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the hill, with a psalter, a timbrel, a pipe, and a harp before them, and they prophesying.
And thou shalt also go before me to Gilgal. And behold I will come unto thee to sacrifice burnt sacrifice and peace offerings. Tarry for me seven days till I come to thee and shew thee what thou shalt do.
And all that knew him before, when they saw that he prophesied among the prophets, they said each to other: what is happened unto the son of Cis? Is Saul also among the prophets?
Saul's father's brother said unto him and his lad: whither went ye? And he answered: to seek the asses, and when we saw that they were nowhere, we went to Samuel.
and said unto the children of Israel: thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, I brought you out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hands of all kingdoms that oppressed you.
And ye have this day cast away your God that holp you out of all your adversities and tribulations. And ye have said unto him, make a king over us. Now therefore stand before the LORD by your tribes and your thousands.
When he had brought the tribe of Benjamin by their kindreds, the kindred of Metri was caught: and Saul the son of Cis was caught. And they sought him: but he could not be found.
And Samuel said to all the people: there see ye whom the LORD hath chosen and how there is none like him among all the company. And all the people shouted and said: God send the king life.
Then Samuel told the people the duty of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD, and so sent all the people away, every man to his house.
But the children of unthriftiness said: how shall he save us? and despised him and brought him not presents. And he made as though he had not heard it.
Then Nahas the Ammonite came and beseiged Jabes in Gilead. And all the people of Jabes said unto Nahas:(Septuagint: And it came to pass about a month after this, that Naas the Ammanite went up, and encamped against Jabis Galaad: and all the men of Jabis said to Naas the Ammanite,)
make a covenant with us and we will be thy servants. And Nahas the Ammonite said: hereto will I make a covenant with you, even to thrust out all your right eyes, that I may bring that shame upon all Israel.
Then said the elders of Jabes: give us seven days respite that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel. And then if there come no man to help us, we will come out to thee.
Then came the messengers to Gabaah where Saul dwelt, and told this tidings in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.
And took a yoke of oxen and hewed them in pieces, and sent them thorowout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers saying: whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall his oxen be served. Then the fear of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as it had been but one man.
And they said unto the messengers that came, so say unto the men of Jabes in Gilead: tomorrow by that time the son be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed the men of Jabes, and they were glad.
And on the morrow Saul put the people in three parts. And they came in upon the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites, until the heat of the day. And they that remained, scattered: so that two of them were not left together.
And the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king there, before the LORD in Gilgal. And there they offered peace offerings before the LORD. And there Saul and all the people rejoiced exceedingly.
And see your king walketh before you. But I am old and gray headed: and behold my sons are with you and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
Behold here I am: answer me before the LORD and before his anointed, whose ox have I taken, or whose Ass have I taken? whom have I done wrong to? or whom have I pilled? And of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you again.
Then said he to them: the LORD is witness unto you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have found nought in my hands. And they answered: we are witnesses.
Now therefore stand still, and let me reason with you before the LORD, of all the righteousnesses of the LORD which he shewed both you and your fathers.
After that Jacob was come into Egypt, your fathers cried unto the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
Neverthelater they forgot the LORD their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisara chief captain of Jabin king of Nazor, and into the hands of the philistines and into the hands of the king of Moab, which fought against them.
Then they cried unto the LORD and said: we have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served Baalim and Astharoth. But now deliver us out of the hands of our enemies and we will serve thee.
And the LORD sent Jerobaal, Badan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelled without fear.
And for all that when you saw that Nahas the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: not so, a king shall reign over us, when yet the LORD your God was your king.
Oh that ye would fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not disobey the mouth of the LORD: and that both ye and the king that reigneth over you would follow the LORD your God.
For if ye shall not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but shall disobey the LORD's mouth: then shall the hand of the LORD be upon you and on your fathers.
is it not now wheat harvest. And yet for all that, I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain. Wherefore perceive and understand: how that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking you a king.
Then said all the people unto Samuel: pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have sinned in asking us a king, beside all the sins that ever we did.
Then said Samuel unto the people: fear not. And though ye have done all this wickedness yet depart not from the LORD in any case. But serve him with all your hearts.
he chose him three thousand men out of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Machmas and mount Bethel, and a thousand with Jonathas in Gabaah Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent, every man to his own house.
And Jonathas slew the Philistines in an hold they had in Gabaah, and it came to the Philistines' ears. And Saul caused the trumpet to be blown thorowout all the land saying: let the Hebrews hear.
And all Israel heard say, how that Saul had destroyed an hold of the Philistines, and how that Israel stank unto the Philistines. And all the people cried after Saul to Gilgal.
Then the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand(Peshitta: three thousand) chariots and Six thousand horsemen with other people like the sand by the sea's side in multitude and came up and pitched in Michmas eastward from Bethaven.
And when the men of Israel saw themselves in a strait, and that the people were acumbered, they hid themselves in caves, in privy holes, in rocks, dens and pits.
And as soon as he had made an end of offering burnt offerings behold, Samuel came. And Saul went against him, to Salute him. Then said Samuel to Saul: what hast thou done?
And Saul said, because I saw that the people scattered from me, and yet thou camest not within the days appointed and that the phlistines gathered themselves together to Machmas:
then said I, the Philistines shall come down upon me to Gilgal, before I have made supplication unto the LORD. And therefore I took a courage with me and offered burnt offerings.
Then said Samuel to Saul: thou hast done foolishly and hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God which he commanded thee. For at this time would the LORD have stablished thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue. The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and hath commanded him to be a captain over his people: because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
And Saul and Jonathas his son and the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gabaah Benjamin. But the Philistines had pitched in Machmas.
And there came out of the host of the Philistines three companies, to destroy: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ephrah unto the land of Sual.
And another company turned the way to Bethoron. And the third company turned to the way of the coast that turneth to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
And so in time of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hands of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathas: save for Saul and Jonathas his son was there somewhat found.
And it fell on a day, that Jonathas the son of Saul said unto his young man that bare his harness: come and let us go over to the watchmen of the Philistines that are yonder on the other side, and told not his father.
But Saul tarried in the utmost part of Gabaah under a pomegranate tree, that was in Magron, and the people that were with him were upon a six hundredth men.
And Ahiah the son of Ahitob Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehes, the son of Eli, was the LORD's priest in Siloh and bare an Ephod. But the people wist|knew| not that Jonathas was gone.
And in the way over by which Jonathas sought to go over unto the garrison of the philistines, were there two sharp rocks, even one on the one side, and the other one the other side: the one called Bozez, and the other Seneh.
Then said Jonathas to the young man that bare his harness: come and let us go over unto the standing of these uncircumcised, peradventure the LORD will work with us: for the LORD is free to save with many or with few.
But and if they so say unto us: come up unto us, then we will go up, for the LORD hath delivered them into our hands. And this shall be a sign unto us.
And when they had both shewed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said: see, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they had hid themselves in.
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathas and his harness bearer and said: come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. Then said Jonathas unto his harness bearer: come up after me, for the LORD hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.
And there was a fear in the host that was in the field, and among all the people: insomuch that they that kept the hold, and they that were gone to rob, were afraid also: and the earth trembled and there was a fear sent of God.
Then said Saul unto the people that was with him: number and see who is gone away from us. And when they had told: behold, Jonathas and his harness bearer were not there.
And while Saul talked unto the priest, the people that were in the host of the philistines, ran more and more. And Saul said unto the priest: withdraw thine hand.
And Saul cried and all the people that were with him, and went to battle. And behold every man's sword was against his fellow, with a mighty great slaughter.
Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, and were come with them in all parts of the host, they turned to Israel that was with Saul and Jonathas.
And the men of Israel joined themselves together that day: and Saul adjured the people saying: Cursed be he that eateth any food until night, that I may be avenged of mine enemies. And so there was none of the people that tasted any sustenance.
And when the people were come into the wood: Behold, the honey dropped. How be it there was no man that moved his hand to his mouth, because that the people feared the curse.
But Jonathas heard not when his father adjured the people, wherefore he put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes received sight.
Then spake one of the people and said: thy father adjured the people saying: Cursed be the man that eateth any sustenance this day, and yet the people were fainty.
how then if all the people had eaten of the spoil of their enemies which they found, had there not been then a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
Then men told Saul saying: Behold the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said: ye have trespassed. But roll a great stone unto me now,
and go abroad among the people and bid them bring every man his ox and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And the people brought every man his ox in his hand by night and slew them there.
And Saul said: let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us make havoc among them until it be day in the morning, and let us not leave one of them. And the people answered: do whatsoever thou thinkest best. Then said the priest: let us come hither unto God.
for as truly as the LORD liveth which hath saved Israel, though it be in Jonathas my son, he shall die for it. But no man answered him of all the people.
Then he said unto all Israel: be ye on one side, and I and Jonathas my son will be on another. And the people said unto Saul: what thou thinkest best that do.
And Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel: give perfect knowledge. And Saul and Jonathas were caught, and the people escaped free. (Septuagint: And Saul said, O Lord God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? [is] the iniquity in me, or in Jonathan my son? Lord God of Israel, give clear [manifestations]; and if [the lot] should declare this, give, I pray thee, to thy people of Israel, give, I pray, holiness. And Jonathan and Saul are taken, and the people escaped.)
Then Saul said to Jonathas: tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathas told him and said: I tasted a little honey upon the end of my staff that was in mine hand, and see, I must die.
But the people said unto Saul: shall Jonathas die which hath so mightily holp Israel? God forbid. As truly as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. And so the people delivered Jonathas, that he died not.
And so Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side: against the Moabites: against the children of Ammon: against the Edomites: against the kings of Zobah and against the Philistines.
And whether soever he turned himself, there he wan, and played the man and slew the Amalekites, and rid Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: I have called to remembrance that which Amalek did to Israel how they lay in wait for them in the way, as they came out of Egypt.
Now therefore go and smite the Amalekites, and only destroy ye all that pertaineth unto them, and see thou have no compassion on them. But slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, and ox, sheep, camel and Ass.
But Saul said unto the Kenites go and depart and get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them, for ye shewed mercy with Israel when they came out of Egypt. And the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and they left of the sheep and of the oxen and fat things and the lambs and all that was good, and would not destroy them. But all that was nought worth and flaggy, that they destroyed utterly.
it repenteth me that I have made Saul king. For he is turned from me and hath not performed my commandments, wherefore Samuel was evil apaid and cried unto the LORD all night.
And Samuel rose early, to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel that Saul was come to Carmel, and had set him up a pillar of triumph. And was turned and departed and gone to Gilgal.
And Saul said: they have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God. And the remnant we have destroyed.
And Samuel said when thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed thee king over Israel.
And then the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said unto thee, see that thou utterly destroy those sinners, the Amalekites and fight against them until ye have utterly destroyed them.
And Saul said unto Samuel: I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and went the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of the Amalekites. And have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
And the people took of the spoil, sheep, oxen, and the chiefest of the things which should have been destroyed, to offer unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
Then said Samuel: hath the LORD as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings, as he hath that thou shouldest obey his voice? Behold, to obey is better than offering, and to give heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebelliousness is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is wickedness and Idolatry. Because therefore thou hast cast away the word of the LORD, therefore hath the LORD cast away thee also, from being king.
Then said Saul to Samuel: I have sinned for I have trespassed the mouth of the LORD, and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
Then said Samuel unto Saul: I will not return with thee: for thou hast cast away the bidding of God, and therefore the LORD hath cast away thee also, that thou shalt not be king over Israel.
Then he said: I have sinned. But yet honour me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may pray unto the LORD thy God.
Then said Samuel: Bring ye hither to me, Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said: truly the bitterness of death cometh on.
And Samuel said: As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among other women. And so Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
But Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, because the LORD repented that he had made him king over Israel.
And then the LORD said unto Samuel: How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have cast him away from reigning over Israel? fill an horn with ointment, and come: I will send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite, for I have spied me a king among his sons.
But Samuel answered: how shall I go? for Saul shall hear it and will kill me. And the LORD said: Take an heifer with thee, and say thou goest to offer to the LORD.
And Samuel did as the LORD bade him. And when he came to Bethlehem, the elders of the town were astonied at his coming, and said: Betokeneth thy coming peace?
and he said yea, for I am come to offer unto the LORD. Cleanse yourselves and come with me to the offering. And he purified Isai and his sons, and bade them to the offering.
But the LORD said unto Samuel: look not on his fashion nor on the height of his stature, for I have refused him. Because it is not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance: but the LORD beholdeth the heart.
Then said Samuel to Isai: are here all thy children? and he said: the youngest is yet behind: Behold, he keepeth the sheep. Then Samuel said unto Isai: send and fetch him for we will not sit down, till he be come hither.
And he sent and brought him in. And he was brown with goodly eyes, and well favoured in sight. And then the LORD said up and anoint him: for this is he.
And Samuel took the horn with the ointment and anointed him in the presence of his brethren. And the spirit of the LORD came upon David, from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramath.
let our lord therefore command his servants to seek a man that is a cunning player with an harp. And then when the evil spirit sent of God, cometh upon thee, that he may play with his hand, and thou shalt be eased.
Then answered one of his servants and said: Behold, I have seen a son of Isai the Bethelehemite, that can play upon instruments, and is an active fellow and a man of war and prudent and well made, and the LORD is with him,
And when the spirit of God came upon Saul, David took an harp and played with his hand, and so Saul was refreshed, and did amend and the evil spirit departed from him.
And then came a man and stood in the midst, out of the tents of the Philistines named Goliath of Geth, six cubits and a handbreadth long,(Septuagint and DSS: four cubits and a span)
And he stood and called unto the host of Israel, and said unto them: what needeth that ye should come out in array to battle? am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down to me,
if he be able to fight with me and to beat me, then we will be your servants. But if I can overcome him and beat him: then ye shall be our servants and serve us.
And this David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem Juda, named Isai, which Isai had eight sons. And was an old man in the days of Saul among the people.
And the three eldest sons of Isai went and followed Saul to battle. And the names of his three sons that went to battle were: Eliab the eldest, and the next to him Abinadab, and the third Samah,
And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went, as Isai had commanded him, and came where the host lay. And the host was going out in array, and shouted in the battle:
And as he talked with them: Behold, there stood a man in the midst, Goliath the Philistine by name, of Geth, which came out of the Array of the Philistines, and spake of the manner above rehearsed, that David heard it.
And every man of Israel said: See ye this man that is come forth, even to revile Israel is he come. And to him that beateth him will the king give great riches, and will give him his daughter thereto: yea and make his father's house free in Israel.
Then spake David to the men that stood by and said: What shall be done to the man that beateth this Philistine and taketh away the shame from Israel? for what is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should revile the host of the living God?
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the man and was angry with David and said: Why camest thou away, and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come to see the battle.
And Saul said to David again, thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him. For thou art but a lad, and he hath been a man of war even from his youth.
And I went out after him and smote him, and took it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard and smote him and slew him.
For both a Lion and also a Bear hath thy servant slain. And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, for his railing on the host of the living God.
And David spake moreover, the LORD that delivered me out of the hands of the Lion and out of the hands of the Bear, he shall deliver me also out of the hands of the Philistine. Then said Saul to David go, and the LORD be with thee.
and gird David with his own sword upon his raiment. And he assayed to go, for he never proved it. Then said David unto Saul: I can not go in these, for I have not been used thereto, and put them off him
and took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of a brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, and in a poke, and his sling in his hand, and went to the Philistine.
Then said David to the Philistine thou comest to me with a sword a spear and a shield: But I come to thee in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed upon.
This day shall the LORD deliver thee into my hand, and I shall smite thee and take thine head from thee, and will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the earth, and all the world shall know, that there is a God in Israel.
And all this congregation shall know, that the LORD saveth not with the sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he shall give you into our hands.
And David put his hand in his poke and took out a stone and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead that the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell grovelling to the earth.
he ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of his sheath and slew him and cut off his head therwith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
And the men of Israel and of Juda arose and shouted and followed after the Philistines, until they came to the valley and unto the gates of Akaron. And the Philistines fell down dead by the way, even unto Geth and Akaron.
When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner the captain of his host, Abner, whose son is this lad? And Abner answered, as truly as thy soul liveth, O king, I can not tell.
And so when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
And David went out to all that Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And when Saul had set him over his men of war, he pleased all the people, and Saul's servants thereto.
And it happened as they went, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing, against Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with fiddles.
Then was Saul exceeding wroth and that saying displeased him, and he said: they have ascribed unto David ten thousand, and to me but a thousand. And what can he more have save the kingdom?
And it happened on the morrow, that the evil spirit sent of God came upon Saul, so that he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played on the instrument with his hand as he was daily wont.
Then said Saul to David. Behold my eldest daughter Merob, her I will give thee to wife: Only play the man and fight the LORD's battles. For Saul thought mine hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines.
And he said: I will give him her that she may be a snare to him, to bring the hand of the Philistines upon him. And Saul said to David: thou shalt this day be my son-in-law again.
And Saul commanded his servants to commune with David secretly and say: Behold the king hath a favour to thee, and all his servants love thee, be therefore the king's son-in-law.
And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. But David answered: seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, when I am a poor man and of small reputation?
Then said Saul: this wise say to David: the king careth for no other dowry but for an hundredth foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. For Saul thought to make David fall into the hands of the Philistines.
And shortly after that David arose with his men, and went, and slew of the Philistines, two hundredth men, and brought their foreskins, and satisfied the king thereof to be his son-in-law. And so Saul gave him Michol his daughter to wife.
and told David saying: Saul my father goeth about to slay thee. Now therefore take heed to thyself betimes and abide in some secret place and hide thyself.
And I will go out and stand by my father in the field where thou art, and will commune with my father of thee, and if I can perceive ought I will tell thee.
And Jonathas spake the best of David unto Saul his father and said unto him: let not the king sin against his servant David, for he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are to thee ward very good.
For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine, and the LORD gave a great victory to all Israel. And thou sawest it, and thou rejoicedest, wherefore then shouldest thou sin against innocent blood, and slay David for nought?
And Saul intended to nail David to the wall with the Javelin: But David rid himself out of Saul's presence and he smote the spear into the wall. But David fled and saved himself that same night.
Then Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michol his wife told it him saying: If thou save not thyself this night, tomorrow thou art a dead man.
Then said Saul to Michol: why hast thou mocked me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michol answered Saul: he said unto me, let me go, or else I will kill thee.
then Saul sent messengers to fetch David. And when they saw a company of prophets prophesying and Samuel standing fast by them, the spirit of God fell upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesied too.
And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers yet again the third time which prophesied also.
Then went he himself to Ramath, and when he came to a great well that is in Socoh, he asked and said: where are Samuel and David? And they said: see they be at Naioth in Ramath
And he stript off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and fell naked all that day and all that night, wherefore it is a common saying, is Saul also among the prophets?
And David fled from Naioth in Ramath and went and said before Jonathas: What have I done? wherein am I faulty? what is the sin that I have committed before thy father that he seeketh my life?
And Jonathas answered him: God forbid, thou shalt not die. For see my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me. For why should my father hide this thing from me? there shall be no such thing.
And David sware again and said: thy father knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes and therefore he thinketh, Jonathas shall not know it, lest he be sorry. For in very deed even as truly as the LORD liveth, and as truly as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
And David said unto Jonathas: Behold, tomorrow is the first day of the month, and I should sit with the king at meat. But let me go that I may hide myself in the fields unto this day three days at evening.
If thy father miss me, then say: David asked leave of me, that he might go to Bethlehem to his own city, for there is holden a yearly feast for all his kin.
And if thy father say thus: it is well done, then thy servant shall have peace. But and if he be angry: then be sure that wickedness is utterly concluded of him.
And then thou shalt shew mercy unto thy servant, for thou hast made with me thy servant a bond in the LORD. Notwithstanding if there be in me any trespass, then slay me thyself, for what needeth thee to bring me to thy father?
And Jonathas answered: God keep that from thee, that I should know, that wickedness were concluded of my father, to come upon thee: and should not tell it thee.
And Jonathas said unto David: O LORD God of Israel, when I have groped my father's mind, one time or other within this three days, that it stand well with David: and I then send not unto thee and shew it thee, the LORD do so and so unto Jonathas.
And in like manner, if evil to thee ward please my father, I will shew thee and send thee away, that thou mayst go in peace. And the LORD be with thee as he hath been with my father.
If I say unto the lad: see the arrows are on this side thee, bring them: then come thou: for it is peace and nothing to do, as sure as the LORD liveth.
And the king sat him down after the old manner, in his seat by the wall. And Jonathas arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.
But on the morrow which was the second day of the moon, when David's place appeared empty, Saul said unto Jonathas his son: wherefore cometh not the son of Isai to meat, neither yesterday nor today?
let me go I pray thee, for our kindred hold an offering in the city, and my brother hath sent for me. Now therefore if I have found favour in thine eyes let me go and see my brother. And therefore he cometh not unto the table of the king.
Then was Saul angry with Jonathas and said unto him: O froward and rebellious, thinkest thou I know not how thou hast chosen the son of Isai unto thine own rebuke, and unto the rebuke and shame of thy mother.
For as long as the son of Isai lieth upon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor yet thy kingdom, wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he is the child of death.
And so Jonathas arose from the table in a great anger and did eat no meat the second day of the month, for he was sorry for David, because his father had done him shame.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place that was toward the south and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times. And they kissed either other and wept together, but David more abundantly.
And Jonathas said to David: go in peace which we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD saying: the LORD be between thee and me, and between thy seed and mine for ever. And he rose and departed. And Jonathas went in to the town.
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was astonied at his coming and said unto him: Why cometh thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?
And David said to Ahimelech the priest: the king hath commanded me to do a certain thing and said unto me, let no man know whereabout I send and what I have commanded thee to do. And therefore I have appointed my servants to such and such places.
And the priest answered David and said: there is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread, if the young men had abstained onely from women.
And David answered the priest and said unto him: of a truth women hath been locked up from us about a three days, when I came out: and the vessels of the young men were holy. How be it this way is unpure, but it shall be hallowed in the vessel.
And so the priest gave him hallowed bread, for there was none other bread there save shewbreads that were taken from before the LORD, to put fresh bread there, the day that it was taken away.
And David said unto Ahimelech: is not here under thine hand other spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor mine harness with me, because the king's business required haste.
Then the priest answered: the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom thou slewest in Oakdale, that is here wrapt in a cloth behind the Ephod. If thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said: there is none to that, give it me.
And the servants of Achis said of him: is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing unto this fellow in dances saying: Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand?
And he changed his countenance before them, and raved in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
And David departed thence and escaped, and came unto the cave Odollam. When his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went thither to him.
And there gathered unto him all men that were in cumbrance and in debt and troubled in their hearts, and he became a captain over them. And there were with him upon a four hundredth men.
And David went thence to Mazphah in the land of Moab, and said unto the king of Moab: Let my father and mother I pray thee, have their abiding with you, till I know what God will do with me.
And Saul heard of it: for David was known and also the men that were with him. And as Saul sat in Gabaah under a grove upon a high bank with his spear in his hand and all his men about him,
he said unto his servants that stood about him: Hear I pray you, you sons of Jemini: will the son of Isai also give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains over thousands and over hundreds?
that ye have all conspired against me, so that there is none of you that openeth mine ear, insomuch that my son hath made a bond with the son of Isai, neither is there any of you that mourneth for me or sheweth it in mine ear: because my son hath set up my servant to lie await against me, as it appeareth this day.
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which had the oversight of the servants of Saul and said: I saw the son of Isai, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitob,
Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest the son of Ahitob, and all his father's house: that is to say, the priests that were in Nob. And they came all to the king.
Then said Saul to him: why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Isai, insomuch that thou hast given him vitaille and a sword, and hast asked counsel of God for him, that he should arise against me and lie await as it is come to pass this day?
And Ahimelech answered the king and said: who is so faithful among all thy servants as David and thereto the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is had in honour in thine house?
have I this day begun first to ask counsel of God for him? God forbid that from me: let not the king put such a thing unto his servant and on all the house of my father. For thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, either less or more.
Then said the king unto his footmen that stood about him: turn and slay the priests of the LORD, both because their hand is with David and because they knew when David fled and shewed it not to me. But the servants of the king would not move their hands, to run upon the priests of the LORD.
Then said the king to Doeg: turn thou and smite the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and ran upon the priests and slew that same day four score and five persons that did wear each man a linen Ephod.
And David said unto Abiathar: I wist it the same day, that Doeg the Edomite which was there would tell it Saul. And I am cause of the death of all the Souls of thy father's house.
Then David asked the LORD's advice saying: shall I go and smite the Philistines? And the LORD said unto David: go and smite the Philistines and save Keilah.
And so David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and drave away their cattle and slew a great slaughter of them. And so David saved the inhabiters of Keilah.
And it was told Saul, that David was come to Keilah. Then said Saul: God hath delivered him into mine hand. For he is shut in, that he is come into a town with gates and bars.
will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? or will Saul come as thy servant heareth say? LORD God of Israel tell thy servant. And the LORD said: he will come.
Then David and his men which were upon a six hundredth, arose and departed out of Keilah and went whither chance drave them. And when it was told Saul, that David was fled from Keilah, he let the journey alone.
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his life, but God delivered him not into his hand.
and said unto him: fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I must be next unto thee: And Saul my father thereto knoweth that it shall be so.
Then came the Ziphites to Saul, to Gabaah saying: David hideth himself fast by us in strong holds that are in a thicket in the hill of Hachilah on the right side of the wilderness.
Go I pray you and mark more diligently, and know and see his haunt, where his foot hath been, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he is very subtle.
See therefore and know all the lurking places where he lurketh, and come again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you. And then if he be in the land, I will hunt him out with all the thousands of Juda.
And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the wild field, on the right hand of the wilderness.
For when Saul was gone with his men to seek, it was told David. And therefore he went unto a Rock and dwelt in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he followed after David into the wilderness of Maon.
And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other. And David as a man amazed, made haste to get from Saul. For Saul and his men had compassed David and his men round about, to take them.
And he came to the flocks of the sheep by a way's side where was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men sat a long by the sides of the cave.
And the men of David said unto him: see the day is come, of which the LORD said unto thee: Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do with him what it pleaseth thee. Then David arose and cut off a lap of Saul's coat privily.
And he said unto his men: the LORD keep me from doing that thing unto my master that is the LORD's anointed, to lay mine hand upon him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed.
And when Saul was up out of the cave and gone away, David arose and went out of the cave and cried after Saul saying: My lord king. And Saul looked behind him. And David stooped to the earth and bowed himself,
Behold this day thine eyes have seen, how that the LORD had delivered thee this day, into mine hand in the cave. When they bade kill thee, mine eye had compassion on thee: and I said: I will not lay my hands on my master, for he is the LORD's anointed.
And moreover my father, see yet the lap of thy coat in my hand. And in as much as I killed thee not to, when I cut off the lap of thy coat, understand and see, that there is neither evil nor rebelliousness in me, and that I have not sinned against thee. And yet thou huntest after my soul to take it.
And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt lovingly with me, for as much as when the LORD had locked me in thine hands, thou slewest me not.
And then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and lamented him, and buried him in his own house at Ramath. And David arose and gat him to the wilderness of Pharan.
And there was a man in Maon whose cattle was in Carmel, and the man was exceeding mighty, and had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife was Abigail, and was a woman of good wisdom and beautiful. But the man was churlish and of shrewd conditions and was a Calebite.
I have heard say that thou hast shearers. Now the shepherds were with us, and we did them no spite, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel:
ask thy lads, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let these young men find favour in thine eyes (for we come in a good season) and give I pray thee whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants and to thine son David.
And Nabal answered David's servants and said: What is David? and what is the son of Isai? there is plenty of servants now a days, that break away every man from his master.
Then David said unto his men: gird every man his sword about him. And they girded every man his sword on, and David thereto girded on his sword. And there followed David upon a four hundredth men, and two hundredth abode by the stuff.
But one of the lads told Abigail Nabal's wife saying: see David sent messengers unto our master out of the wilderness to salute him, and he railed on them.
And yet the men were very good unto us and did us no displeasure, neither missed we anything, as long as were conversant with them, when we were in the fields.
Now take heed and see what thou hast to do, for it is concluded to do mischief unto our master and to all his household. And he is ungracious to speak to.
Then Abigail made haste and took two hundredth loaves and two bottles of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched corn, and an hundredth bundles of raisins and two hundredth frails of figs, and laded them on asses,
And David said: in vain have I kept all that this fellow had in the wilderness: so that nought was missed that pertained unto him, for he hath quite me with evil for good.
So and so do God unto the enemies of David, as I will not leave of all that pertain to him, by the dawning of the day, ought that pisseth against the wall.
and fell at his feet and said: Let this unhappy deed be counted mine, my lord, and let thine handmaid speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thy handmaid.
Let not my lord regard this unthrifty man Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him. But I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord which thou sendest.
And now my lord as sure as the LORD liveth and as thy soul liveth, the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood and from avenging thyself with thine own hand. Furthermore I pray God that thine enemies and they that intend to do my lord evil, may be as Nabal.
Forgive the trespass of thine handmaid that the LORD may make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and there could none evil be found in thee in all thy life.
And if any man rise to persecute thee and to seek thy soul, the soul of my lord be bound in a bundle of life with the LORD thy God. And the souls of thy enemies be slung in the middle of a sling.
then shall it be no grudge of conscience unto thee or discourage of heart unto my lord, that thou sheddest blood causeless and didst avenge thyself. And moreover when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then think on thine handmaid.
For in very deed as sure as the LORD God of Israel liveth which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and met me, there had not been left Nabal by the dawning of the day, a pisser against the wall.
And so David received of her hand that she brought him, and said to her: go in peace to thine house. And see I have obeyed thy voice and have received thee to grace.
And when Abigail came to Nabal: behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king, and Nabal's heart was merry within him, and he was drunk a good. Wherefore she told him nought neither little nor more, until the morrow day.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said: Blessed be the LORD that hath judged the cause of my rebuke of the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil, and hath turned the wickedness of Nabal again upon his own head. And David sent to commune with Abigail, to the intent to take her to his wife.
And Abigail hasted and arose and gat her up upon an Ass, with five damsels of hers that went at her feet, and went after the messengers of David and was his wife.
And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah which lieth before the wilderness, by the way's side. But David dwelt in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,
Wherefore David arose and went to the place where Saul had pitched, and beheld the place where Saul lay with Abner the son of Ner his chief captain. For Saul lay within a round bank and the people pitched round about him.
Then answered David and spake to Ahimelech the Hethite and to Abisai the son of Zaruiah and brother to Joab saying: who will go down with me to Saul to the host? Abisai said: I will go down with thee.
And so David and Abisai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping within a round bank and his spear pitched in the ground at his head, Abner and the people lying round about him.
The said Abisai to David: God hath closed in thine enemy unto thine hand this day. Now therefore let me smite him a fellowship with my spear to the earth, even one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
And David said furthermore: as sure as the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and there perish:
but the LORD keep me from laying mine hand upon the LORD's anointed. Now then take a fellowship the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
And David took the spear and the cruse of water that were at Saul's head, and they gat them away, and no man saw or wist it or awoke. For they were all asleep. Because the LORD had sent a slumber upon them.
and cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner saying: Answerest thou not Abner? and Abner answered and said: What art thou that criest to the king?
and David said to Abner: art not thou a man, and who is like thee in Israel? But wherefore hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For there came one of the folk to destroy the king thy lord.
It is not good that thou hast done. As truly as the LORD liveth ye are worthy to die, because ye have no better kept the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is and the cruse of water that were at his head.
Now hear therefore (my lord king) the words of thy servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, he shall smell the savour of sacrifice. But and if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD. For they have cast me out from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying: hence and go serve other gods.
And yet I hope my blood shall not fall to the earth before the face of the LORD, though the king of Israel be come out to hunt a flea, as men hunt the partridges in the mountains.
Then said Saul: I have sinned, come again my son David for I will do thee no more harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceeding much.
The LORD reward every man's righteousness and faith: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand this day, but I would not lay my hand upon the LORD's anointed.
And Saul said to David: Blessed art thou my son David: for thou shalt be a doer and also able to bring to an end. And so David went his way, and Saul turned to his place again.
Then thought David in his heart: I may perish one day or other by the hands of Israel. There is no better for me, than to flee into the land of the Philistines, that Saul of very despair to find me, may cease to seek me any more in all the coasts of Israel: for so I may escape his hand.
And David dwelt with Achis at Geth, both he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives: Ahinoam the Jezrahelite and Abigail Nabal's wife of Carmel.
And David said unto Achis: If I have found grace in thine eyes, let me have a place in some town in the fields, that I may dwell there. For what should thy servant dwell in the head city of the kingdom with thee.
And David and his men went and ran upon the Gesurites, the Gersites and the Amalekites: which nations were from the beginning the inhabiters of the land, as men go to Sur, and so forth to Egypt.
And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took the sheep, the oxen, the asses, camels, and clothes, and removed and came to Achis.
And Achis said: have ye not been a roving this day? And David answered: yes in the south of Juda, and in the south of the Jezrahelites, and in the south of the Kenites.
And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring to Geth, for fear lest they should tell on them saying: so did David and so is his manner all the while he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
And it chanced in those days, that the Philistines gathered their host together to war, intending to fight with Israel. And Achis said to David: Be sure, thou shalt go out with me in the host, and thy men also.
And David said again to Achis: then thou shalt know, what thy servant can do. And Achis said to David: then I will make thee keeper of my head for ever.
Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramath his own city. And Saul had put the women that had spirits of prophecy and the Sorcerers out of the land.
Then said Saul unto his servants: seek me a woman that is mistress of a spirit of prophecy that I may go to her and ask of her. And his servants said to him: see, there is a wife that hath a spirit of Prophecy in her possession at Endor.
And Saul changed his clothes and put on other raiment, and then went he and two men with him, and they came to the wife by night. And he said: prophesy unto me by the spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee.
And the wife said unto him: Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the women that had prophesying spirits, and the Sorcerers out of the land. Wherefore then layest thou a net for my soul to kill me?
And he said: what fashion is he of? And the woman said: there cometh up an old man with a mantle upon him. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself.
And Samuel said to Saul: why hast thou unquieted me, to make me be brought up? And Saul answered: I am sore encumbered. For the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me and answered me no more, neither by prophets, neither by dreams. And therefore have I called thee, to tell me what I shall do.
because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites. Therefore hath the LORD done this unto thee this day.
And moreover the LORD will deliver Israel with thee, into the hands of the Philistines. And tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, and the LORD shall give the host of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
Then Saul fell straightway flat on the earth as long as he was, and was sore a dread of the words of Samuel. And thereto there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten all the day and the night before.
And the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him: See, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice and have put my soul in thy hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou saidst unto me.
Now therefore hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee, and eat, and get the strength to go thy journey.
But he refused it and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the wife together compelled him, that he heard their voice. And so he arose from the earth and sat him on a bed.
Then said the lords of the Philistines: what are yonder Hebrews? And Achis said unto the lords of the Philistines: Is not this David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me days or years, and I have found no fault in him since he fled unto me unto this day.
Nevertheless the lords of the Philistines were wroth with him and said unto him: Make this fellow return, and let him go again to his place which thou hast appointed him. For he shall not go with us to to battle, lest he be an adversary to us in the battle. For wherewith could he better obtain the favour of his master, than upon the heads of our men.
Then Achis called David and said unto him: As sure as the LORD liveth thou art honest, and it pleaseth me well that thou shouldest accompany me in the host, for I have found none evil with thee since thou camest to me unto this day: Nevertheless the lords of the Philistines favour thee not:
And David said again to Achis: Why what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant as long as I have been with thee unto this day? that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
Achis answered and said to David: I wot well thou pleasest me, as it were an Angel of God. Notwithstanding the lords of the Philistines have said, that thou shalt not go with them to battle.
But yer David and his men were come to Zikeleg the third day, the Amalekites had run in a running upon the south and upon Zikeleg, and had smitten Zikeleg and burnt it with fire,
But David took a good courage to him in the LORD his God and said to Abiathar the priest Ahimelech's son: bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to David.
And David asked the LORD saying: shall I follow after this company? and shall I overtake them? And he said to him: follow, for thou shalt overtake them and recover the prey.
and gave him a few figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten his spirits came again to him: for he had eaten no bread nor drunk no water in three days and three nights.
Then David said unto him: to whom belongest thou and whence art thou? and the lad answered: I am an Egyptian and servant to an Amalekite: and my master left me behind, because it is three days a gone that I fell sick:
And David said to him: canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee unto them.
And when he had brought him: see, they lay scattered abroad upon the earth, eating and drinking and triumphing over all the great prey that they had carried away out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.
And David laid upon them from the twilight until the evening on the morrow: so that there escaped not a man, save four hundredth young men which rode away upon camels and fled.
And then David came to the two hundredth men that were too weary for to follow David which they made to abide at the river Besor. And they came to meet David and the people that were with him. And when David came to the people, he saluted them.
Then answered all the wicked and the unthrifts of the men that went with David, and said: because they went not with us, therefore shall none of the prey that we have recovered, be given unto them, save to every man his wife and his children: which let them carry away and be walking.
Then said David: ye shall not do so (my brethren) with that the LORD hath given us, and hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us, into our hands.
For who should hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is that goeth and fighteth, so good shall his part be, that tarrieth by the stuff, they shall part it alike.
When David came to Zikeleg, he sent of his prey unto the elders of Juda and to his friends saying: see there a blessing for you, of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.
Then said Saul unto his harness bearer: draw out thy sword and thrust me thorow therewith lest these uncircumcised come thrust me thorow and make a mocking stock of me. But his harness bearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Wherefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it.
When the men of Israel that were of the other side of the valley, and they of the other side Jordan, heard that the men of Israel were put to flight, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left the cities, and ran away, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
And they cut off his head and stripped him out of his harness, and sent unto the land of the Philistines everywhere, to publish in the houses of their Gods|Idols| and to the people.
they arose as many as were men of war and went all night and took the carcase of Saul and the carcases of his sons from the walls of Bethsan and brought them to Jabes and burnt them there