\id 1SA - The Orthodox Jewish Bible
\ide UTF-8
\ide UTF-8
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\h SHMUEL ALEF
\toc1 Shmuel Alef
\toc2 Shmuel Alef
\toc3 1Sm
\mt Shmuel Alef
\is Introduction
\ip This two-part work begins with the pollution of the religious worship by Eliʼs apostate sons who were kohanim during the time when the great prophet Shmuel (born ca. 1105 B.C.E.) was a child. 1-2 Samuel ends with a foreshadowing of the purified Beis Hamikdash worship which was the Messianic vision of King Dovid (died ca. 970 B.C.E.). A subtle indication of this is the linen ephod worn both by little Shmuel (\xt 1Sm 2:18\xt*) and many years later by King Dovid (\xt 2Sm 6:14; Ps 110:4\xt*). The ephod of the Kohen Gadol was an apron-like garment with an ornamented vest containing the Urim and Thummim used to determine the will of G-d (sacred lots that were cast to determine whether to go to war, etc). The kehunah (priesthood) we see being purified as the story of I-II Shmuel unfolds looks forward to the perfect Moshiach-Kohen who is coming (\xt Ps 110:4\xt*). A man of G-d comes to Eli and prophesies to him about the kehunah (priesthood) of his ancestor Aharon (see \xt 1Sm 2:27f\xt*). Eli is told that he and his sons will be replaced by another Aaronic family, which turns out to be the family of Zadok. Eliʼs branch of the kehunah will be broken off and “I will raise up for Myself a ne'eman \add (faithful)\add* kohen” (\xt 2:35\xt*), says the L-rd. Zadok and his sons will replace Eli and his sons, just as Dovid the king after G-dʼs own heart will replace Saul the unfaithful monarch and will take his crown (\xt 1Sm 28:17; Rv 3:11\xt*). Although Zadok was the immediate fulfillment, Moshiach Yehoshua finally and completely fulfills \xt 2:35\xt* through \xt Ps 110:4\xt* and Zech \xt 3:8; 6:11-12\xt* and \xt Isa 53:10\xt*. One of the reasons King Saul angered G-d is because he usurped the role of kohen (\xt 1Sm 13:8-15\xt*), thus showing his lack of respect for G-dʼs holy kehunah and for the kingʼs covenant obligation to keep the Torah (see \xt Dt 17:11-20\xt*). When he attacked and caused the death of the kohanim at Nob, that was the last straw, though he had already been condemned for rebelliously disobeying G-d in regard to the Amalekites (see \xt 1Sm 15:1-35; Ex 17:8-16; Dt 25:17-19\xt*). The only kohen to survive the massacre at Nob was Ahimelechʼs son Abiathar, who, because he later supported Davidʼs son Adoniyah instead of Solomon as Davidʼs heir to the throne, was finally banished, leaving the Aaronic kehunah to Zadok and his sons. Since Achimelech and Abiathar are descendants of Eli, we read the story of I-II Shmuel knowing there is a curse on them and that their branch of the Aaronic family tree will eventually lose the kehunah. Eli should have feared G-d enough not to eat and drink judgment on himself, especially in view of his unholy sons who were kohanim (see \xt Lv 10:1,2,16-20\xt*). The backdrop of Eliʼs decadent kehunah is the ominous military threat of the Philistines, who are on the brink of subjugating the whole land and are already in some sense holding sway (\xt 13:19-22\xt*), in spite of Shmuelʼs best efforts (\xt 7:2-17\xt*). The sinful people discover that the ark will not work as a good-luck charm or a magical weapon. Without teshuvah (repentance) and obedient holiness, Israel will be defeated, as Samson discovered in his own experience with the Philistines. But the Philistine g-d Dagon cannot stand in the presence of the ark; rather, it falls in broken obeisance. This means that if the people of G-d through their sin lose the power of G-d, that does not mean that G-dʼs Word has lost its power. G-d is the true king of Israel, and the people need to beware of the tyrannical exploitation they may be asking for when they act like other nations. It turns out that King Saul, lacking covenant loyalty to the Word of G-d, falls short of the theocratic ideal, and his life becomes a foil against which to view the description of the Moshiach in \xt 2Sm 7:12-17\xt*, “But I will not take my steadfast love from him (Dovidʼs Son, the Moshiach), as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you (Dovid).” In 1Sm 17 we see the killing by the youth Dovid of the Philistine champion Goliath (10 feet tall, weighing in with a 150 lb. coat and a 19 lb. spear head). Davidʼs victory over Goliath begins to trigger Saulʼs jealousy and eventual unraveling (\xt 18:7-8\xt*). Later Saul tries to kill David, but G-d puts a wonderful brotherly love for Dovid in the heart of Saulʼs son Jonathan, who rescues Dovid from Saulʼs murderous wrath and seems to hold a serene and unselfish knowledge that Dovid and not he will inherit the throne (\xt 20:13-15\xt*). Like Jonathan, Davidʼs wife Michal, Saulʼs young daughter, also helps David escape (\xt 19:11-17\xt*). In the Philistine city of Gath Dovid has to use his wits to save himself, pretending to be mad. The Philistine king Akhish later makes Dovid his mercenary and gives him the village of Ziglag (though, as his mercenary, Dovid outwits him, and, in a holy war, destroys non-Israelite villages rather than his own Jewish people). In any event, Akhish is convinced enough by Dovidʼs acting skill to let him do whatever he wants (see \xt 21:10-15\xt*) except fight side by side with the Philistine (\xt 29:3-11\xt*), something Dovid doesn't want to do anyway, especially against his own people. Up to this point Dovid with his own private army seems to act like a sort of Jewish Robin Hood, even hiring himself out as a private police force. When a wealthy sheep owner Nabal (naval means “fool”) rejects Dovid and messianic association with him and thereby proves himself a true “fool,” his death opens the door for his widow to become Dovidʼs wife. This woman, Abigail, is carried off from Ziklag by Amalekites (\xt 30:2\xt*) along with “the women and all who were in” Ziklag. In a foreshadow of the coming rejected Moshiach, Dovid is almost stoned by his own people, very much like Moses (\xt Ex 17:4; 1Sm 30:6\xt*), both Dovid and Moshe being messianic types of the Servant of the L-rd (\xt Dt 34:5; 1Sm 25:39; Isa 53:11\xt*). \xt Chapter 8:8\xt* shows that G-d is a rejected G-d; therefore, we should not be surprised that the Moshiach is a rejected Moshiach (Isaiah 53). But notice that when Dovid the King is rejected by the Jewish people, he is accepted by the Gentiles, the Philistines (see \xt Ac 28:28\xt*)! Then, after that, the Jewish people accept him and crown him king, as we shall see in II Shmuel. At the end of I Shmuel, signalling that the people of Israel once again have no king and need Dovid their King to be their deliverer, a horrible picture comes into view: Saul and Jonathan and all Saulʼs sons are killed by the Philistines at Mt Gilboa. \xt 1Sm 3:7; 1Sm 2:12-17\xt* contain ominous warnings against those who are dabbling in religion and have not had the new creation experience of the new birth.
\ip I Shmuel is an amazing character study of the tragedy of King Saul. A slow break-down in his character is carefully presented to us as a warning. We too could become like him, jealous, cracking under pressure, not obeying G-d with fearful care and attention to detail, taking our eyes off G-d, off His Word, laying down carnal and arbitrary policies, getting out of step with the Ruach Hakodesh, no longer lifting up the glory of G-d but instead building a monument to ourselves [see \xt 1Sm 15:12\xt*]. If we are become spoiled, and focus on our own prerogatives rather than G-dʼs, He may lose patience with us and replace us, if we abuse our privileges. G-d doesn't want to be obeyed our way; He wants to be obeyed His way. See 1Sm 15 and what happens if we rebel against this teaching.
\ip Saulʼs personal Meribah-Massah experience took place at Gilgal where his rebellion cost him his ministry [review \xt 1Sm 13:8-14; Ex 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13; Ps 106:32; 95:8; Dt 33:8; MJ 3:8\xt*.] Here we see Saul repeating in his kingly person the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Every generation has a Kadesh-Barnea opportunity to obey the L-rd and to follow Him and to gain new ground for the Kingdom of G-d, or else to hesitate; and, as the story of the wilderness illustrates, he who shrinks back, he who hesitates, is lost. Every generation is put to a test and a trial — either to march ahead in faith and take some ground for G-d, or to rebel and “grumble in your tents” and die with a faithless hardened heart in the wilderness. If even Moses, great though he was, fell short of the L-rdʼs holy expectations and was punitively replaced, how much more should we be careful not to rebel against G-dʼs Word. We see that Saul repeated the sins Israel committed when she entered the Promised Land: Saul committed the sin of Achan (compare Josh.\xt chp 7\xt* and \xt 1Sm 15:13-23\xt*) and Saul almost caused the death of Jonathan (compare Jephthahʼs daughter — \xt Judg 11:39\xt* and \xt 1Sm 14:28-30\xt*). A minister should stay small in his own eyes (\xt 1Sm 15:17\xt*), unless he wants to be replaced. There is always a young David waiting in the wings to replace an old proud Saul.
\ip We see in Saul a man demonized and depressed and very much in need of, among other things, deliverance through music ministry. We see the importance of spiritual song in \xt 1Sm 16:14-23\xt*. Davidʼs musical skill has left us a rich treasure to worship G-d, but it is also important to remember the demonic oppression of Saul and how it was abated by Davidʼs harp. Notice the importance of the ministry of music in \xt 1Sm 18:10-12\xt*. \xt 1Sm 16:17\xt* indicates that the L-rdʼs musician must be an artist who can play well. The man of G-d is necessarily a refugee in a wicked and G-d-hating world, but in 1Sm G-d gives Dovid favor and guides his steps to safety. See chapter 19. In chapter 22 we see the wickedness of Saul, who has no respect for G-dʼs ministers. This is called anti-clericalism. Increasingly the world is filling up with Sauls and preparing for the Great Tribulation when the Brit Chadasha kehillah will be under a final massive anti-Moshiach assault of anticlericalism. See \xt 1Sm 23:14\xt*. Notice that when Dovid seemingly lost everything at Ziklag, he “strengthened himself in the L-rd his G-d” (\xt 1Sm 30:6\xt*). However, by contrast, on the verge of losing everything, Saul turned to the occult. In this we also see the destructive results of involvement with psychics and fortune-tellers or any occult practice.
\ip A concordance search of the word “Moshiach” in 1Sm reveals it as a concept lying just under the surface in the Bibleʼs discussion of the first king of Israel. There are also Messianic allusions in 1Sm that are cross-referenced by other parts of the Tanakh. Notice \xt 1Sm 9:17\xt* where you see the words HINEI HAISH (BEHOLD THE MAN). This phrase becomes a Messianic Prophecy in \xt Zech 6:12\xt*, which says HINEI ISH and then adds the post-Exilic code word for Moshiach, TZEMACH (“BRANCH” [of Dovid]) SHMO ([is] his Name). The named person is the post-Exilic Kohen Gadol whose Messianic Personal Name is Yehoshua in Hebrew, Yeshua in Aramaic, and in Greek Yoh-tah, ee-tah, seegh-mah, oh-mee-krone, eeps-ee-long, final seegh-mah. The successor to Moses, also named Yehoshua, is a Symbol of King Moshiach. Yehoshua (Joshua, Yeshua, \xt Neh 8:17\xt*) is called “the servant of the L-rd” in the book of Joshua (\xt Josh 24:29\xt*). Like Caleb, Joshua is also a sign-man, an ominous mofet of the King Messiah, for Joshua is an agent of chesed (undeserved, unmerited mercy e.g. in the case of the prostitute Rahab) and of wrath and judgment or condemnation, in the holy war of G-d against the seven wicked nations in the Promised Land. The prophet Daniel, who also speaks of both the chesed of chayei olam (eternal life) as well as judgment and condemnation (\xt Dan 12:2\xt*), gives us a glorious apocalyptic picture of this coming King, this Moshiach of the Clouds of Himel (\xt Dan 7:13-14\xt*). Furthermore, \xt Dt 18:15-19\xt* foretells the prophet like Moses that G-d will raise up in the Promised Land, the Prophet-Moshiach. Yeshayah infers that the Moshiach will be a new Moses (\xt Isa 42:15-16; 49:9-10\xt*) and a new Joshua (\xt Isa 49:8\xt*). The immediate (not final) fulfillment of the \xt Dt 18:15-19\xt* prophecy is Yehoshua (Joshua/Yeshua). The Sages (Avot 1:1) tell us that Moses accepted the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua/Yeshua. Not only that, Joshua/Yeshua is indeed a Moses-like prophet, because it was to Joshua and not to Moses that G-d gave the revelation of the boundaries of the tribal portions of Eretz Yisrael. Moses died in the wilderness because he angered G-d, but Joshua led the people victoriously to the promised new life in the Holy Land. Thus, Joshua (the Aramaic form of whose name is Yeshua — see \xt Neh 8:17\xt*) is a prophetic sign of the King Moshiach, the ruler from among his brethren who, like Moses and Prince Joseph, the Savior in Egypt, would lead Israelʼs true faithful remnant all the way from the rebellious unbelief resulting in death in the wilderness to the eternal salvation and Messianic deliverance foreshadowed in the book of Joshua. Another Messianic allusion in 1Sm that is cross-referenced elsewhere in the Tanakh is \xt 1Sm 10:1\xt*, where Shmuel anoints King Saul and submissively, showing honor, kisses him. \xt Ps 2:11-12\xt* warns that Moshiach must be approached in this way, “lest ye perish” or be “destroyed in your way.” Still another Messianic allusion in 1Sm is \xt 9:20\xt* where Shmuel says, And on whom is kol chemdat Yisroel (all the Desire of Yisroel)? Is it not on thee, i.e. on the Anointed King, the Moshiach? Now we go to \xt Hag 2:7\xt* where the post-Exilic prophet Chaggai, with great Messianic portent, prophesies that G-d is going to shake the heavens and the Chemdat kol Goyim (the Desired of all Nations, i.e. the Moshiach) will come. Moshiachʼs coming is referred to many times in the Tanakh. “Until Shiloh Come” is a phrase found in \xt Gn 49:10\xt*. Moshe tells us there that the Deliverer will come through the Tribe of Yehudah or Judah. Judah is the tribe of Moshiach and is therefore the first to break camp (\xt Num 2:3,9\xt*) and makes the first offering (\xt Num 7:12\xt*) and sets out first in the march from Sinai (\xt Num 10:14\xt*). See also \xt Prov 8:23\xt* where \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs Wisdom, His Word, is also “first” as well as \xt Judg 20:18\xt*, where Moshiachʼs tribe is likewise called “first.” \xt Gn 49:10\xt* says, “The shevet (sceptre) shall not depart from Yehudah, nor a Mekhokek (Lawgiver) from between his raglayim \add (feet)\add*, until Shiloh \add [Shin, lamed, holam vav can mean ‘until he whose it is’]\add* come; and unto him shall be the obedience of the amim \add (peoples, nations)\add*.” The inference of \xt Gn 49:10\xt* is that Judahʼs sovereignty (shepherdʼs staff) will remain with that tribe until the coming of Dovid and the Ben Dovid Moshiach. See \xt Ezek 21:27\xt* and its reference to \xt Gn 49:10\xt*, “until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs.” \xt Gn 49:10\xt* says “the obedience of the peoples” is his, that is, the Moshiachʼs. Sanhedrin 98b says that is indeed a Messianic prophecy.
\c 1
\p
\v 1 Now there was a certain man of Ramatayim Tzophim, of the hill country of Ephrayim, and his name was Elkanah ben Yerocham ben Elihu ben Tochu ben Tzuph, from Ephrat; 
\v 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Channah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Channah had no children. 
\v 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto \nd Hashem\nd* Tzva'os in Shiloh. And the two banim of Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, the kohanim of \nd Hashem\nd*, were there. 
\v 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her banim and her banot, portions; 
\v 5 But unto Channah he gave a double portion; for he loved Channah; but \nd Hashem\nd* had shut up her womb. 
\v 6 And her tzarah \add (adversary)\add* also provoked her greatly, for to make her fret, because \nd Hashem\nd* had shut up her womb. 
\v 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the Bais \nd Hashem\nd*, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 
\v 8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Channah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy lev bitter? Am not I better to thee than asarah banim?
\p
\v 9 So Channah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli HaKohen sat upon a chair by mezuzat Heikhal \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 10 And she was in bitterness of nefesh, and davened unto \nd Hashem\nd*, and wept greatly. 
\v 11 And she vowed a neder \add (vow)\add*, and said, O \nd Hashem\nd* Tzva'os, if thou wilt indeed look on the misery of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid zera anashim, then I will give him unto \nd Hashem\nd* kol yamei of his chayyah, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
\p
\v 12 And it came to pass, as she continued davening before \nd Hashem\nd*, that Eli observed her mouth. 
\v 13 Now Channah, she davened in her lev; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her to be shikkorah. 
\v 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunk? Put away thy yayin from thee. 
\v 15 And Channah answered and said, No, adoni, I am an isha of a keshat ruach \add (oppressed spirit)\add*; I have drunk neither yayin nor strong drink, but have poured out my nefesh before \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 16 Take not thine amah \add (handmaid, servant)\add* for a bat Beliyaal; for out of the abundance of my anguish and ka'as \add (grief)\add* have I davened hitherto. 
\v 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in shalom; and Elohei Yisroel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him. 
\v 18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find chen \add (grace, favor)\add* in thy sight. So the isha went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
\p
\v 19 And they rose up in the boker early, and worshiped before \nd Hashem\nd* and returned, and came to their bais in Ramah; and Elkanah knew Channah his wife; and \nd Hashem\nd* remembered her. 
\v 20 And it came to pass in due time, after Channah had conceived, that she bore a ben, and called his name Shmuel \add (Heard of G-d)\add* saying, Because from \nd Hashem\nd* I have asked for him.
\p
\v 21 And the man Elkanah, and all his bais, went up to offer unto \nd Hashem\nd* the zevach hayamim \add (sacrifice of the days)\add*, and his neder \add (vow)\add*. 
\v 22 But Channah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before \nd Hashem\nd*, and there abide forever. 
\v 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only \nd Hashem\nd* make good \add (establish)\add* His devar. So the isha stayed, and nursed her ben until she weaned him.
\p
\v 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, and a skin of yayin, and brought him unto the Bais \nd Hashem\nd* in Shiloh; and the child was young. 
\v 25 And they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. 
\v 26 And she said, Oh adoni, as thy nefesh liveth, adoni, I am the isha that stood by thee here, davening unto \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 27 For this child I davened; and \nd Hashem\nd* hath given me my petition which I asked of Him; 
\v 28 Therefore also I make him one lent to \nd Hashem\nd*; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p And he worshiped \nd Hashem\nd* there.
\c 2
\p
\v 1 And Channah davened, and said,
\b
\q My lev rejoiceth in \nd Hashem\nd*,
\q mine keren is exalted in \nd Hashem\nd*;
\q my mouth is opened wide over mine oyevim;
\q because I rejoice with simchah in Thy Yeshu'ah \add (Salvation)\add*.
\b
\q
\v 2 There is none kadosh like \nd Hashem\nd*;
\q for there is none besides Thee;
\q neither is there any Tzur like Eloheinu.
\q
\v 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
\q let not atak \add (insolence)\add* come out of your mouth;
\q for \nd Hashem\nd* is El De'ot \add (a G-d who intensively knows)\add*,
\q and by Him alilot \add (actions)\add* are weighed.
\q
\v 4 Keshet gibborim are broken,
\q and they that stumbled are girded with chayil \add (strength)\add*.
\q
\v 5 They that were full have hired out themselves for lechem;
\q and they that were hungry are such no more;
\q so that the barren hath born shivah;
\q and she that hath rabbat banim withers in grief.
\q
\v 6 \nd Hashem\nd* bringeth mot, and maketh chayyim;
\q He bringeth down to Sheol, and raiseth up.
\q
\v 7 \nd Hashem\nd* maketh poor, and bringeth oisher;
\q He bringeth low, and lifteth up.
\q
\v 8 He raiseth up the dal \add (poor)\add* out of the aphar \add (dust)\add*,
\q and lifteth up the evyon \add (needy)\add* from the dunghill,
\q to seat them among nedivim \add (nobles)\add*,
\q and to make them inherit the kisse kavod;
\q for the pillars of the earth belong to \nd Hashem\nd*,
\q and He hath set the tevel \add (world)\add* upon them.
\b
\q
\v 9 He is shomer over the feet of His chasidim,
\q and the resha'im shall be silenced in choshech;
\q for by ko'ach shall no ish prevail.
\q
\v 10 Those striving against \nd Hashem\nd* shall be shattered;
\q out of Shomayim shall He thunder upon him;\f + \fr 2:10 \fr*\ft the contentious\ft*\f*
\q \nd Hashem\nd* shall judge the afsei eretz \add (ends of the earth)\add*;
\q and He shall give oz \add (strength)\add* unto His Melech,
\q and exalt the keren \add (horn, power)\add* of His Moshiach.
\b
\p
\v 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his bais. And the na'ar was mesharet \add (minister)\add* unto \nd Hashem\nd* under Eli HaKohen.
\p
\v 12 Now the Bnei Eli were Bnei Beliyaal; they knew not \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 13 And the mishpat hakohanim \add (kohenʼs custom)\add* with the people was, that, when any ish offered zevach, the na'ar hakohen came, while the basar was cooking, with a mazleg \add (fork)\add* of shlosh hashineayim \add (three prongs, lit. teeth)\add* in his yad; 
\v 14 And he would plunge it into the kiyyor \add (basin)\add* or dud \add (kettle)\add* or kalakhat \add (caldron)\add* or parur \add (pot)\add*; all that the mazleg brought up the kohen took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto kol Yisroel that came there. 
\v 15 Also before they burned the chelev, the na'ar hakohen came, and said to the ish hazove'ach \add (man making the sacrifice)\add*, Give basar to roast for the kohen; for he will not accept cooked basar of thee, only raw. 
\v 16 And if any ish said unto him, Let them first not fail to burn the chelev, and then take as much as thy nefesh desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt hand it over to me now; and if not, I will take it by chazakah \add (force)\add*. 
\v 17 Wherefore the chattat hane'arim was gedolah me'od before \nd Hashem\nd*; for the anashim treated with contempt the minchat \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 18 But Shmuel was mesharet \add (minister)\add* before \nd Hashem\nd*, being a na'ar, girded with an ephod bad \add (linen robe)\add*. 
\v 19 Moreover immo made him a me'il katon \add (a little robe)\add*, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her ish to offer the zevach hayamim\f + \fr 2:19 \fr*\ft \+xt Ex 28:31f\+xt*\ft*\f* \add (yearly or annual sacrifice)\add*. 
\v 20 And Eli put on Elkanah and his isha a brocha, and said, \nd Hashem\nd* give thee zera of this isha in place of the she'elah (asked for [one] of) \nd Hashem\nd* that was lent. And they went unto his makom \add (place, home)\add*. 
\v 21 And \nd Hashem\nd* visited Channah, so that she conceived, and bore three banim and two banot. And the na'ar Shmuel grew before \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 22 Now Eli was zaken me'od, and heard all that his banim did unto kol Yisroel; and how they lay with the nashim hatzove'ot \add (women in ministry service)\add* at the petach Ohel Mo'ed. 
\v 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil deeds from kol HaAm \add (all the People)\add*. 
\v 24 Nay, my banim; for it is no good report that I hear; ye make Am \nd Hashem\nd* to transgress. 
\v 25 If one ish sin against another ish, Elohim shall intervene as arbiter for him; but if an ish sin against \nd Hashem\nd*, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they paid heed not unto the kol avihem \add (voice of their father)\add*, because \nd Hashem\nd* willed to execute them.
\p
\v 26 And the na'ar Shmuel was growing, and was in favor both with \nd Hashem\nd* and also with anashim.
\p
\v 27 And there came an Ish Elohim unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith \nd Hashem\nd*, Did I not plainly reveal Myself unto the Bais Avicha, when they were in Mitzrayim under Bais Pharaoh? 
\v 28 And did I not choose him out of kol Shivtei Yisroel to be Kohen to Me, to ascend Mine Mizbe'ach, to burn ketoret, to wear an Ephod in My presence? And did I give unto the Bais Avicha all the fire offerings of the Bnei Yisroel? 
\v 29 Why kick scornfully at My zevach and My minchah, which I have commanded in My ma'on \add (habitation, dwelling)\add*;\f + \fr 2:29 \fr*\ft See \+xt Yn 14:2\+xt*\ft*\f* and honorest thy banim above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of kol minchat Yisroel, before Ami \add (My People)\add*. 
\v 30 Therefore \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel saith, I said indeed that thy Bais, and the Bais Avicha, should walk before Me ad olam \add (forever)\add*; but now \nd Hashem\nd* saith, Be it far from Me; for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 
\v 31 Hinei, the yamim are coming, that I will cut off thine zero'a, and the zero'a of the Bais Avicha, that there shall not be a zaken in thine Bais. 
\v 32 And thou shalt see Tzar Ma'on\f + \fr 2:32 \fr*\ft See \+xt 1Sm 4:11\+xt* and \+xt Jer 7:12-14\+xt*\ft*\f* in spite of all that He will do of tov to Yisroel; and there shall not be a zaken in thine Bais kol hayamim. 
\v 33 And the ish of thine, whom I shall not cut off from Mine Mizbe'ach, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine nefesh; and all the increase of thine Bais shall die anashim.\f + \fr 2:33 \fr*\ft i.e., not zekenim\ft*\f* 
\v 34 And this shall be HaOt unto thee, that shall come upon thy two banim, on Chophni and on Pinchas: in one day they shall die both of them. 
\v 35 And I will raise up for Me a Kohen Ne'eman, that shall do according to that which is in Mine lev and in My nefesh; and I will build for him a Bais Ne'eman; and he shall walk before Mine Moshiach kol hayamim. 
\v 36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine Bais shall come and bow before him\f + \fr 2:36 \fr*\ft i.e., the Kohen Ne'eman\ft*\f* to get an agorat kesef \add (a silver coin)\add* and a kikar lechem \add (loaf of bread)\add*, and shall say, Put me please into one of the Kehunnot \add (Divisions of the Kehunah)\add*, that I may get a piece of lechem to eat.
\c 3
\p
\v 1 And the na'ar Shmuel ministered unto \nd Hashem\nd* before Eli. And the Devar \nd Hashem\nd* was yakar \add (precious, dear, rare)\add* in those days; there was no chazon nifratz [prophetic] vision open, spread out, common.\f + \fr 3:1 \fr*\ft i.e., prophetic vision was uncommon\ft*\f* 
\v 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his makom \add (his eyes had began to grow dim, that he could not see)\add*; 
\v 3 And the Ner Elohim had not yet gone out in the Heikhal \nd Hashem\nd*, where the Aron Elohim was, and Shmuel was lying down; 
\v 4 That \nd Hashem\nd* called Shmuel; and he answered, Hineni. 
\v 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
\p
\v 6 And \nd Hashem\nd* called yet again, Shmuel. And Shmuel got up and went to Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, beni; lie down again.
\p
\v 7 Now Shmuel did not yet know \nd Hashem\nd*; the Devar \nd Hashem\nd* was not yet revealed unto him.\f + \fr 3:7 \fr*\ft See \+xt Yn 1:1,14\+xt*\ft*\f*
\p
\v 8 And \nd Hashem\nd* called Shmuel again the third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that \nd Hashem\nd* was calling the na'ar. 
\v 9 Therefore Eli said unto Shmuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, \nd Hashem\nd*; for Thy eved \add (servant)\add* shomei'a \add (is listening)\add*. So Shmuel went and lay down in his makom. 
\v 10 And \nd Hashem\nd* came, and stood, and called as at other times, Shmuel, Shmuel. Then Shmuel answered, Speak; for Thy eved shomei'a. 
\v 11 And \nd Hashem\nd* said to Shmuel, Hinei, I am doing a thing in Yisroel, at which both the oznayim of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 
\v 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his Bais; from beginning even to the end. 
\v 13 For I have told him that I will judge his Bais ad olam for the avon \add (iniquity)\add* which he knoweth; because his banim brought klalot \add (curses)\add* upon themselves, and he restrained them not. 
\v 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the Bais Eli, that there shall be no kapporah for the avon Bais Eli by zevach nor minchah ad olam.
\p
\v 15 And Shmuel lay until boker, and opened the dlatot Beis \nd Hashem\nd*. And Shmuel feared to show Eli the mareh \add (vision)\add*. 
\v 16 Then Eli called Shmuel, and said, Shmuel, beni. And he answered, Hineni. 
\v 17 And he said, What is the davar that \nd Hashem\nd* hath said unto thee? Now hide it not from me; Elohim do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that He said unto thee. 
\v 18 And Shmuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is \nd Hashem\nd*; let Him do what seemeth Him tov.
\p
\v 19 And Shmuel grew, and \nd Hashem\nd* was with him, and did let none of his\f + \fr 3:19 \fr*\ft Shmuelʼs\ft*\f* words fall to the ground. 
\v 20 And kol Yisroel from Dan even to Be'er-Sheva knew that Shmuel was established to be a navi of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 21 And \nd Hashem\nd* appeared again in Shiloh; for \nd Hashem\nd* revealed Himself to Shmuel in Shiloh by the Devar \nd Hashem\nd*.
\c 4
\p
\v 1 And the davar Shmuel came to kol Yisroel. Now Yisroel went out to meet in milchamah the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, and encamped at Even-Ezer; and the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* encamped at Aphek. 
\v 2 And the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* put themselves in array to meet Yisroel [in battle]; and when the milchamah spread, Yisroel was defeated before the Pelishtim; and they slaughtered on the ma'arakhah \add (battleground)\add* in the sadeh about arba'at alafim ish \add (four thousand men)\add*. 
\v 3 And when HaAm were come into the machaneh, the Ziknei Yisroel said, Why hath \nd Hashem\nd* defeated us today before the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*? Let us bring the Aron Brit \nd Hashem\nd* out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the palm of oyeveinu \add (our enemies)\add*.
\p
\v 4 So HaAm sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the Aron Brit \nd Hashem\nd* Tzva'os, Who dwelleth between the keruvim; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, were there with the Aron Brit HaElohim. 
\v 5 And when the Aron Brit \nd Hashem\nd* came into the machaneh, kol Yisroel shouted with a teru'ah gedolah, so that ha'aretz shook. 
\v 6 And when the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* heard the kol hateruah, they said, What meaneth kol hateruah hagedolah hazot in the machaneh HaIvrit? And they understood that the Aron \nd Hashem\nd* was come into the machaneh. 
\v 7 And the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* were afraid, for they said, elohim is come into the machaneh. And they said, Oy lanu! For there hath not been such a thing as this heretofore. 
\v 8 Oy lanu! Who shall save us out of the yad of these elohim ha'adirim \add (mighty g-ds)\add*? These are the g-ds that struck the Mitzrayim with kol makkah \add (all the plagues)\add* in the midbar. 
\v 9 Be strong and conduct yourselves like anashim, O ye Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, that ye be not avadim unto the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add*, as they have been subject to you; conduct yourselves like anashim, and fight.
\p
\v 10 And the Pelishtim fought, and Yisroel was defeated, and they fled every ish into his ohel; and there was makkah gedolah me'od \add (a very great slaughter)\add*; for there fell of Yisroel shloshim elef foot soldiers. 
\v 11 And the Aron Elohim was captured; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, died.
\p
\v 12 And there ran an ish of Binyamin out of the ma'arakhah \add (battleground)\add*, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn, and with adamah upon his rosh. 
\v 13 And when he arrived, hinei, Eli sat upon a kisse by the side of the derech, watching; for his lev anxiously trembled for the Aron HaElohim. And when the ish came into the Ir [of Shiloh], and told it, kol HaIr cried out. 
\v 14 And when Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the ish came in hastily, and told Eli. 
\v 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were kamah \add (set, stiff, fixed motionless)\add*, that he could not see. 
\v 16 And the ish said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the ma'arakhah \add (battle-ground)\add*, and I fled today from the ma'arakhah. And he said, What happened there, beni? 
\v 17 And the mevaser \add (herald, bringer of news, bearer of tidings, evangelist)\add* answered and said, Yisroel is fled before the Pelishtim, and there hath been also a magefah gedolah among HaAm, and thy two banim also, Chophni and Pinchas, are dead, and the Aron HaElohim is captured.
\p
\v 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the Aron HaElohim, that he fell from off the kisse backward by the side of the sha'ar, and his neck was broken, and he died; for the ish was zaken \add (old)\add* and kaved \add (heavy)\add*. And he had judged Yisroel arba'im shanah.
\p
\v 19 And his kallah \add (daughter-in-law)\add*, eshet Pinchas, was with child, near to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the Aron HaElohim was captured, and that her kham \add (womanʼs father-in-law)\add* and her ish were dead, she fell upon her knees in labor and gave birth; for her labor pains came upon her. 
\v 20 And about the time of her mot \add (death)\add* the attending women said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born ben. But she answered not, neither did her lev pay attention. 
\v 21 And she named the na'ar Ikhavod \add (Inglorious)\add*, saying, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; because the Aron HaElohim is captured, and because of her kham \add (womanʼs father-in-law)\add* and her ish. 
\v 22 And she said, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; for the Aron HaElohim is captured.
\c 5
\p
\v 1 And the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* captured the Aron HaElohim, and brought it from Even-Ezer unto Ashdod. 
\v 2 When the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* took the Aron HaElohim, they brought it into the Bais Dagon, and set it beside Dagon. 
\v 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early the next day, hinei, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*. And they took Dagon, and returned him to his makom. 
\v 4 And when they arose baboker on the next day, hinei, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*; and the rosh Dagon and both the kapot \add (palms)\add* of his hands were cut off upon the miftan \add (threshold)\add*; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 
\v 5 Therefore neither the kohanim of Dagon, nor any that enter Bais Dagon, tread on the miftan \add (threshold)\add* of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
\p
\v 6 But the Yad \nd Hashem\nd* was heavy upon the Ashdodim, and He brought desolation, and struck them with techorim \add (tumors)\add*, even Ashdod and the vicinity thereof. 
\v 7 And when the anshei Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Aron Elohei Yisroel shall not abide with us; for His Yad is hard upon us, and upon Dagon eloheinu.
\p
\v 8 They sent therefore and gathered all rulers of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* unto them, and said, What shall we do with the Aron Elohei Yisroel? And they answered, Let the Aron Elohei Yisroel be brought about unto Gat. And they brought the Aron Elohei Yisroel about to there.
\p
\v 9 And it was so, that, after they had brought it about, the Yad \nd Hashem\nd* was against the Ir with a mehumah gedolah me'od \add (a very great tumult, commotion)\add*; and He struck the anshei HaIr, both katon and gadol, so that techorim \add (tumors)\add* broke out on them. 
\v 10 Therefore they sent the Aron HaElohim to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the Aron HaElohim came to Ekron, that the Ekronim cried out, saying, They have brought about the Aron Elohei Yisroel to us, to slay us and our people. 
\v 11 So they sent and gathered together all the rulers of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, and said, Send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, and let it return to its own makom,\f + \fr 5:11 \fr*\ft See \+xt 2Chr 6:41\+xt*\ft*\f* that it slay us not, and our people; for there was a mehumah \add (tumult, public panic)\add* of mavet \add (death)\add* throughout kol HaIr; the Yad HaElohim was very heavy there. 
\v 12 And the anashim that died not were struck with the techorim \add (tumors)\add*; and the outcry of the Ir went up to Shomayim.
\c 6
\p
\v 1 And the Aron \nd Hashem\nd* was in the territory of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* shivah chodashim. 
\v 2 And the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* called for the\f + \fr 6:2 \fr*\ft Dagon\ft*\f* kohanim and the kosemim \add (sorcerers)\add*, saying, What shall we do with the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to its makom \add (place)\add*. 
\v 3 And they said, If ye send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, send it not away empty; but ye shall surely return to Him an asham \add (trespass offering)\add*; then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His Yad is not removed from you. 
\v 4 Then they said, What shall be the asham \add (trespass offering)\add* which we shall return to Him? They answered, Five techorim of zahav, and five akhbarim \add (rats)\add* of zahav, according to the number of rulers of the Pelishtim: for one magefah \add (plague)\add* was on you all, and on your rulers. 
\v 5 So ye shall make tzalmei techorim \add (likenesses of tumors)\add* of yours, and tzalmei akhabarim \add (likenesses of rats)\add* of yours, of that which mar the land; and ye shall give kavod unto Elohei Yisroel; perhaps He will lighten His Yad from off you, and from off eloheichem \add (your g-ds)\add*, and from off your land. 
\v 6 Now then why do ye harden levavchem, as the Mitzrayim and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not send them away, so that they departed? 
\v 7 Now therefore make an agalah chadashah \add (new cart, wagon)\add*, and take two milch\f + \fr 6:7 \fr*\ft milk-yielding\ft*\f* cows,\f + \fr 6:7 \fr*\ft i.e., nursing cows\ft*\f* on which there hath come no ol \add (yoke)\add*, and hitch the cows to the agalah, and take their calves home, away from them; 
\v 8 And take the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*, and lay it upon the agalah; and put the kelei hazahav, which ye send back to Him for an asham \add (trespass offering)\add*, in a box by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 
\v 9 And see: if it\f + \fr 6:9 \fr*\ft the Aron \+nd Hashem\+nd*\ft*\f* goeth up by the derech of its own territory\f + \fr 6:9 \fr*\ft i.e., Eretz Yisroel\ft*\f* toward Beit-Shemesh, then He hath done us this ra'ah hagedolah \add (great disaster)\add*; but if not, then we shall know that it is not His Yad that struck us; the evil came upon us mikreh \add (by chance, by accident)\add*.
\p
\v 10 And the anashim did so; and took two milch cows, and hitched them to the agalah, and penned up their calves babayit; 
\v 11 And they laid the Aron \nd Hashem\nd* upon the agalah, and the box with the akhbarim of zahav and the tzalmei techorim \add (likenesses of tumors)\add* of theirs. 
\v 12 And the cows took the straight derech to the derech Beit-Shemesh, and went along the path, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the yamin or to the semol; and the rulers of the Pelishtim went after them as far as the border of Beit-Shemesh.
\p
\v 13 And they of Beit-Shemesh were kotzerim \add (harvesting)\add* their ketzir chittim \add (wheat harvest)\add* in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the Aron, and they rejoiced to see it. 
\v 14 And the agalah came into the sadeh of Yehoshua, a man of Beit-Shemesh, and stopped there, where there was an even gedolah \add (a large rock)\add*; and they chopped up the wood of the agalah, and offered the cows as an olah \add (burnt offering)\add* unto \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 15 And the Levi'im took down the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*, and the box that was with it, wherein were the kelei zahav, and put them on the even hagedolah \add (large rock)\add*; and the anashim of Beit-Shemesh offered olot \add (burnt offerings)\add* and sacrificed zevakhim \add (sacrifices)\add* on that day unto \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 16 And when the five rulers of the Pelishtim saw it, they returned to Ekron on that same day.
\p
\v 17 And these are the techorim \add (tumors)\add* of zahav which the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* returned for an asham \add (trespass offering)\add* unto \nd Hashem\nd*; for Ashdod one, for Azah \add (Gaza)\add* one, for Ashkelon one, for Gat one, for Ekron one; 
\v 18 And the akhbarim of zahav, according to the mispar of all the towns of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* belonging to the five rulers, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto Avel HaGedolah, whereon they set down the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*; it [the even hagedolah]\f + \fr 6:18 \fr*\ft See verse 15\ft*\f* remaineth unto this day in the sadeh of Yehoshua, the man of Beit-Shemesh.
\p
\v 19 And He struck down the anashim of Beit-Shemesh, because they had looked into the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*,\f + \fr 6:19 \fr*\ft \+xt Num 4:20\+xt*\ft*\f* even He struck down of HaAm shivim ish;\f + \fr 6:19 \fr*\ft and chamishim elef ish\ft*\f* and HaAm mourned, because \nd Hashem\nd* had struck down many of HaAm with a makkah gedolah \add (a great stroke, blow)\add*. 
\v 20 And the anashim of Beit-Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before \nd Hashem\nd* HaElohim HaKadosh Hazeh \add (\+nd Hashem\+nd*this holy G-d)\add*? And to whom shall He\f + \fr 6:20 \fr*\ft \+nd Hashem\+nd* dwelling with the Aron \+nd Hashem\+nd*\ft*\f* go up from us?
\p
\v 21 And they sent malachim to the inhabitants of Kiryat-Ye'arim saying, The Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* have returned the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*; come ye down, and take it up to you.
\c 7
\p
\v 1 And the anshei Kiryat-Ye'arim came, and took up the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*, and brought it into the bais Avinadav on the givah \add (hill)\add*, and set apart as kodesh El'azar bno to be shomer over the Aron \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 2 And it came to pass, while the Aron abode in Kiryat-Ye'arim, that the time was long; for it was esrim shanah; and kol Bais Yisroel mourned after \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 3 And Shmuel spoke unto kol Bais Yisroel, saying, If ye do return unto \nd Hashem\nd* with all your hearts, put away the elohei hanekhar and Ashtarot from among you, commit your hearts unto \nd Hashem\nd*, serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the yad Pelishtim.
\p
\v 4 Then the Bnei Yisroel did put away Ba'alim and Ashtarot, and served \nd Hashem\nd* only. 
\v 5 And Shmuel said, Gather kol Yisroel to Mitzpah, and I will make intercessory prayer and daven for you unto \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 6 And they gathered together at Mitzpah, and drew mayim, and poured it out before \nd Hashem\nd*, and did a tzom on that day, and said there, We have sinned against \nd Hashem\nd*. And Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpah.
\p
\v 7 And when the Pelishtim heard that the Bnei Yisroel were gathered together at Mitzpah, the rulers of the Pelishtim went up against Yisroel. And when the Bnei Yisroel heard it, they were afraid of the Pelishtim. 
\v 8 And the Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, Cease not to cry out unto \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheinu for us, that He will save us out of the yad Pelishtim.
\p
\v 9 And Shmuel took a suckling lamb, and offered him for an olah unto \nd Hashem\nd*; and Shmuel cried out unto \nd Hashem\nd* on behalf of Yisroel; and \nd Hashem\nd* answered him.
\p
\v 10 And as Shmuel was offering up the olah, the Pelishtim drew near to battle against Yisroel; but \nd Hashem\nd* thundered with a kol gadol on that day upon the Pelishtim, and threw them into confusion and panic; and they were struck down before Yisroel. 
\v 11 And the Anshei Yisroel went from Mitzpah, and pursued the Pelishtim, and struck them down, until they came to below Beit-Kar.
\p
\v 12 Then Shmuel took one even \add (stone)\add*, and set it up between Mitzpah and Shen, and called the shem of it Even-Ezer, saying, Hitherto hath \nd Hashem\nd* helped us.
\p
\v 13 So the Pelishtim were subdued, and they came no more into the territory of Yisroel; and the yad \nd Hashem\nd* was against the Pelishtim all the days of Shmuel. 
\v 14 And the towns which the Pelishtim had captured from Yisroel were restored to Yisroel, from Ekron even unto Gat; and the territory thereof did Yisroel deliver out of the yad Pelishtim.
\p And there was shalom between Yisroel and HaEmori \add (the Amorites)\add*.
\p
\v 15 And Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life. 
\v 16 And he went from shanah b'shanah in circuit to Beit-El, and Gilgal, and Mitzpah, and judged Yisroel in all those places. 
\v 17 And his teshuvah \add (return)\add* was to Ramah; for there was his bais; and there he judged Yisroel; and there he built a Mizbe'ach unto \nd Hashem\nd*.
\c 8
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, when Shmuel was old, that he made his banim shofetim over Yisroel. 
\v 2 Now the shem of his ben habechor was Yoel; and the shem of his mishneh \add (second)\add*, Aviyah; they were shofetim at Be'er-Sheva. 
\v 3 And his banim walked not in his drakhim, but turned aside after betza \add (dishonest gain)\add*, and took shochad \add (bribe[s])\add*, and perverted mishpat \add (justice)\add*.
\p
\v 4 Then kol Ziknei Yisroel gathered themselves together, and came to Shmuel unto Ramah, 
\v 5 And said unto him, Hinei, thou art old, and thy banim walk not in thy drakhim; now appoint for us a Melech to judge us like kol HaGoyim.
\p
\v 6 But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Shmuel, when they said, Give us a Melech to judge us. And Shmuel davened unto \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 7 And \nd Hashem\nd* said unto Shmuel, Shema unto the voice of HaAm in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign as Melech over them. 
\v 8 According to all the ma'asim which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitzrayim even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served elohim acherim, so do they also unto thee. 
\v 9 Now therefore pay heed unto their voice; howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the mishpat hamelech \add (customary ways of the king, kingly perogative)\add* that shall reign over them.
\p
\v 10 And Shmuel told all the Divrei \nd Hashem\nd* unto the people that asked of him a Melech. 
\v 11 And he said, This will be the mishpat hamelech that shall reign over you: he will take your banim, and appoint them for himself for his merkavah and his parashim; and some shall run before his merkavah.
\p
\v 12 And he will appoint for him sarei elafim, and sarei chamishim and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his katzir \add (harvest)\add*, and to make his instruments of war, and his chariot equipment. 
\v 13 And he will take your banot to be perfumers, and to be tabakhot \add (cooks)\add* and ofe'ot \add (bakers)\add*. 
\v 14 And he will take your fields, and your kramim \add (vineyards)\add*, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his avadim. 
\v 15 And he will take the tenth of your zera, and of your kramim \add (vines)\add*, and give to his officers, and to his avadim. 
\v 16 And he will take your avadim, and your shifchot, and your finest bochurim, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 
\v 17 He will take the tenth of your tzon; and ye shall be his avadim. 
\v 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your melech which ye shall have chosen for you; and \nd Hashem\nd* will not hear you in that day.
\p
\v 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Shmuel; and they said, No; but we will have a Melech over us; 
\v 20 That we also may be like kol HaGoyim; and that our Melech may judge us, and go out before us, and fight milchamoteinu \add (our battles)\add*.
\p
\v 21 And Shmuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 22 And \nd Hashem\nd* said to Shmuel, Pay heed unto their voice, and crown them a Melech. And Shmuel said unto the Anshei Yisroel, Go ye back every ish unto his ir \add (town)\add*.
\c 9
\p
\v 1 Now there was an ish of Binyamin, shmo Kish Ben Aviel Ben Tzeror Ben Bechorat Ben Aphiach, an ish of Binyamin, a gibbor chayil \add (man of valor)\add*. 
\v 2 And he had a ben, shmo Sha'ul, a handsome bochur; and there was not among the Bnei Yisroel one more handsome than he; he was head and shoulders taller than kol HaAm.
\p
\v 3 And the donkeys of Kish Avi Sha'ul were lost. And Kish said to Sha'ul bno, Take now one of the ne'arim with thee, and arise, go look for the donkeys.
\p
\v 4 And he passed through har Ephrayim, and passed through Eretz Shalishah, but they found them not; then they passed through Eretz Sha'alim, and they were not there; and he passed through the territory of Binyamin, but they found them not. 
\v 5 And when they were come to Eretz Tzuph, Sha'ul said to his na'ar that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest Avi stop caring for the donkeys, and become concerned for us. 
\v 6 And he said unto him, Hinei now, there is in this town an Ish Elohim, an ish nikhbad \add (an honorable man)\add*; all that he saith cometh surely to pass; now let us go there; perhaps he can show us darkeinu \add (our way)\add* that we should go. 
\v 7 Then said Sha'ul to his na'ar, But, hinei, if we go, what shall we bring the Ish? For the lechem is all gone in our vessels, and there is not a teshurah \add (gift)\add* for the Ish HaElohim: what have we? 
\v 8 And the na'ar answered Sha'ul again, and said, Hinei, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of kesef; that will I give to the Ish HaElohim, to tell us darkeinu \add (our way)\add*.
\p
\v 9 Beforetime in Yisroel, when an ish went to inquire of Elohim, thus he spoke, Come, and let us go to the ro'eh \add (seer)\add*: for he that is now called a navi was beforetime called a ro'eh \add (seer)\add*.
\p
\v 10 Then said Sha'ul to his na'ar, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the town where the Ish HaElohim was. 
\v 11 And as they went up the hill to the town, they found ne'arot \add (girls)\add* going out to draw mayim, and said unto them, Is the ro'eh here? 
\v 12 And they answered them, and said, He is; hinei, he is ahead of you; make haste now, for he came today to the town; for there is a zevach \add (sacrifice)\add* for HaAm today in the bamah \add (high place)\add*; 
\v 13 As soon as ye be come into the town, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat; for HaAm will not eat until he come, because hu yevarech hazevach \add (he doth bless the sacrifice)\add*; and afterwards hakeru'im \add (the ones being invited)\add* eat. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
\p
\v 14 And they went up into the town; and when they were come into the town, hinei, Shmuel came out toward them as he was going up to the bamah \add (high place)\add*. 
\v 15 Now \nd Hashem\nd* galah \add (had revealed, unveiled)\add* in the ozen \add (ear)\add* of Shmuel yom echad before Sha'ul came, saying, 
\v 16 Makhar \add (tomorrow)\add* about this time I will send thee an ish out of Eretz Binyamin, and umeshachto \add (thou shalt anoint him)\add* to be Nagid over My people Yisroel, that he may save My people out of the yad Pelishtim; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come unto Me.
\p
\v 17 And when Shmuel saw Sha'ul, \nd Hashem\nd* said unto him, Hinei haIsh\f + \fr 9:17 \fr*\ft \+xt Zech 6:12\+xt*\ft*\f* whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall rule over My people. 
\v 18 Then Sha'ul drew near to Shmuel in the sha'ar, and said, Tell me, now, where is the Bais HaRo'eh. 
\v 19 And Shmuel answered Sha'ul, and said, I am the Ro'eh \add (seer)\add*: go up before me unto the bamah \add (high place)\add*; for ye shall eat with me hayom, and baboker I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine levav.
\p
\v 20 And as for thine donkeys that were lost hayom sheloshet hayamim \add (now three days)\add*, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is kol chemdat Yisroel \add (all the Desire of Yisroel)\add*?\f + \fr 9:20 \fr*\ft See \+xt Hag 2:7\+xt*\ft*\f* Is it not on thee, and on Kol Bais Avicha? 
\v 21 And Sha'ul answered and said, Am not I of Binyamin, of the smallest of the Shivtei Yisroel? And my mishpakhat the least of all the mishpekhot of the Shivtei Binyamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
\p
\v 22 And Shmuel took Sha'ul and his na'ar, and brought them into the room, and made them sit at the makom berosh \add (chief place)\add* among hakeru'im \add (the ones being invited)\add*, which were about shloshim ish. 
\v 23 And Shmuel said unto the tabakh \add (cook)\add*, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it aside for thee. 
\v 24 And the tabakh took up the shok \add (thigh piece)\add*, and that which was upon it, and set it before Sha'ul. And Shmuel said, Hinei that which is set aside! Set it before thee, and eat; for unto this mo'ed hath it been set aside for thee since I said, I have invited HaAm. So Sha'ul did eat with Shmuel that day. 
\v 25 And when they were come down from the bamah \add (high place)\add* into the town, Shmuel communed with Sha'ul upon the gag \add (rooftop)\add*.
\p
\v 26 And they arose early; and it came to pass about shachar, that Shmuel called Sha'ul to the gag \add (rooftop)\add*, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Sha'ul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Shmuel, outside. 
\v 27 And as they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Shmuel said to Sha'ul, Bid the na'ar pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the Devar Elohim.
\c 10
\p
\v 1 Then Shmuel took a flask of shemen, and poured it upon his rosh, and kissed him,\f + \fr 10:1 \fr*\ft \+xt Ps 2:12\+xt*\ft*\f* and said, Hath not \nd Hashem\nd* meshachacha \add (anointed thee)\add* to be Nagid over His nachalah? 
\v 2 When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt find two anashim near Kevurat Rachel on the border of Binyamin at Tzeltzach; and they will say unto thee, The donkeys which thou wentest to seek are found; and, hinei, Avicha hath taken leave of caring about the donkeys, and careth for you, saying, What shall I do for beni \add (my son)\add*? 
\v 3 Then shalt thou go on forward from there, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tavor, and there shall meet thee shloshah anashim going up to HaElohim to Beit-El, one carrying shloshet gedayim \add (three young goats)\add*, and another carrying shloshet kikrot \add (three loaves)\add* lechem, and another carrying a skin of yayin; 
\v 4 And they will give thee a Shalom greeting, and give thee two of the lechem; which thou shalt receive of their yad. 
\v 5 After that thou shalt come to the Giveat HaElohim, where is the outpost of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come there to the Ir, that thou shalt meet a chevel \add (company, band)\add* of nevi'im coming down from the high place with a nevel \add (lyre)\add*, tof \add (tambourine)\add*, khalil \add (flute)\add*, and kinnor \add (harp)\add* before them; and they shall prophesy; 
\v 6 And the Ruach\f + \fr 10:6 \fr*\ft Hakodesh\ft*\f* of \nd Hashem\nd* will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into an ish acher \add (another man, a different man)\add*. 
\v 7 And let it be, when these otot \add (signs)\add* are come unto thee, that thou do what yadecha \add (thy hand)\add* finds;\f + \fr 10:7 \fr*\ft i.e., what thou seest fit to do\ft*\f* for HaElohim is with thee. 
\v 8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, hinei, I will come down unto thee, to offer olot \add (burnt offerings)\add*, and to sacrifice zivkhei shelamim \add (sacrifices of peace offerings)\add*; shivat yamim shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.
\p
\v 9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Shmuel, Elohim changed for him a lev acher \add (another heart, a different heart)\add*; and all those otot \add (signs)\add* came to pass that day. 
\v 10 And when they came there to the Giv'ah \add (Hill)\add*, hinei, a chevel \add (company, band)\add* of nevi'im met him; and the Ruach\f + \fr 10:10 \fr*\ft Hakodesh\ft*\f* of Elohim came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 
\v 11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, hinei, he prophesied with the nevi'im, then HaAm said one to another, What is this that hath happened unto the Ben Kish? Is Sha'ul also among the nevi'im? 
\v 12 And an ish from that place answered and said, And who is avihem\f + \fr 10:12 \fr*\ft cf. \+xt Am 7:14\+xt*\ft*\f* \add (their father)\add*? Therefore it became a mashal \add (proverb)\add*, Is Sha'ul also among the nevi'im?
\p
\v 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the bamah \add (high place)\add*.
\p
\v 14 And the dod Sha'ul said unto him and to his na'ar, Where went ye? And he said, To search for the donkeys; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Shmuel. 
\v 15 And the dod Sha'ul said, Tell me, now, what Shmuel said unto you. 
\v 16 And Sha'ul said unto his dod, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But of the matter of the melukhah \add (kingship)\add*, whereof Shmuel spoke, he told him not.
\p
\v 17 And Shmuel called HaAm together unto \nd Hashem\nd* at Mitzpah; 
\v 18 And said unto the Bnei Yisroel, Thus saith \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, I brought up Yisroel out of Mitzrayim, and delivered you out of the yad Mitzrayim, and out of the yad kol HaMamlachot, and of them that oppressed you; 
\v 19 And ye have this day rejected Eloheichem, who Himself was Moshi'a for you out of all your adversities and your tzoroses; and ye have said unto Him, No, but set a Melech over us. Now therefore present yourselves before \nd Hashem\nd* by your Shevatim \add (Tribes)\add*, and by your alefim \add (thousands, larger kinship units)\add*.
\p
\v 20 And when Shmuel had caused all the Shivtei Yisroel to come near, the Shevet \add (Tribe)\add* of Binyamin was lakhad \add (taken [by lot], singled out [by lot])\add*. 
\v 21 When he had caused the Shevet \add (Tribe)\add* of Binyamin to come near by their mishpekhot, the mishpakhat Matri was lakhad \add (singled out [by lot])\add*, and Sha'ul Ben Kish was lakhad; and when they searched for him, he could not be found. 
\v 22 Therefore they inquired of \nd Hashem\nd* further, Has the ish come here yet? And \nd Hashem\nd* answered, Hinei he hath hid himself among the kelim \add (vessels, baggage, stuff)\add*.
\p
\v 23 And they ran and brought him out from there; and when he stood among HaAm, he was taller than any of HaAm from his shekhamim \add (shoulders)\add* upward.
\p
\v 24 And Shmuel said to kol HaAm, See ye him whom \nd Hashem\nd* hath chosen? That there is none like him among kol HaAm? And kol HaAm shouted, and said, May HaMelech live!
\p
\v 25 Then Shmuel told HaAm the mishpat haMelukhah\f + \fr 10:25 \fr*\ft see also \+xt Dt 17:14-20\+xt*\ft*\f* \add (right of the monarchy)\add*, and wrote it in a sefer, and deposited it up before \nd Hashem\nd*. And Shmuel sent kol HaAm away, every ish to his bais.
\p
\v 26 And Sha'ul also went home to Giv'ah; and there went with him the valiant whose lev Elohim had touched.
\p
\v 27 But the Bnei Beliyaal said, How shall this one yoshi'einu \add (save us)\add*? And they despised him, and brought no minchah \add (gift)\add*. But he held his peace.
\c 11
\p
\v 1 Then Nachash the Ammoni came up, and laid siege to Yavesh Gil'ad; and all the anashim of Yavesh said unto Nachash, Make a brit with us, and we will serve thee. 
\v 2 And Nachash the Ammoni answered them, On this condition will I cut a brit with you, that I may gouge out all your ayin yamin \add (right eyes)\add*, and so bring cherpah upon kol Yisroel. 
\v 3 And the Zekenim of Yavesh said unto him, Give us shivat yamim that we may send malachim unto all the territory of Yisroel; and then, if there be no moshi'a to save us, we will come out and surrender to thee.
\p
\v 4 Then came the malachim to Giv'at Sha'ul, and told the devarim in the oznayim of HaAm; and kol HaAm lifted up their kol \add (voices)\add*, and wept. 
\v 5 And, hinei, Sha'ul came after the bakar out of the sadeh; and Sha'ul said, What aileth HaAm that they weep? And they told him the divrei anshei Yavesh. 
\v 6 And the Ruach Elohim came upon Sha'ul when he heard those devarim, and his anger was kindled greatly. 
\v 7 And he took a tzemed bakar, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Yisroel by the hands of malachim, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Sha'ul and after Shmuel, so shall it be done unto his bakar. And the pachad \nd Hashem\nd* fell on HaAm, and they came out as ish echad. 
\v 8 And when he mustered them at Bezek, the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred elef, and the Ish Yehudah thirty elef. 
\v 9 And they said unto the malachim that came, Thus shall ye say unto the Ish Yavesh Gil'ad, Tomorrow, by the time the shemesh is hot, teshuah will come to you. So the malachim came and reported it to the anshei Yavesh; and they had simchah. 
\v 10 Therefore the anshei Yavesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to surrender unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth tov in your eyes.
\p
\v 11 And it was so on the next day, that Sha'ul set HaAm into shloshah rashim \add (three companies)\add*; and they came into the midst of the machaneh in the ashmoret haboker \add (morning watch)\add*, and slaughtered Ammon until the chom \add (heat)\add* of the yom; and it came to pass, that they which survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
\p
\v 12 HaAm said unto Shmuel, Who is he that said, Shall Sha'ul reign as melech over us? Bring the anashim, that we may put them to death. 
\v 13 And Sha'ul said, There shall not an ish be put to death this day; for today \nd Hashem\nd* hath wrought Teshuah \add (Salvation)\add* in Yisroel.
\p
\v 14 Then said Shmuel to HaAm, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the Meluchah \add (kingdom)\add* there. 
\v 15 And kol HaAm went to Gilgal; and there they made Sha'ul Melech before \nd Hashem\nd* in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed zevakhim of shelamim before \nd Hashem\nd*; and there Sha'ul and kol Anshei Yisroel rejoiced with simchah me'od.
\c 12
\p
\v 1 And Shmuel said unto kol Yisroel, Hinei, I have paid heed unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have set a Melech over you. 
\v 2 And now, hinei, the Melech walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, hinei, my banim are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth unto hayom hazeh. 
\v 3 Hineni \add (here I am)\add*; testify against me before \nd Hashem\nd*, and before His Moshiach. Whose shor \add (ox)\add* have I taken? Or whose chamor \add (donkey)\add* have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose yad have I accepted any kofer to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restitution make to you.
\p
\v 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken anything from any yad ish. 
\v 5 And he said unto them, Ed \nd Hashem\nd* \add (\add*\nd Hashem\nd*\add is witness)\add* against you, and His Moshiach is ed \add (witness)\add* this day, that ye have not found anything in my yad. And they answered, He is Ed \add (witness)\add*.
\p
\v 6 And Shmuel said unto HaAm, It is \nd Hashem\nd* that made Moshe and Aharon, and that brought avoteichem up out of Eretz Mitzrayim. 
\v 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may enter into shofet judgment with you before \nd Hashem\nd* of kol tzidkot \add (all the righteous acts )\add*,\f + \fr 12:7 \fr*\ft of \+nd Hashem\+nd*\ft*\f* which He made for you and avoteichem. 
\v 8 When Ya'akov was come into Mitzrayim, and avoteichem cried unto \nd Hashem\nd*, then \nd Hashem\nd* sent Moshe and Aharon, which brought forth avoteichem out of Mitzrayim, and made them dwell in this makom \add (place)\add*. 
\v 9 And when they forgot \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheihem, He sold them into the yad Sisra, Sar Tzeva Chatzor, and into the yad Pelishtim, and into the yad Melech Moav, and they fought against them. 
\v 10 And they cried unto \nd Hashem\nd*, and said, Chatanu \add (we have sinned)\add*, because we have forsaken \nd Hashem\nd*, and have served Ba'alim and Ashtarot; but now deliver us out of the yad oyeveinu \add (power, hand of our enemies)\add*, and we will serve Thee. 
\v 11 And \nd Hashem\nd* sent Yeruba'al,\f + \fr 12:11 \fr*\ft Gideon\ft*\f* and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shmuel, and delivered you out of the yad oyeveichem on every side, and ye dwelled betach \add (in safety)\add*. 
\v 12 And when ye saw that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a Melech shall reign over us: when \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheichem was your Melech. 
\v 13 Now therefore behold the Melech whom ye have chosen, and for whom ye have made request! And, hinei, \nd Hashem\nd* hath set a Melech over you. 
\v 14 If ye will fear \nd Hashem\nd*, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of \nd Hashem\nd*, then shall both ye and also the Melech that reigneth over you continue following after \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheichem; 
\v 15 But if ye will not obey the voice of \nd Hashem\nd*, but rebel against the commandment of \nd Hashem\nd*, then shall the yad \nd Hashem\nd* be against you, as it was against avoteichem. 
\v 16 Now therefore stand and see this davar hagadol \add (great thing)\add*, which \nd Hashem\nd* will make before your eyes. 
\v 17 Is it not ketzir chittim \add (wheat harvest)\add* today? I will call unto \nd Hashem\nd*, and He shall send kolot \add (thunder)\add* and matar \add (rain)\add*; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is rabbah \add (great)\add*, which ye have made in the eyes of \nd Hashem\nd*, in requesting for you a Melech.
\p
\v 18 So Shmuel called unto \nd Hashem\nd*; and \nd Hashem\nd* sent kolot and matar that day; and kol HaAm greatly feared \nd Hashem\nd* and Shmuel. 
\v 19 And kol HaAm said unto Shmuel, Pray for thy avadim unto \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha, that we die not; for we have added unto kol chattoteinu \add (all our sins)\add* this ra'ah \add (evil)\add*, to ask for us a Melech. 
\v 20 And Shmuel said unto HaAm, Fear not; ye have done kol hara'ah hazot \add (all this wickedness)\add*; yet turn not aside from following \nd Hashem\nd*, but serve \nd Hashem\nd* with kol levavchem; 
\v 21 And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after hatohu \add (the vain, empty thing, idol)\add*, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are tohu \add (vain, empty)\add*. 
\v 22 For \nd Hashem\nd* will not forsake His people for the sake of Shmo Hagedol; because it hath pleased \nd Hashem\nd* to make you His people. 
\v 23 Moreover, as for me, chalilah \add (far be it)\add* from me that I should sin against \nd Hashem\nd* in ceasing to pray for you; but horeiti \add (I will teach)\add* you the derech hatovah v'hayesharah \add (the good and upright way)\add*; 
\v 24 Only fear \nd Hashem\nd*, and serve Him in emes with kol levavchem; for consider what great things He hath done for you. 
\v 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your Melech.
\c 13
\p
\v 1 It was in the first year of Sha'ulʼs reign, and when he had reigned\f + \fr 13:1 \fr*\ft his first\ft*\f* two shanim over Yisroel,
\p
\v 2 Sha'ul chose him shloshet alafim of Yisroel; whereof two elef were with Sha'ul at Michmas and in har Beit-El, and an elef were with Yonatan in Giv'at Binyamin; and the rest of HaAm he sent back every ish to his ohel.
\p
\v 3 And Yonatan struck the outpost of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* that was in Geva, and the Pelishtim heard of it. Then Sha'ul blew the shofar throughout kol HaAretz, saying, Let the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add* hear. 
\v 4 And kol Yisroel heard the news that Sha'ul had struck the outpost of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, and that Yisroel also had become odious to the Pelishtim. And HaAm were called together after Sha'ul at Gilgal. 
\v 5 And the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* gathered themselves together to fight against Yisroel, sheloshim elef merkavot and sheshet alafim parashim, and soldiers like the chol \add (sand)\add* which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up, and encamped at Michmas, east of Beit-Aven.
\p
\v 6 When the Ish Yisroel saw that they were in danger (for the army was hard-pressed), then the people did hide themselves in me'arot \add (caves)\add*, and in thickets, and among rocks, and in towers, and in borot \add (pits)\add*. 
\v 7 And some of the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add* went over Yarden to Eretz Gad and Gil'ad. As for Sha'ul, he was yet in Gilgal, and kol HaAm followed him fearfully trembling.
\p
\v 8 And he tarried shivat yamim, according to the mo'ed \add (set time)\add* that Shmuel had appointed; but Shmuel came not to Gilgal; and HaAm started slipping away from him. 
\v 9 And Sha'ul said, Bring to me the olah \add (burnt offering)\add*, and shelamim \add (peace offerings)\add*. And he offered the olah \add (burnt offering)\add*. 
\v 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had finished offering the olah \add (burnt offering)\add*, hinei, Shmuel came; and Sha'ul went out to meet him, that he might make a brocha greeting on him. 
\v 11 And Shmuel said, What hast thou done? And Sha'ul said, Because I saw that HaAm were slipping away from me, and that thou camest not at the mo'ed hayamim, and that the Pelishtim were assembling themselves together at Michmas; 
\v 12 Therefore, said I, the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* will come down now upon me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto \nd Hashem\nd*; I felt compelled therefore, and offered the olah \add (burnt offering)\add*. 
\v 13 And Shmuel said to Sha'ul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not been shomer over the mitzvat \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha, which He commanded thee; for now would \nd Hashem\nd* have established thy mamlachah over Yisroel ad olam. 
\v 14 But now thy mamlachah shall not endure; \nd Hashem\nd* hath sought for Him an ish after His own levav, and \nd Hashem\nd* hath commanded him to be Nagid over His people, because thou hast not been shomer over that which \nd Hashem\nd* commanded thee.
\p
\v 15 And Shmuel arose, and went up from Gilgal unto Giv'at Binyamin. And Sha'ul numbered HaAm that were being found with him, about shesh me'ot ish \add (six hundred men)\add*. 
\v 16 And Sha'ul, and Yonatan bno, and HaAm that were being found with them, abode in Geva of Binyamin; but the Pelishtim encamped in Michmas. 
\v 17 And the raiders came out of the machaneh of the Pelishtim in three companies; one company turned toward the derech Ophrah, unto Eretz Shu'al; 
\v 18 And another company turned toward derech Beit-Choron; and another company turned toward derech \add (the road)\add* of the border that overlooks Gey HaTzevo'im toward the midbar.
\p
\v 19 Now there was no charash \add (blacksmith)\add* found throughout kol Eretz Yisroel; for the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* said, Lest the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add* make them cherev \add (sword)\add* or khanit \add (spear)\add*; 
\v 20 But kol Yisroel went down to the Pelishtim, to sharpen every ish his plowshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his hoe. 
\v 21 And a dullness of the edges occurred in the plowshares, hoes, three pronged pitchforks, axes, and for repointing the darvon \add (goad)\add*. 
\v 22 So it came to pass in the yom milchemet \add (day of battle)\add*, that there was neither cherev nor khanit found in the yad kol HaAm that were with Sha'ul and Yonatan; but with Sha'ul and with Yonatan bno was there found.
\p
\v 23 And the detachment of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* went out toward Ma'avar Michmas \add (Michmas Pass)\add*.
\c 14
\p
\v 1 Now the day came to pass, that Yonatan Ben Sha'ul said unto the na'ar \add (young man)\add* that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the outpost of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, that is on the other side.But he told not aviv. 
\v 2 And Sha'ul tarried in the outskirts of Giv'ah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and HaAm \add (the people, the army)\add* that were with him were about shesh me'ot ish \add (six hundred men)\add*; 
\v 3 And Achiyah Ben Achituv, the ach of Ikhavod Ben Pinchas Ben Eli, kohen \nd Hashem\nd* in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And HaAm knew not that Yonatan was gone.
\p
\v 4 And between the passes, by which Yonatan sought to go over unto the outpost of the Pelishtim, there was a rocky cliff on the one side, and a rocky cliff on the other side; and the shem of the one was Botzetz, and the shem of the other Seneh. 
\v 5 The one steep rock faced north opposite Michmas, and the other southward toward Geva.
\p
\v 6 And Yonatan said to the na'ar that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the outpost of these arelim \add (uncircumcised)\add*; it may be that \nd Hashem\nd* will act for us; for nothing restrains \nd Hashem\nd* l'hoshi'a \add (to save)\add*, by many or by few. 
\v 7 And his armor-bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine lev; turn thee; hineni, I am with thee according to thy lev. 
\v 8 Then said Yonatan, Hinei, we will pass over unto these anashim, and we will show ourselves unto them. 
\v 9 If they say thus unto us, Stand still until we come to you; then we will stand still tachteinu \add (in our place)\add*, and will not go up unto them. 
\v 10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up; for \nd Hashem\nd* hath delivered them into yadenu \add (our hand, power)\add*: and this shall be haot \add (the sign)\add* unto us.
\p
\v 11 And both of them showed themselves unto the outpost of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*; and the Pelishtim said, Hinei, the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add* come forth out of the chorim \add (holes)\add* where they had hid themselves. 
\v 12 And the anashim of the outpost answered Yonatan and his armor-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Yonatan said unto his armor-bearer, Come up after me, for \nd Hashem\nd* hath delivered them into the yad Yisroel.
\p
\v 13 And Yonatan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him; and they fell before Yonatan; and his armor-bearer slaughtered behind him. 
\v 14 And that first attack, which Yonatan and his armor-bearer made, killed about esrim ish \add (twenty men)\add*, within an area of half a yoke.\f + \fr 14:14 \fr*\ft i.e., the area an oxen yoke could plow in one day, or rather, half of that\ft*\f* 
\v 15 And there was fearful panic in the machaneh, in the sadeh, and among kol haAm; the outpost, and the raiders, they also trembled, and ha'aretz quaked; so it was a cheredat Elohim \add (a panic from Elohim)\add*.
\p
\v 16 And the tzofim \add (watchmen, lookouts, sentries)\add* of Sha'ul in Giv'at Binyamin looked; and, hinei, the multitude melted away, and they went in all directions. 
\v 17 Then said Sha'ul unto HaAm that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, hinei, Yonatan and his armor-bearer were not there. 
\v 18 And Sha'ul said unto Achiyah, Bring here the Aron HaElohim. For the Aron HaElohim was at that time with the Bnei Yisroel there.
\p
\v 19 And it came to pass, while Sha'ul talked to the kohen,\f + \fr 14:19 \fr*\ft i.e., Achiyah\ft*\f* that the tumult that was in the machaneh Pelishtim went on and increased; and Sha'ul said unto the kohen, Withdraw thine yad.\f + \fr 14:19 \fr*\ft i.e., letʼs go\ft*\f* 
\v 20 And Sha'ul and kol HaAm that were with him assembled themselves, and they went to the milchamah; and, hinei, every cherev ish was against his fellow, and there was mehumah gedolah me'od \add (a very great confusion)\add*.
\p
\v 21 Moreover the Ivrim \add (Hebrews)\add* that were with the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* before that time, which went up with them into the machaneh from the country round about, even they also turned to be with them of Yisroel that were with Sha'ul and Yonatan. 
\v 22 Likewise all the Ish Yisroel which had hid themselves in Har Ephrayim, when they heard that the Pelishtim fled, even they also followed hard after them in the milchamah \add (battle)\add*. 
\v 23 So \nd Hashem\nd* saved Yisroel that day; and the milchamah continued raging even unto Beit-Aven.
\p
\v 24 And the Ish Yisroel were distressed that day; for Sha'ul had bound under oath HaAm, saying, Arur \add (cursed)\add* be the ish that eateth lechem before erev, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of HaAm tasted lechem.
\p
\v 25 And all they of HaAretz \add (the army)\add* came to the wood; and there was devash on the surface of the sadeh. 
\v 26 And when HaAm were come into the wood, hinei, the devash was oozing; but no one put his yad to his mouth; for HaAm feared the shevuah \add (oath)\add*. 
\v 27 But Yonatan heard not when aviv bound HaAm with the oath; wherefore he put forth the end of the matteh \add (staff)\add* that was in his yad, and dipped it in a honeycomb of the devash, and put his yad to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. 
\v 28 Then answered an ish from HaAm, and said, Avicha strictly bound HaAm with an oath, saying, Arur \add (cursed)\add* be the ish that eateth lechem this day. And HaAm were faint with famished exhaustion. 
\v 29 Then said Yonatan, Avi hath troubled HaAretz; see, now, how mine eyes hath brightened, because I tasted a little of this devash. 
\v 30 How much more, if only HaAm had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For would there not have been now a much greater makkah \add (slaughter)\add* among the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*?
\p
\v 31 And they drove back the Pelishtim that day from Michmas to Ayalon; and HaAm were very faint. 
\v 32 And the people flew upon the plunder, and took tzon, and bakar, and calves and butchered them on the ground; and HaAm did eat them with the dahm.
\p
\v 33 Then they told Sha'ul, saying, Hinei, HaAm sin against \nd Hashem\nd*, in that they eat with the dahm. And he said, Ye have dealt treacherously; today roll an even gedolah \add (large stone)\add* over here to me. 
\v 34 Then Sha'ul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me here every ish his shor \add (ox)\add*, and every ish his seh, and you make shochet slaughter of them here, and eat; and sin not against \nd Hashem\nd* in eating with the dahm. And kol HaAm brought every ish his shor with him that lailah, and made shochet slaughter of them there. 
\v 35 And Sha'ul built a Mizbe'ach unto \nd Hashem\nd*; it was the first time that he built a Mizbe'ach unto \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 36 And Sha'ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtim by lailah, and plunder them until the ohr haboker, and let us not leave an ish of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth tov in thine eyes. Then said the kohen,\f + \fr 14:36 \fr*\ft Achiyah\ft*\f* Let us draw near here unto HaElohim.\f + \fr 14:36 \fr*\ft to inquire of G-d\ft*\f* 
\v 37 And Sha'ul asked counsel of Elohim, Shall I go down after the Pelishtim? Wilt Thou deliver them into the yad Yisroel? But He did not answer him on that day. 
\v 38 And Sha'ul said, Draw ye near here, all the pinnot \add (corners, chiefs of)\add* HaAm; and know and see wherein this chattat hath been this day. 
\v 39 For, as \nd Hashem\nd* the Moshia Yisroel liveth, though it be in Yonatan beni \add (my son)\add*, he shall surely die. But there was none among kol HaAm that answered him. 
\v 40 Then said he unto kol Yisroel, Be ye on one side, and I and Yonatan beni will be on the other side. And HaAm said unto Sha'ul, Do what seemeth tov in thine eyes. 
\v 41 Therefore Sha'ul said unto \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, Give a tamim \add (perfect lot)\add*. And Sha'ul and Yonatan were taken by lot; but HaAm escaped [from being taken by lot]. 
\v 42 And Sha'ul said, Cast lots between me and Yonatan beni \add (my son)\add*. And Yonatan was taken by lot. 
\v 43 Then Sha'ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Yonatan told him, and said, I did but taste a little devash with the end of the matteh that was in mine yad, and, hineni, I must die. 
\v 44 And Sha'ul answered, Elohim do so and more also if thou shalt not surely die, Yonatan. 
\v 45 And HaAm said unto Sha'ul, Shall Yonatan die, who hath wrought this Yeshu'ah HaGedolah \add (Great Salvation, Deliverance, Rescue)\add* in Yisroel? Chalilah \add (far be it!)\add*; as \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, there shall not one hair of his rosh fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with Elohim this day. So HaAm rescued Yonatan, that he died not.
\p
\v 46 Then Sha'ul stopped following the Pelishtim; and the Pelishtim withdrew to their own makom.
\p
\v 47 So Sha'ul took the melachah \add (kingdom, establishment of sovereignty)\add* over Yisroel, and fought against all his oyevim on every side, against Moav, and against the Bnei Ammon, and against Edom, and against the melachim of Tzovah, and against the Pelishtim; and everywhere he turned himself, he terrorized them. 
\v 48 And he gathered an army, and struck Amalek, and delivered Yisroel out of the hands of them that plundered them.
\p
\v 49 Now the Bnei Sha'ul were Yonatan, and Yishvi, and Malki-Shu'a; and the shmot of his two banot were these; the shem of the bechirah \add (first born [daughter])\add*, Merav, and the shem of the younger Michal; 
\v 50 And the shem of eshet Sha'ul was Achino'am Bat Achima'atz; and the shem of the Sar of his Tzeva was Avner Ben Ner and Ner was dod Sha'ul \add (uncle of Sha'ul)\add*. 
\v 51 And Kish was Avi Sha'ul; Ner Avi Avner was ben Aviel.
\p
\v 52 And there was milchamah chazakah against the Pelishtim all the days of Sha'ul; and when Sha'ul saw any ish gibbor, or any valiant man, he recruited him.
\c 15
\p
\v 1 Shmuel also said unto Sha'ul, \nd Hashem\nd* sent me limeshachacha \add (to anoint thee)\add* to be Melech over His people, over Yisroel; now therefore shema \add (pay heed)\add* thou unto the voice of the Divrei \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 2 Thus saith \nd Hashem\nd* Tzva'os, I remember that which Amalek did to Yisroel, how he waylaid him on the derech, when he came up from Mitzrayim. 
\v 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both ish and isha, olel, and yonek, shor, seh, gamal, and chamor.
\p
\v 4 And Sha'ul gathered HaAm together, and numbered them at Tela'im, two hundred elef foot soldiers, and ten elef Ish Yehudah. 
\v 5 And Sha'ul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley. 
\v 6 And Sha'ul said unto the Keni, Go, depart, get you away from among the Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed chesed to kol Bnei Yisroel, when they came up out of Mitzrayim. So the Keni moved away from among Amalek.
\p
\v 7 And Sha'ul attacked Amalek from Chavilah until where thou comest to Shur, that is alongside Mitzrayim. 
\v 8 And he took Agag Melech Amalek alive, and destroyed with utter cherem destruction kol haAm with the edge of the cherev. 
\v 9 But Sha'ul and HaAm spared Agag, and the best of the tzon, and of the bakar, and of the fat bulls, and the fat sheep, and all that was tov, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and worthless, that they destroyed with utter cherem destruction.
\p
\v 10 Then came the Devar \nd Hashem\nd* unto Shmuel, saying, 
\v 11 I greatly regret and relent and reconsider that I have set up Sha'ul to be Melech; for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My Devar. And it grieved Shmuel; and he cried out unto \nd Hashem\nd* kol halailah. 
\v 12 And when Shmuel rose early to meet Sha'ul in the boker, it was told Shmuel, saying, Sha'ul came to Carmel, and, hinei, he set up a yad \add (hand, i.e. memorial, monument)\add* for himself. And he turned and went down to Gilgal. 
\v 13 And Shmuel came to Sha'ul; and Sha'ul said unto him, Baruch atah l'\nd Hashem\nd*; I have carried out the Devar \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 14 And Shmuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the tzon \add (sheep)\add* in mine ears, and the lowing of the bakar \add (cattle)\add* which I hear? 
\v 15 And Sha'ul said, They have brought them from Amalek; for HaAm spared the best of the tzon and of the bakar, in order to sacrifice unto \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha; and the rest we have destroyed in utter cherem desruction. 
\v 16 Then Shmuel said unto Sha'ul, Stop, and I will tell thee what \nd Hashem\nd* hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
\p
\v 17 And Shmuel said, When thou wast katon \add (little)\add* in thine own eyes, wast thou not made the Rosh Shivtei Yisroel, and \nd Hashem\nd* anointed thee Melech over Yisroel? 
\v 18 And \nd Hashem\nd* sent thee baderech \add (on a mission)\add*, and said, Go destroy with utter cherem destruction the chatta'im \add (sinners)\add*, Amalek, and make war against them until they be consumed. 
\v 19 Why then didst thou not obey the voice of \nd Hashem\nd*, but didst pounce upon the plunder, and didst harah \add (the evil)\add* in the eyes of \nd Hashem\nd*? 
\v 20 And Sha'ul said unto Shmuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of \nd Hashem\nd*, and have gone baderech \add (on the mission)\add* which \nd Hashem\nd* sent me, and have brought back Agag Melech Amalek, and have destroyed Amalek with utter cherem destruction. 
\v 21 But HaAm took of the plunder the tzon and bakar, the reshit of the cherem to sacrifice unto \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha at Gilgal. 
\v 22 And Shmuel said,
\b
\q Hath \nd Hashem\nd* as great chefetz \add (delight)\add* in olot and zevakhim,
\q as in obeying the voice of \nd Hashem\nd*?
\q Hinei, to obey is better than zevach \add (sacrifice)\add*,
\q and to pay heed than the chelev eilim \add (fat of rams)\add*.
\q
\v 23 For meri \add (rebellion)\add* is as the chattat \add (sin)\add* of kesem \add (witchcraft, soothsaying, divination)\add*,
\q and stubbornness is as heathenish iniquity and idolatry.
\q Because thou hast rejected the Devar \nd Hashem\nd*,
\q He hath also rejected thee from being Melech.
\b
\p
\v 24 And Sha'ul said unto Shmuel, Chatati \add (I have sinned)\add*: for I have transgressed the commandment of \nd Hashem\nd*, and thy words: because I feared HaAm, and listened to their voice. 
\v 25 Therefore, now, pardon my sin, and turn back with me, that I may worship \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 26 And Shmuel said unto Sha'ul, I will not go back with thee: for thou hast rejected the Davar \nd Hashem\nd*, and \nd Hashem\nd* hath rejected thee from being Melech over Yisroel.
\p
\v 27 And as Shmuel turned about to go away, he\f + \fr 15:27 \fr*\ft Sha'ul\ft*\f* seized the edge of his me'il \add (robe, mantle)\add*, and he tore \add (it)\add*. 
\v 28 And Shmuel said unto him, \nd Hashem\nd* hath torn the Mamlechut Yisroel from thee this day, and hath given it to a re'a \add (neighbor)\add* of thine, that is better than thou. 
\v 29 And also the Netzach Yisroel \add (Eternal One of Israel)\add* will not lie nor relent: for He is not an adam, that He should change His mind.
\p
\v 30 Then he said, Chatati \add (I have sinned)\add*: yet honor me now, before the Ziknei Ami, and before Yisroel, and turn back with me, that I may worship \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha.
\p
\v 31 So Shmuel turned back after Sha'ul; and Sha'ul worshiped \nd Hashem\nd*.
\p
\v 32 Then said Shmuel, Bring ye to me Agag Melech Amalek. And Agag came unto him confidently. And Agag thought, Surely the mar hamavet \add (bitterness of death)\add* is past.
\p
\v 33 And Shmuel said, As thy cherev hath made nashim childless, so shall immecha be childless among nashim. And Shmuel cut Agag in pieces before \nd Hashem\nd* at Gilgal.
\p
\v 34 Then Shmuel went to Ramah; and Sha'ul went up to his bais at Giv'at Sha'ul. 
\v 35 Until his\f + \fr 15:35 \fr*\ft Sha'ulʼs\ft*\f* yom mot Shmuel came not again to see him: nevertheless Shmuel mourned for Sha'ul: and \nd Hashem\nd* relented that He had made Sha'ul Melech over Yisroel.
\c 16
\p
\v 1 And \nd Hashem\nd* said unto Shmuel, Ad mosai wilt thou mourn for Sha'ul, seeing I have rejected him as Melech al Yisroel? Fill thine keren with shemen, and go, I will send thee to Yishai of Beit-Lechem: for I have provided Me a melech among his banim. 
\v 2 And Shmuel said, How can I go? If Sha'ul hear it, he will kill me. And \nd Hashem\nd* said, Take an eglat bakar \add (heifer of the herd)\add* with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 3 And call Yishai to the zevach, and I will show thee what thou shalt do; umashachta \add (and thou shalt anoint)\add* unto Me him whom I say unto thee.
\p
\v 4 And Shmuel did that which \nd Hashem\nd* spoke, and came to Beit-Lechem. And the zekenim of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou in shalom? 
\v 5 And he said, Shalom; I am come to sacrifice unto \nd Hashem\nd*; set yourselves apart as kodesh, and come with me to the zevach. And he set apart as kodesh Yishai and his banim, and called them to the zevach.
\p
\v 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he\f + \fr 16:6 \fr*\ft Shmuel\ft*\f* took one look at Eliav, and said, Surely \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs Moshiach is before Him. 
\v 7 But \nd Hashem\nd* said unto Shmuel, Look not on his mareh \add (appearance)\add*, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for \nd Hashem\nd* seeth not as HaAdam seeth; for HaAdam looketh at the einayim \add (eyes, outward form)\add*; \nd Hashem\nd* looketh at the lev. 
\v 8 Then Yishai called Avinadav, and made him pass before Shmuel. And he said, Neither hath \nd Hashem\nd* chosen this. 
\v 9 Then Yishai made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath \nd Hashem\nd* chosen this. 
\v 10 Again, Yishai made his shivat banim to pass before Shmuel. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, these \nd Hashem\nd* hath not bachar \add (chosen)\add*. 
\v 11 And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Are here all thy ne'arim \add (boys)\add*? And he said, There remaineth yet the katan \add (small, young)\add*, and, hinei, ro'eh batzon \add (tending the flock)\add* is he. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Send and get him; for we will not sit down [to eat] till he come here. 
\v 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was adomoni \add (ruddy, of healthy red complexion)\add* and withal of a yafeh countenance, and good-looking. And \nd Hashem\nd* said, Arise, meshachehu \add (anoint him)\add*; ki zeh hu \add (for this is he)\add*. 
\v 13 Then Shmuel took the keren of shemen, v'yimshach \add (and anointed)\add* him in the midst of his achim; and the Ruach\f + \fr 16:13 \fr*\ft Hakodesh\ft*\f* of \nd Hashem\nd* came upon Dovid from that day forward. So Shmuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
\p
\v 14 But the Ruach\f + \fr 16:14 \fr*\ft Hakodesh\ft*\f* of \nd Hashem\nd* departed from Sha'ul, and a ruach ra'ah from \nd Hashem\nd* terrified and overwhelmed him.\f + \fr 16:14 \fr*\ft Sha'ul\ft*\f* 
\v 15 And the avdei Sha'ul said unto him, Hinei now, a ruach Elohim ra'ah terrifieth and overwhelmeth thee. 
\v 16 Let adoneinu now command thy avadim, which are before thee, to seek out an ish, who is a menagen \add (player)\add* on the kinnor \add (harp)\add*; and it shall come to pass, when the ruach Elohim ra'ah is upon thee, that he shall play with his yad, and thou shalt be tov \add (better, well)\add*. 
\v 17 And Sha'ul said unto his avadim, Look for me now an ish that can play well, and bring him to me. 
\v 18 Then answered one of the ne'arim, and said, Hinei, I have seen a ben of Yishai of Beit-Lechem, that is skillful in playing, and a gibbor chayil and an ish milchamah prudent in matters, and an ish to'ar \add (handsome man)\add*, and \nd Hashem\nd* is with him.
\p
\v 19 Wherefore Sha'ul sent malachim unto Yishai, and said, Send me Dovid binecha, which is with the tzon. 
\v 20 And Yishai took a chamor laden with lechem, and a skin of yayin, and a gedi \add (young goat)\add*, and sent them by Dovid bno unto Sha'ul. 
\v 21 And Dovid came to Sha'ul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his no'se kelim \add (armor-bearer)\add*. 
\v 22 And Sha'ul sent to Yishai, saying, Let Dovid, now, stand before me; for he hath found chen \add (favor)\add* in my eyes.
\p
\v 23 And it came to pass, when the ruach Elohim was upon Sha'ul, that Dovid took the kinnor, and played with his yad; so Sha'ul was relieved, and was tov, and the ruach hara'ah departed from him.
\c 17
\p
\v 1 Now the Pelishtim gathered together their machanot \add (camps, military forces)\add*, for milchamah and were gathered together at Sokhoh, which belongeth to Yehudah, and encamped between Sokhoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
\p
\v 2 And Sha'ul and the Ish Yisroel were gathered together, and encamped by the Emek \add (valley)\add* of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*. 
\v 3 And the Pelishtim stood on the har on the one side, and Yisroel stood on the har on the other side; and there was a gey between them. 
\v 4 And there went out an Ish HaBenayim\f + \fr 17:4 \fr*\ft i.e., a middle-man champion whose single combat saves the day and decides the victor\ft*\f* out of the machanot of the Pelishtim, shmo Golyat \add (Goliath)\add*, of Gat, whose height was shesh cubits and a span. 
\v 5 And he had a kova \add (helmet)\add* of nechoshet upon his rosh, and he was wearing a coat of mail armor; and the weight of the coat of armor was five thousand shekels of nechoshet. 
\v 6 And he had mitzchah \add (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor)\add* of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron \add (javelin)\add* of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders. 
\v 7 And the khetz \add (shaft)\add* of his khanit \add (spear)\add* was like a weaverʼs beam; and his spearʼs blade weighed six hundred barzel \add (iron)\add* shekels; and the no'se tzinnah \add (great shield bearer)\add* walked ahead of him.
\p
\v 8 And he stood and cried out unto the ma'arkhot Yisroel \add (ranks of Israel)\add*, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to line up for milchamah? Am not I a Pelishti, and ye avadim of Sha'ul? Choose you an ish for you, and let him come down to me. 
\v 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your avadim; but if I prevail over him, and kill him, then shall ye be to us for avadim, and serve us.
\p
\v 10 And the Pelishti said, I defy the maarkhot Yisroel this day; give me ish, that we may fight together.
\p
\v 11 When Sha'ul and kol Yisroel heard those divrei haPelishti, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
\p
\v 12 Now Dovid was the ben ish of that Ephrati from Beit-Lechem Yehudah, shmo Yishai; and he had shmoneh banim; and the ish\f + \fr 17:12 \fr*\ft Yishai\ft*\f* was zaken in the days of Sha'ul, advanced in age among anashim. 
\v 13 And the shloshet Bnei Yishai hagedolim went and followed Sha'ul to the milchamah; and the shem of his three banim that went to the milchamah were Eliav the bechor, and mishneh unto him Avinadav, and hashelishi \add (the third)\add* Shammah. 
\v 14 And Dovid was the katan; and the shloshah hagedolim followed Sha'ul. 
\v 15 But Dovid went and returned from Sha'ul to tend tzon aviv at Beit-Lechem.
\p
\v 16 And the Pelishti drew near morning and evening, and presented himself arba'im yom.
\p
\v 17 And Yishai said unto Dovid bno, Take now for thy achim an ephah of this roasted grain, and these ten lechem, and run to the machaneh of thy achim;
\p
\v 18 And carry these ten charitzei hecholov \add (cuts of milk, hence cheeses)\add* unto the sar of their elef \add (unit, thousand)\add*, and look how thy achim fare for shalom, and take their arvut \add (pledge)\add*.
\p
\v 19 Now Sha'ul, and they, and all the Ish Yisroel, were in the Emek \add (Valley)\add* of Elah \add (Oak)\add*, fighting with the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*.
\p
\v 20 And Dovid rose up early in the boker, and left the tzon with a shomer \add (watchman)\add*, and loaded up, and embarked, as Yishai had commanded him; and he came to the camp, as the army was going forth to the fight and shouted for the milchamah \add (battle)\add*. 
\v 21 For Yisroel and the Pelishtim took their positions, ma'arakhah \add (battle array)\add* facing ma'arakhah. 
\v 22 And Dovid left his supplies in the yad of the shomer hakelim \add (supply master)\add*, and ran into the ma'arakhah \add (battle line)\add*, and came and gave shalom greeting to his achim.
\p
\v 23 And as he talked with them, hinei, there came up the Ish HaBenayim Golyat HaPelishti shmo, from Gat, out of the lines of the Pelishtim, and spoke according to these words; and Dovid heard them.
\p
\v 24 And all the Ish Yisroel, when they saw the ish, fled from before him, and were greatly afraid. 
\v 25 And the Ish Yisroel said, Have ye seen this ish that is come up? Surely to defy Yisroel is he come up; and it shall be, that the ish who killeth him, the melech will give ashires gadol and will give him bitto \add (his daughter)\add* [in marriage], and bais aviv make khofshi b'Yisroel \add (free, tax-exempt in Israel)\add*.
\p
\v 26 And Dovid spoke to the anashim that stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the ish that killeth this Pelishti, and taketh away the cherpah \add (reproach)\add* from Yisroel? For who is this Pelishti hearel \add (uncircumcised Philistine)\add* that he should defy the ma'arkhot Elohim Chayyim \add (arrayed battle forces of the living G-d)\add*? 
\v 27 And HaAm answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the ish that killeth him.
\p
\v 28 And Eliav achiv hagadol heard when he spoke unto the anashim; and af Eliav was kindled against Dovid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few tzon in the midbar? I know thy zadon \add (presumptuousness)\add*, and the evil of thine levav; for thou art come down l'ma'an \add (in order that)\add* thou mightest watch the milchamah. 
\v 29 And Dovid said, What have I done now? It was only a davar \add (word)\add* [I said], wasn't it?
\p
\v 30 And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner; and HaAm answered him again according to the davar harishon \add (the previous word)\add*.
\p
\v 31 And when the devarim \add (words)\add* were heard which Dovid spoke, they rehearsed them before Sha'ul: and he sent for him. 
\v 32 And Dovid said to Sha'ul, Let no lev adam fail because of him; thy eved will go and fight with this Pelishti. 
\v 33 And Sha'ul said to Dovid, Thou art not able to go against this Pelishti to fight with him: for thou art but a na'ar \add (boy)\add*, and he an ish milchamah \add (man of war)\add* from his youth. 
\v 34 And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, Thy eved is ro'eh \add (shepherd)\add* of tzon of aviv, and there came the ari, and the dov, and carried off seh out of the eder \add (flock)\add*: 
\v 35 And I went out after him, and struck him, and saved out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught hold by his zakan \add (beard)\add*, and struck him, and killed him. 
\v 36 Thy eved slaughtered both the ari and the dov: and this Pelishti hearel \add (uncircumcised Philistine)\add* shall be as one of them, seeing he hath charaf \add (taunted, defied, disgraced)\add* the maarkhot Elohim Chayyim.
\p
\v 37 Dovid said moreover, \nd Hashem\nd* that saved me out of the paw of the ari, and out of the paw of the dov, He will save me out of the yad of this Pelishti. And Sha'ul said unto Dovid, Go, and \nd Hashem\nd* be with thee.
\p
\v 38 And Sha'ul dressed Dovid with his armor-clothes, put a kova of nechoshet upon his rosh; also he dressed him with a coat of mail armor. 
\v 39 And Dovid girded his cherev over his armor-clothes, and he tried to walk; for lo nissah \add (he had not tested, proved)\add* it. And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, I cannot go with these; for lo nissti \add (I have not proved them)\add*. And Dovid took them off him. 
\v 40 And he took his makel \add (stick, staff)\add* in his yad, and chose him chamishah chalukei avanim \add (five smooth stones)\add* out of the nachal \add (brook)\add*, and put them in a keli haro'im \add (shepherdʼs bag)\add* which he had, even in a wayfarerʼs bag; and his kela \add (slingshot)\add* was in his yad; and he drew near to the Pelishti.
\p
\v 41 And the Pelishti came on and drew near unto Dovid; and the ish, the no'se hatzinnah, went ahead of him. 
\v 42 And when the Pelishti squinted and saw Dovid, he despised him: for he was but a na'ar \add (boy)\add*, and admoni \add (ruddy)\add*, and yafeh mareh \add (good-looking)\add*. 
\v 43 And the Pelishti said unto Dovid, Am I a kelev \add (dog)\add*, that thou comest to me with maklot \add (sticks)\add*? And the Pelishti cursed Dovid by his g-ds. 
\v 44 And the Pelishti said to Dovid, Come to me, and I will give thy basar unto the oph hashomayim, and to the behemat hasadeh. 
\v 45 Then said Dovid to the Pelishti, Thou comest against me with a cherev \add (sword)\add*, and with a khanit \add (spear)\add*, and with a kidon \add (javelin)\add*; but I come against thee b'Shem \nd Hashem\nd* Tzva'os Elohei Ma'arkhot Yisroel, whom thou hast defied. 
\v 46 This day will \nd Hashem\nd* hand thee over into mine yad; and I will strike thee down, and take thine rosh from thee; and I will give the peger machaneh Pelishtim this day unto the oph hashomayim, and to the chayyat ha'aretz; that kol ha'aretz may know that there is Elohim in Yisroel. 
\v 47 And kol hakahal hazeh shall know that \nd Hashem\nd* yehoshi'a \add (saveth)\add* not with cherev or khanit; for the milchamah is \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs, and He will give you \add (plural)\add* into yadenu \add (our hands)\add*.
\p
\v 48 And it came to pass, when the Pelishti arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet Dovid, that Dovid hastened, and ran toward the ma'arakhah \add (battle line)\add* to meet the Pelishti. 
\v 49 And Dovid put his yad in his keli \add (bag)\add*, and took from there an even \add (stone)\add*, and slung it, and struck the Pelishti in his metzach \add (forehead)\add*, that the even \add (stone)\add* sunk into his metzach; and he fell upon his face to the ground.
\p
\v 50 So Dovid prevailed chazak over the Pelishti with a sling and with an even \add (stone)\add*, and struck down the Pelishti, and killed him; but there was no cherev in the yad Dovid.
\p
\v 51 Therefore Dovid ran, and stood over the Pelishti, and took hold of his cherev, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slaughtered him, v'yikhrat \add (and cut off)\add*\f + \fr 17:51 \fr*\ft See \+xt Dan 9:26\+xt*, Moshiach yikaret \+add (will be cut off)\+add* but in Daniel the phrase means “Moshiach will be violently killed”\ft*\f* his rosh therewith. And when the Pelishtim saw their gibbor was dead, they fled. 
\v 52 And the Anshei Yisroel and of Yehudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Pelishtim, until thou come to the gey \add (valley)\add*, and to the Sha'arei Ekron. And the challei Pelishtim fell by the derech to Sha'arayim, even unto Gat, and unto Ekron. 
\v 53 And the Bnei Yisroel returned from chasing after the Pelishtim, and they plundered their machanot.
\p
\v 54 And Dovid took the rosh of the Pelishti, and brought it to Yerushalayim; but he put his kelim \add (weapons)\add* in his ohel.
\p
\v 55 And when Sha'ul saw Dovid go forth to meet the Pelishti, he said unto Avner, the sar hatzavah, Avner, whose ben is this na'ar? And Avner said, As thy nefesh liveth, O Melech, I cannot tell. 
\v 56 And the Melech said, Inquire thou whose ben this elem \add (young man)\add* is.
\p
\v 57 And as Dovid returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, Avner took him, and brought him before Sha'ul with the rosh of the Pelishti in his yad. 
\v 58 And Sha'ul said to him, Whose ben art thou, na'ar? And Dovid answered, I am the ben avdecha Yishai of Beit-Lechem.
\c 18
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Sha'ul, that the nefesh Yonatan was kashur \add (tied together)\add* with the nefesh Dovid, and Yonatan loved him as his own nefesh. 
\v 2 And Sha'ul drafted him that day, and would let him return no more to the bais aviv. 
\v 3 Then Yonatan and Dovid made a brit \add (covenant)\add*, because he loved him as his own nefesh. 
\v 4 And Yonatan stripped himself of the me'il \add (robe)\add* that was upon him, and gave it to Dovid, and his middah \add (war garments)\add*, even to his cherev, and to his keshet, and to his khagor \add (belt)\add*.
\p
\v 5 And Dovid went out whithersoever Sha'ul sent him, and prospered; and Sha'ul set him over the anshei hamilchamah, and he was accepted in the sight of kol HaAm, and also in the sight of the avdei Sha'ul.
\p
\v 6 And it came to pass as they came, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the nashim came out of all towns of Yisroel, singing and dancing, to meet Sha'ul HaMelech, with tambourines, with simchah, and with cymbals. 
\v 7 And the nashim answered one another as they played, and said,
\b
\q Sha'ul hath slain his alafim,
\q and Dovid his revavot \add (myriads)\add*.
\b
\p
\v 8 And Sha'ul was very angry, and the saying was displeasing in his eyes and he said, They have ascribed unto Dovid revavot, and to me they have ascribed but alafim; and what can he have more but the maluchah \add (kingship)\add*? 
\v 9 And there was jealous suspicion in the way Sha'ul eyed Dovid from that day forward.
\p
\v 10 And it came to pass on the next day, that the ruach Elohim ra'ah came upon Sha'ul, and he prophesied inside the bais; and Dovid made\f + \fr 18:10 \fr*\ft kinnor\ft*\f* music with his yad, as at other times; and there was a khanit in the yad Sha'ul. 
\v 11 And Sha'ul hurled the khanit; for he said, I will pin Dovid even to the wall with it. And Dovid escaped his presence twice.
\p
\v 12 And Sha'ul was afraid of Dovid, because \nd Hashem\nd* was with him, and was departed from Sha'ul. 
\v 13 Therefore Sha'ul removed him from him, and made him his sar elef; and he went out and came in before HaAm. 
\v 14 And Dovid was maskil \add (successful)\add* in kol drakhim of him; and \nd Hashem\nd* was with him. 
\v 15 Wherefore when Sha'ul saw that he was maskil me'od, he was afraid of him. 
\v 16 But kol Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, because he went out and came in before them.
\p
\v 17 And Sha'ul said to Dovid, Hinei bitti hagedolah Merav, her will I give thee as isha; only be thou ben chayil \add (valiant)\add* for me, and fight \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs milchamot. For Sha'ul said, Let not mine yad be upon him, but let the yad Pelishtim be upon him. 
\v 18 And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, Who am I? And what is my life, or the mishpakhat avi in Yisroel, that I should be Choson to HaMelech?
\p
\v 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merav Bat Sha'ul should have been given to Dovid, that she was given as isha unto Adriel the Mecholati.
\p
\v 20 And Michal Bat Sha'ul loved Dovid; and they told Sha'ul, and the thing was yashar in\f + \fr 18:20 \fr*\ft Sha'ulʼs\ft*\f* eyes. 
\v 21 And Sha'ul said, I will give him her, that she may be a mokesh to him, and that the yad Pelishtim may be against him. Wherefore Sha'ul said to Dovid, Thou shalt this day become Choson to me by one of my two.
\p
\v 22 And Sha'ul commanded his avadim, saying, Commune with Dovid privately, and say, Hinei, HaMelech hath chafetz \add (delight)\add* in thee, and all his avadim love thee; now therefore be Choson to HaMelech.
\p
\v 23 And the avadim of Sha'ul spoke those devarim in the ears of Dovid. And Dovid said, Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become Choson to HaMelech, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
\p
\v 24 And the avadim of Sha'ul told him, saying, According to these words spoke Dovid. 
\v 25 And Sha'ul said, Thus shall ye say to Dovid, HaMelech has chafetz \add (desire)\add* for not any mohar \add (dowry, bride price)\add* but a hundred arelot \add (foreskins)\add* of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the oyevei HaMelech. But Sha'ul schemed to make Dovid fall by the yad Pelishtim.
\p
\v 26 And when his avadim told Dovid these devarim, it pleased Dovid well to be Choson of HaMelech; and the yamim\f + \fr 18:26 \fr*\ft leading up to the due-date of the arelot\ft*\f* were not expired. 
\v 27 Wherefore Dovid arose and went, he and his anashim, and slaughtered of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* two hundred ish; and Dovid brought their arelot, and they gave them in full count to HaMelech, that he might be the Choson of HaMelech. And Sha'ul gave him Michal bitto as isha.
\p
\v 28 And Sha'ul saw and knew that \nd Hashem\nd* was with Dovid, and that Michal Bat Sha'ul loved him. 
\v 29 And Sha'ul was yet the more afraid of Dovid; and Sha'ul became oyev to Dovid kol hayamim.
\p
\v 30 Then the sarim of the Pelishtim went forth [to fight]; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dovid prospered\f + \fr 18:30 \fr*\ft in military success\ft*\f* more than all the avadim \add (officers)\add* of Sha'ul; so that shmo became esteemed as of good reputation. And Sha'ul spoke to Yonatan\f + \fr 18:30 \fr*\ft Yehonaton\ft*\f* bno, and to all his avadim, that they should kill Dovid.
\c 19
\p
\v 1 But Yehonatan Ben Sha'ul liked Dovid me'od. 
\v 2 Yehonatan reported [this] to Dovid, saying, Sha'ul aviv seeketh to kill thee; now therefore be shomer in the boker, and abide baseter \add (in a secret place)\add* and hide thyself; 
\v 3 And I will go out and stand beside avi in the sadeh where thou art, and I will speak of thee with avi; and what I see, that I will tell thee.
\p
\v 4 And Yehonatan spoke tov of Dovid unto Sha'ul aviv, and said unto him, Let not HaMelech commit chet against his eved, against Dovid; because he hath not committed chet against thee, and because his ma'asim have been toward thee tov me'od: 
\v 5 For he did put his nefesh in his yad, and slaughtered the Pelishti \add (Philistine)\add*, and \nd Hashem\nd* wrought Teshuah Gedolah for kol Yisroel; thou sawest it, and didst rejoice with simcha. Why then wilt thou commit chet against dahm naki \add (innocent blood)\add*, to slay Dovid chinom \add (without cause)\add*?
\p
\v 6 And Sha'ul paid heed unto the voice of Yehonatan; and Sha'ul swore a shevuah, As \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, he shall not be slain.
\p
\v 7 And Yehonatan called Dovid, and Yehonatan reported to him all these devarim. And Yehonatan brought Dovid to Sha'ul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
\p
\v 8 And there was milchamah again; and Dovid went out, and fought with the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*, and slaughtered them with a makkah gedolah \add (with a great blow)\add*; and they fled from him.
\p
\v 9 And there was a ruach \nd Hashem\nd* ra'ah upon Sha'ul, as he sat in his Bais with his khanit \add (spear)\add* in his yad; while Dovid menaggen \add (was playing music)\add* with his yad. 
\v 10 And Sha'ul sought to pin Dovid to the wall with the khanit; but he slipped away out of Sha'ulʼs presence, and he drove the khanit into the wall; and Dovid fled, and escaped that lailah.
\p
\v 11 Sha'ul also sent malachim unto Bais Dovid, to put him under surveillance, and to slay him in the boker; and Michal his isha warned Dovid, saying, If thou not escape with thy nefesh halailah \add (tonight)\add*, makhar \add (tomorrow)\add* thou shalt be slain.
\p
\v 12 So Michal let Dovid down through the chalon; and he went, and fled, and escaped. 
\v 13 And Michal took the terafim, and laid it in the mittah, and put a piece of woven goatʼs hair at its head, and covered it with beged \add (cloth, garment)\add*. 
\v 14 And when Sha'ul sent malachim to capture Dovid, she said, He is choleh \add (ill)\add*.
\p
\v 15 And Sha'ul sent the malachim back to see Dovid, saying [to them], Bring him up to me in the mittah \add (bed)\add*, to have him slain. 
\v 16 And when the malachim were come in, hinei, there was the terafim in the mittah, with a piece of woven goatsʼ hair at its head.
\p
\v 17 And Sha'ul said unto Michal, Why hast thou so deceived me, and sent away mine oyev, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Sha'ul, He said unto me, Let me get away; why should I kill thee?
\p
\v 18 So Dovid fled, and escaped, and came to Shmuel at Ramah, and told him all that Sha'ul had done to him. And he and Shmuel went and dwelt in the dwellings of the nevi'im.
\p
\v 19 And it was told Sha'ul, saying, Hinei, Dovid is at the dwellings of the nevi'im in Ramah. 
\v 20 And Sha'ul sent malachim to capture Dovid; and when they saw the kat \add (sect, group)\add* of the nevi'im prophesying, and Shmuel standing as nitzav \add (overseeing)\add* them, the Ruach Elohim was upon the malachim of Sha'ul, and they also prophesied.
\p
\v 21 And when it was told Sha'ul, he sent other malachim, and they prophesied likewise. And Sha'ul sent malachim again shelishim \add (third ones)\add* and they prophesied also.
\p
\v 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a bor hagadol \add (great pit)\add* at Sekhu; and he asked and said, Where are Shmuel and Dovid? And one said, Hinei, they are at the dwellings of the nevi'im in Ramah.
\p
\v 23 And he went there to the dwellings of the nevi'im at Ramah; and the Ruach Elohim was upon him also, and he walked along prophesying, until he came to the dwellings of the nevi'im at Ramah. 
\v 24 And he stripped off his beged also, and prophesied before Shmuel in like manner, and lay down arom \add (naked)\add* all that day and all that lailah. Thus they say, Is Sha'ul also among the nevi'im?
\c 20
\p
\v 1 And Dovid fled from Nayot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, What have I done? What is mine avon? And what is my chattat before avicha, that he seeketh my nefesh? 
\v 2 And he said unto him, Chalilah \add (may it never be!)\add*; thou shalt not die: hinei, avi will do nothing either gadol or katon, but that he will reveal it to me; and why should avi hide this thing from me? It is not so. 
\v 3 And Dovid took an oath, moreover, and said, Avicha certainly knoweth that I have found chen in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Yonatan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, and as thy nefesh liveth, there is hardly a peysah \add (step)\add* between me and mavet. 
\v 4 Then said Yonatan unto Dovid, Whatsoever thy nefesh saith, I will even do it for thee. 
\v 5 And Dovid said unto Yonatan, Hinei, makhar \add (tomorrow)\add* is Rosh Chodesh, and I should not fail to sit with HaMelech for tish; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the sadeh unto the erev hashlishit. 
\v 6 If avicha at all miss me, then say, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beit-Lechem his town; for there is a zevach hayamim there for kol mishpakhat. 
\v 7 If he say thus, It is tov; thy eved shall have shalom; but if he be very wrathful, then be sure that ra'ah is determined by him. 
\v 8 Therefore thou shalt deal with chesed unto thy eved; for thou hast brought thy eved into Brit \nd Hashem\nd* with thee; notwithstanding, if there be in me avon \add (iniquity)\add*, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to avicha? 
\v 9 And Yonatan said, Chalilah \add (far be it)\add* from thee; for if I had da'as certainly that ra'ah were determined by Avi to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
\p
\v 10 Then said Dovid to Yonatan, Who shall tell me? Or what if avicha answer thee roughly? 
\v 11 And Yonatan said unto Dovid, Come, and let us go out into the sadeh. And they went out both of them into the sadeh. 
\v 12 And Yonatan said unto Dovid, \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, when I have sounded out Avi at this time on Yom HaShishi from now, and, hinei, if there be tov toward Dovid, and I then send not unto thee, and reveal it in thy ozen \add (ear)\add*; 
\v 13 \nd Hashem\nd* do so and much more to Yonatan; but if it please Avi to do thee ra'ah, then I will reveal it in thy ozen \add (ear)\add*, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in shalom; and \nd Hashem\nd* be with thee, as He hath been with Avi. 
\v 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the chesed \nd Hashem\nd*, that I die not;
\p
\v 15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy chesed from my bais ad olam; no, not when \nd Hashem\nd* hath cut off the oyevim of Dovid, every one from the pnei ha'adamah.
\p
\v 16 So Yonatan made Brit with the Bais Dovid, saying, Let \nd Hashem\nd* even require it at the hands of the oyevim of Dovid. 
\v 17 And Yonatan caused Dovid to swear a shevua again, because he loved him; for he loved him with the ahavat nafsho \add (with the love of his own nefesh, self)\add*. 
\v 18 Then Yonatan said to Dovid, Makhar \add (tomorrow)\add* is Rosh Chodesh; and thou shalt be missed, because thy moshav \add (seat)\add* will be empty. 
\v 19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the makom \add (place)\add* where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the ma'aseh \add (deed)\add*,\f + \fr 20:19 \fr*\ft i.e. the eventful earlier day, see \ft*\xt 20:12\xt*\f* and shalt remain by the even \add (stone)\add* Ezel. 
\v 20 And I will shoot three khitzim \add (arrows)\add* on the side thereof, as though I shot at a matarah \add (target)\add*. 
\v 21 And, hinei, I will send a na'ar, saying, Go, find the khitzim \add (arrows)\add*. If I expressly say unto the na'ar, Hinei, the khitzim \add (arrows)\add* are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou, for there is shalom to thee, and no davar \add (problem, concern)\add*; as \nd Hashem\nd* liveth. 
\v 22 But if I say thus unto the elem \add (youth, young man)\add*, Hinei, the khitzim \add (arrows)\add* are beyond thee, go thy way; for \nd Hashem\nd* hath sent thee away. 
\v 23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, hinei, \nd Hashem\nd* be between thee and me ad olam.
\p
\v 24 So Dovid hid himself in the sadeh; and when Rosh Chodesh was come, HaMelech sat him down to eat lechem. 
\v 25 And HaMelech sat upon his moshav \add (seat)\add*, as at other times, even upon a moshav by the wall; and Yonatan arose, and Avner sat by Sha'ulʼs side, and Dovidʼs makom \add (place)\add* was empty. 
\v 26 Nevertheless Sha'ul spoke not anything that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not tahor; surely he is not tahor.
\p
\v 27 And it came to pass on the day after Rosh Chodesh, which was the second day of the month, that Dovidʼs makom was empty; and Sha'ul said unto Yonatan bno, Wherefore cometh not Ben Yishai to halechem neither yesterday, nor today? 
\v 28 And Yonatan answered Sha'ul, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beit-Lechem; 
\v 29 And he said, Let me go, now; for we have mishpakhat zevach in the Ir; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found chen in thine eyes, let me get away, now, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the Shulchan HaMelech. 
\v 30 Then af Sha'ul \add (anger of Sha'ul)\add* was kindled against Yonatan, and he said unto him, Thou ben of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I have da'as that thou hast chosen Ben Yishai to thine own shame, and unto the shame of ervat immecha \add (thy motherʼs nakedness)\add*? 
\v 31 For as long as Ben Yishai liveth al ha'adamah \add (upon the earth)\add* thou shalt not be established, nor malkhutecha \add (thy kingdom)\add*. Wherefore now send and bring him unto me, for he is ben mavet \add (son of death, he shall surely die)\add*. 
\v 32 And Yonatan answered Sha'ul Aviv, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? What hath he done?
\p
\v 33 And Sha'ul cast the khanit \add (spear)\add* at him to strike him dead; whereby Yonatan knew that it was determined of Aviv to slay Dovid.
\p
\v 34 So Yonatan arose from the shulchan in chari af \add (fierce anger)\add*, and did eat no lechem the second day of the month; for he was grieved for Dovid, because Aviv had shamefully humiliated him. 
\v 35 And it came to pass in the boker, that Yonatan went out into the sadeh at the mo'ed \add (appointed time)\add* with Dovid, and a na'ar katon with him. 
\v 36 And he said unto his na'ar, Run, find out now the khitzim \add (arrows)\add* which I shoot. And as the na'ar ran, he shot a khetz beyond him. 
\v 37 And when the na'ar was come to the makom of the khetz which Yonatan had shot, Yonatan cried after the na'ar, and said, Is not the khetz beyond thee? 
\v 38 And Yonatan cried after the na'ar, Make speed, haste, stay not. And na'ar Yonatan gathered up the khitzim \add (arrows)\add*, and came to his adon.
\p
\v 39 But the na'ar had no da'as of anything; only Yonatan and Dovid knew the davar \add (matter)\add*. 
\v 40 And Yonatan gave his weapons unto his na'ar, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the Ir.
\p
\v 41 And as soon as the na'ar was gone, Dovid arose out of a place toward the negev \add (south)\add*, and fell on his face to the ground, and prostrated himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until Dovid wept exceedingly.
\p
\v 42 And Yonatan said to Dovid, Go in shalom, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the Shem of \nd Hashem\nd*, saying, \nd Hashem\nd* be between me and thee, and between my zera and thy zera ad olam.
\p And he arose and departed: and Yonatan went into the Ir.
\c 21
\p
\v 1  Then came Dovid to Nov to Achimelech HaKohen; and Achimelech was afraid at the meeting of Dovid, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no ish with thee? 
\v 2  And Dovid said unto Achimelech HaKohen, HaMelech hath commanded me a matter, and hath said unto me, Let no ish know anything of the davar whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have directed ne'arim to such and such a makom \add (place)\add*. 
\v 3  Now therefore what is under thine yad? Give me five lechem in mine yad, or whatever there is found. 
\v 4  And the Kohen answered Dovid, and said, There is no lechem chol \add (ordinary bread)\add* under mine yad, but there is lechem kodesh; if the ne'arim have kept themselves at least from isha. 
\v 5  And Dovid answered the Kohen, and said unto him, Indeed isha have been kept from us yesterday and the day before, since I set out, and the vessels of the ne'arim \add (young men)\add* are kodesh, and if this is a derech chol \add (ordinary mission)\add* indeed it will remain kodesh today in their vessels. 
\v 6  So the Kohen gave him kodesh; for there was no lechem there but the Lechem HaPanim, that was taken from before \nd Hashem\nd*, to be replaced with lechem cham on the day when it was taken away.
\p
\v 7  Now a certain ish of the avadim of Sha'ul was there that day, detained before \nd Hashem\nd*; shmo Do'eg, the Edomi, the chief of the ro'im that belonged to Sha'ul. 
\v 8  And Dovid said unto Achimelech, And is there not here under thine yad khanit or cherev? For I have neither brought my cherev nor my weapons with me, because the devar HaMelech \add (matter of the King)\add* required haste. 
\v 9  And the Kohen said, The cherev of Golyat \add (Goliath)\add* the Pelishti, whom thou slewest in the Emek Elah, hinei, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. And Dovid said, There is none like that; give it me.
\p
\v 10  And Dovid arose and fled that day from before Sha'ul, and went to Akhish Melech Gat. 
\v 11  And the avadim of Akhish said unto him, Is not this Dovid Melech HaAretz? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying,
\b
\q Sha'ul hath slain his thousands,
\q and Dovid his myriads?
\b
\p
\v 12  And Dovid laid up these devarim in his levav, and was very much afraid of Akhish Melech Gat. 
\v 13  And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself a madman in their hands, and scratched on the daletot hasha'ar, and let his spittle fall down upon his zakan \add (beard)\add*. 
\v 14  Then said Akhish unto his avadim, Hinei, ye see the man is meshuga; wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 
\v 15  Have I need of meshuga'im, that ye have brought this one to play the meshuga in my presence? Shall this one come into my bais?
\c 22
\p
\v 1 Dovid therefore departed from there, and escaped to the me'arah \add (cave)\add* of Adullam; and when his brethren and all the bais aviv heard it, they went down there to him.
\p
\v 2 And every ish that was in distress, and every ish that was in debt, and every ish that was mar-nefesh \add (bitter in spirit, discontented)\add* gathered themselves unto him; and he became Sar over them; and there were with him about arba me'ot ish \add (four hundred men)\add*.
\p
\v 3 And Dovid went from there to Mitzpeh Moav; and he said unto the Melech Moav, Let avi and immi now come out, and be with you, until I know what Elohim will do for me.
\p
\v 4 And he brought them before Melech Moav; and they dwelt with him all the days that Dovid was in the metzudah \add (stronghold)\add*.\f + \fr 22:4 \fr*\ft i.e. Mitzpeh Moav\ft*\f*
\p
\v 5 And Gad HaNavi said unto Dovid, Abide not in the metzudah; depart, and get thee into Eretz Yehudah. Then Dovid departed, and came into the Forest of Cheret.
\p
\v 6 When Sha'ul heard that Dovid was discovered, and the anashim that were with him, (now Sha'ul abode in Giv'ah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his khanit in his yad, and all his avadim were standing about him); 
\v 7 Then Sha'ul said unto his avadim that stood about him, Hear now, ye of Binyamin; will Ben Yishai give every one of you sadot and kramim \add (vineyards)\add*, and make you all sarei alafim and sarei me'ot; 
\v 8 That all of you have made a kesher against me, and there is none that reveals unto my ear that beni \add (my son)\add* hath cut a Brit with Ben Yishai, and there is none of you that is concerned for me, or revealeth unto my ear that beni \add (my son)\add* hath stirred up avdi against me, to lie in wait, as he does today? 
\v 9 Then answered Do'eg the Edomi, which was set over the avadim of Sha'ul, and said, I saw Ben Yishai coming to Nov, to Achimelech ben Achituv.
\p
\v 10 And he inquired of \nd Hashem\nd* for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the cherev Golyat HaPelishti.
\p
\v 11 Then HaMelech sent to call Achimelech Ben Achituv HaKohen, and kol Bais Aviv, the Kohanim that were in Nov; and they came all of them to HaMelech. 
\v 12 And Sha'ul said, Hear now, thou Ben Achituv. And he answered, Hineni, adoni. 
\v 13 And Sha'ul said unto him, Why have ye made a kesher against me, thou and Ben Yishai, in that thou hast given him lechem, and a cherev, and hast inquired of Elohim for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as he does this day? 
\v 14 Then Achimelech answered HaMelech, and said, And who is so ne'eman \add (loyal)\add* among all thy avadim as Dovid, which is the Choson HaMelech, obedient to thy bidding, and is honored in thine bais? 
\v 15 Did I then begin to inquire of Elohim for him? Chalilah li! Let not HaMelech impute anything unto his eved, nor to all the Bais Avi; for thy eved knew nothing of all this, katon or gadol. 
\v 16 And HaMelech said, Thou shalt surely die, Achimelech, thou, and kol Bais Avicha.
\p
\v 17 And HaMelech said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Kohanim of \nd Hashem\nd*; because their yad also is with Dovid, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the avadim of HaMelech would not put forth their yad to strike the Kohanim of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 18 And HaMelech said to Do'eg, Turn thou, and strike the Kohanim. And Do'eg the Edomi turned, and he struck the Kohanim, and slaughtered on that day fourscore and five ish that did wear ephod bad \add (linen robe)\add*.
\p
\v 19 And Nov, the Ir of the Kohanim, he struck with the edge of the cherev, both ish and isha, olel and nursing infants, and shor, and chamor, and seh, with the edge of the cherev.
\p
\v 20 And ben echad of Achimelech Ben Achituv, shmo Evyatar \add (his name Evyatar)\add*,\f + \fr 22:20 \fr*\ft Abiathar\ft*\f* escaped, and fled after Dovid. 
\v 21 And Evyatar \add (Abiathar)\add* told Dovid that Sha'ul had slain the Kohanim of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 22 And Dovid said unto Evyatar \add (Abiathar)\add*, I knew it that day, when Do'eg the Edomi was there, that he would surely tell Sha'ul. I am mortally responsible for nefesh Bais Avicha. 
\v 23 Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my nefesh seeketh thy nefesh; but with me thou shalt be mishmeret \add (in safeguard)\add*.
\c 23
\p
\v 1 Then they told Dovid, saying, Hinei, the Pelishtim fight against Ke'ilah, and they rob the granot \add (threshing floors)\add*.
\p
\v 2 Therefore Dovid inquired of \nd Hashem\nd*, saying, Shall I go and strike these Pelishtim? And \nd Hashem\nd* said unto Dovid, Go, and strike the Pelishtim, and save Ke'ilah.
\p
\v 3 And Anshei Dovid said unto him, Hinei, Anachnu \add (we)\add* are afraid here in Yehudah; how much more then if we come to Ke'ilah against the maarkhot \add (military lines)\add* of the Pelishtim?
\p
\v 4 Then Dovid inquired of \nd Hashem\nd* yet again. And \nd Hashem\nd* answered him and said, Arise, go down to Ke'ilah; for I will deliver the Pelishtim into thine yad.
\p
\v 5 So Dovid and his anashim went to Ke'ilah, and fought with the Pelishtim, and brought away their livestock, and attacked them with a makkah gedolah \add (great defeat)\add*. So Dovid saved the inhabitants of Ke'ilah.
\p
\v 6 And it came to pass, when Evyatar \add (Abiathar)\add* Ben Achimelech fled to Dovid to Ke'ilah, that he came down with the Ephod\f + \fr 23:6 \fr*\ft with oracular lot; see Ex 28:6-30\ft*\f* in his yad.
\p
\v 7 And it was told Sha'ul that Dovid was come to Ke'ilah. And Sha'ul said, Elohim hath delivered him into mine yad; for he is shut in, by entering into an ir \add (town)\add* that hath gates and bar. 
\v 8 And Sha'ul called kol HaAm together for milchamah, to go down to Ke'ilah, to besiege Dovid and his anashim.
\p
\v 9 And Dovid knew that Sha'ul secretly plotted ra'ah \add (evil, harm)\add* against him; and he said to Evyatar \add (Abiathar)\add* HaKohen, Bring here the Ephod. 
\v 10 Then said Dovid, \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, Thy eved hath certainly heard that Sha'ul seeketh to come to Ke'ilah, to destroy the ir \add (town)\add* on my account. 
\v 11 Will the Ba'alei Ke'ilah \add (citizens of Ke'ilah)\add* deliver me up into his yad? Will Sha'ul come down, as Thy eved hath heard? \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, tell now Thy eved. And \nd Hashem\nd* said, He will come down. 
\v 12 Then said Dovid, Will the Baalei Ke'ilah shut me and my anashim up into the yad Sha'ul? And \nd Hashem\nd* said, They will deliver thee up.
\p
\v 13 Then Dovid and his anashim, which were about shesh me'ot ish, arose and departed out of Ke'ilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told Sha'ul that Dovid was escaped from Ke'ilah; and he refrained from going forth.
\p
\v 14 And Dovid stayed in the midbar in metzadot \add (strongholds, masadas)\add* and remained on a har in the midbar Ziph. And Sha'ul searched for him every day, but Elohim delivered him not into his yad. 
\v 15 And Dovid saw that Sha'ul was come out to seek his nefesh: and Dovid was in the midbar Ziph at Chorshah.
\p
\v 16 And Yonatan Ben Sha'ul arose, and went to Dovid at Chorshah, and strengthened his yad in Elohim.\f + \fr 23:16 \fr*\ft i.e., encouraged him in G-d\ft*\f* 
\v 17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the yad Sha'ul Avi shall not find thee; and thou shalt be Melech over Yisroel, and I shall be mishneh \add (second)\add* unto thee; and that also Sha'ul Avi knoweth.
\p
\v 18 And they two made a brit \add (covenant)\add* before \nd Hashem\nd*; and Dovid stayed at Chorshah, and Yonatan went to his bais.
\p
\v 19 Then came up the Ziphim to Sha'ul to Giv'ah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself among us in metzadot \add (strongholds, masadas)\add* at Chorshah, in the hill of Chakhilah, which is on the south of Yeshimon? 
\v 20 Now therefore, O Melech, come down according to all the desire of thy nefesh to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the yad HaMelech. 
\v 21 And Sha'ul said, Berukhim atem l'\nd Hashem\nd* \add (Blessed be ye of \add*\nd Hashem\nd*\add )\add*; for ye have compassion on me. 
\v 22 Now go, prepare further, and know and see his makom where his hideouts are, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very craftily. 
\v 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the machavo'im \add (hideouts)\add* where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Yehudah.
\p
\v 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Sha'ul; but Dovid and his anashim were in the midbar Ma'on, in the Aravah on the south of Yeshimon.
\p
\v 25 Sha'ul also and his anashim went to seek him. When Dovid was told, he descended and came down to the Sela \add (Rock)\add*, and stayed in the midbar Ma'on. And when Sha'ul heard that, he pursued Dovid in the midbar Ma'on. 
\v 26 And Sha'ul went on this side of the har, and Dovid and his anashim on that side of the har; and Dovid made haste to get away for fear of Sha'ul; for Sha'ul and his anashim encircled Dovid and his anashim round about to take them. 
\v 27 But there came a malach unto Sha'ul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Pelishtim have invaded HaAretz. 
\v 28 Wherefore Sha'ul returned from pursuing after Dovid, and went against the Pelishtim; therefore they called that makom Sela HaMachlekot \add (Rock of Escaping)\add*.
\p
\v 29  And Dovid went up from there, and dwelt in metzadot at Ein-Gedi. 
\c 24
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, when Sha'ul was returned from following the Pelishtim, that it was told him, saying, Hinei, Dovid is in the midbar of Ein-Gedi. 
\v 2  Then Sha'ul took shloshet alafim \add (three thousand)\add* chosen men out of kol Yisroel, and went to search for Dovid and his anashim upon\f + \fr 24:3 \fr*\ft the area known as\ft*\f* Wild Goat Rocks. 
\v 3  And he came to the gidrot hatzon \add (sheep pens of the flock)\add* on the derech, where was a me'arah \add (cave)\add*; and Sha'ul went in to cover his feet,\f + \fr 24:4 \fr*\ft i.e., relieve himself\ft*\f* and Dovid and his anashim remained in the far end of the me'arah \add (cave)\add*. 
\v 4  And the anashim of Dovid said unto him, Hinei, the day of which \nd Hashem\nd* said unto thee, Hinei, I will deliver thine oyev \add (enemy)\add* into thine yad, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem tov unto thee. Then Dovid arose, and cut off the corner of the me'il of Sha'ul without his notice. 
\v 5  And it came to pass afterward, that the lev Dovid smote him because he had cut off the corner of Sha'ul.
\p
\v 6  And he said unto his anashim, Chalilah \add (far be it)\add* before \nd Hashem\nd* that I should do this thing unto adoni, \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs moshiach, to stretch forth mine yad against him, seeing he is the moshiach of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 7  So Dovid restrained his anashim with these devarim, and allowed them not to rise against Sha'ul. But Sha'ul rose up out of the me'arah \add (cave)\add*, and went on his derech. 
\v 8  Dovid also arose afterward, and went out of the me'arah, and called after Sha'ul, saying, Adoni HaMelech. And when Sha'ul looked behind him, Dovid bowed down with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.
\p
\v 9  And Dovid said to Sha'ul, Wherefore hearest thou divrei adam, saying, Hinei, Dovid seeketh thy hurt? 
\v 10  Hinei, this day thine eyes have seen how that \nd Hashem\nd* had delivered thee today into mine yad in the me'arah; and some urged me kill thee; but mine [nefesh] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine yad against adoni; for he is the moshiach of \nd Hashem\nd*. 
\v 11  Moreover, avi, see, indeed, see the corner of thy me'il \add (robe)\add* in my yad; for in that I cut off the corner of thy me'il, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither ra'ah nor peysha \add (rebellion)\add* in mine yad, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my nefesh to take it. 
\v 12  \nd Hashem\nd* judge between me and thee, and \nd Hashem\nd* avenge me on thee; but mine yad shall not be upon thee. 
\v 13  As saith the mashal \add (proverb)\add* of the ancients, Resha \add (wickedness)\add* proceedeth from the resha'im; but mine yad shall not be upon thee. 
\v 14  After whom is the Melech Yisroel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead kelev \add (dog)\add*, after a parosh \add (flea)\add*. 
\v 15  \nd Hashem\nd* therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and uphold my cause, and deliver me out of thine yad. 
\v 16  And it came to pass, when Dovid had made an end of speaking these devarim unto Sha'ul, that Sha'ul said, Is this thy voice, beni Dovid? And Sha'ul lifted up his voice, and wept.
\p
\v 17  And he said to Dovid, Thou art more tzaddik than I; for thou hast rewarded me tovah, whereas I have rewarded thee ra'ah. 
\v 18  And thou hast shown this day how that thou hast dealt tovah with me; forasmuch as when \nd Hashem\nd* had delivered me into thine yad, thou killedst me not. 
\v 19  For if an ish find his oyev, will he let him go bederech tovah? Wherefore \nd Hashem\nd* reward thee tovah for that thou hast done unto me this day. 
\v 20  And now, hinei, I know that thou shalt surely be Melech, and that the Mamlechet Yisroel shall be established in thine yad. 
\v 21  Swear now therefore unto me by \nd Hashem\nd*, that thou wilt not cut off my zera after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my shem out of the Bais Avi. 
\v 22  And Dovid swore unto Sha'ul. And Sha'ul went to his bais; but Dovid and his anashim went up unto the metzudah \add (stronghold, masada)\add*.
\c 25
\p
\v 1 And Shmuel died; and kol Yisroel were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him at his bais at Ramah.
\p And Dovid arose, and went down to the midbar Paran. 
\v 2 And there was an ish in Ma'on, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the ish was gadol me'od, and he had three thousand tzon, and a thousand izzim \add (goats)\add*; and he was shearing his tzon in Carmel. 
\v 3 Now the shem of the ish was Naval; and the shem of his isha Avigal; and she was an isha of tovat seichel, and beautiful; but the ish was kasheh \add (churlish, difficult)\add* and rah \add (mean)\add* in his doings; and he was a descendant of Kalev.
\p
\v 4 And Dovid heard in the midbar that Naval did shear his tzon. 
\v 5 And Dovid sent out ten ne'arim, and Dovid said unto the ne'arim, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Naval, and give him a shalom greeting in my shem \add (name)\add*; 
\v 6 And thus shall ye say to him, Koh lechai \add (good fortune to you)\add*, shalom to thee, shalom to thine bais, shalom unto all that thou hast. 
\v 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; now thy ro'im \add (shepherds)\add* which were with us, we hurt them not, and nothing was missing by them, all the while they were in Carmel. 
\v 8 Ask thy ne'arim, and they will show thee. Wherefore let the ne'arim find chen \add (favor, grace)\add* in thine eyes; for we come on yom tov; give, now, whatsoever cometh to thine yad unto thy avadim, and to thy ben, Dovid.
\p
\v 9 And when the naarei Dovid came, they spoke to Naval according to all those devarim b'shem Dovid, and ceased. 
\v 10 And Naval answered the avadim of Dovid, and said, Who is Dovid? And who is Ben Yishai? There be many avadim nowadays who break away every ish from his adon. 
\v 11 Shall I then take my lechem, and my mayim, and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it unto anashim who come from I know not where?
\p
\v 12 So the ne'arim of Dovid turned to their derech, and went back, and came and told him all those devarim. 
\v 13 And Dovid said unto his anashim, Gird ye on every ish his cherev. And they girded on every ish his cherev; and Dovid also girded on his cherev; and there went up after Dovid about arba me'ot ish; and two hundred stayed by the kelim \add (supplies)\add*.
\p
\v 14 But one of the ne'arim told Avigal, eshet Naval, saying, Hinei, Dovid sent malachim out of the midbar to put a brocha on adoneinu; and he drove them off. 
\v 15 But the anashim were tovim unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the sadeh; 
\v 16 They were a chomah \add (wall)\add* unto us both by lailah gam yomam \add (night and day)\add*, all the while we were with them shepherding hatzon. 
\v 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for ra'ah is determined against adoneinu, and against all his bais; for he is such a ben Beliyaal, that a man cannot speak to him.
\p
\v 18 Then Avigal made haste, and took two hundred lechem, and two skins of yayin, and five tzon ready cooked, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred pressed figs, and laid them on chamorim \add (donkeys)\add*. 
\v 19 And she said unto her ne'arim, Go on ahead of me; hineni, I come after you. But she told not her ish Naval.
\p
\v 20 And it was so, as she rode on the chamor, that she came down by the covert on the har, hinei, Dovid and his anashim came down toward her; and she met them.
\p
\v 21 Now Dovid had said, Surely for sheker have I been shomer over all that this one hath in the midbar, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath requited me ra'ah for tovah. 
\v 22 So and more also do Elohim unto the oyvei Dovid, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the boker any that urinate against the wall.
\p
\v 23 And when Avigal saw Dovid, she hasted, dismounted the chamor, and fell before Dovid on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 
\v 24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, adoni, upon me let this avon be; and let now thine handmaid speak in thine audience, and hear the devarim of thine handmaid. 
\v 25 Let now not adoni regard this ish of Beliyaal, even Naval; for as shmo is, so is he; Naval \add (fool)\add* is shmo, and nevalah \add (folly)\add* is with him; but I thine handmaid saw not the ne'arim of adoni, whom thou didst send. 
\v 26 Now therefore, adoni, as \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, and as thy nefesh liveth, seeing \nd Hashem\nd* hath held thee back from coming to shed dahm, and from avenging thyself with thine own yad, now let thine oyevim, and they that seek ra'ah for adoni, be as Naval. 
\v 27 And now this brocha which thine shifchah \add (maid-servant)\add* hath brought unto adoni, let it even be given unto the ne'arim that follow at the feet of adoni. 
\v 28 Forgive now the peysha of thine handmaid; for \nd Hashem\nd* will certainly make adoni a bais ne'eman; because adoni fighteth the milchamot of \nd Hashem\nd*, and ra'ah hath not been found in thee all thy yamim. 
\v 29 Yet adam is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy nefesh; but the nefesh of adoni shall be bound in the bundle of chayyim with \nd Hashem\nd* Eloheicha; and the nefesh of thine oyevim, them shall He hurl away, as out of the hollow of a kela \add (slingshot)\add*. 
\v 30 And it shall come to pass, when \nd Hashem\nd* shall have done to adoni according to all the tovah that He hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee Nagid over Yisroel, 
\v 31 There shall be no grief unto thee, nor michshol lev \add (downfall of conscience)\add* unto adoni, either that thou hast committed shefach dahm chinom, or that adoni hath avenged himself; but when \nd Hashem\nd* shall have dealt well with adoni, then remember thine handmaid.
\p
\v 32 And Dovid said to Avigal, Baruch \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel, Who sent thee today to meet me; 
\v 33 And baruch be thy good sense, and berukhah be thou, who hast kept me this yom from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own yad. 
\v 34 For in very deed, as \nd Hashem\nd* Elohei Yisroel liveth, Who hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Naval by ohr haboker any that urinates against the wall.
\p
\v 35 So Dovid received of her yad that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in shalom to thine bais; see, I have paid heed to thy voice, and have granted thy request.
\p
\v 36 And Avigal came to Naval; and, hinei, he held a mishteh \add (feast)\add* in his bais, like the mishteh of a melech; and lev Naval was tov within him, for he was shikkor ad me'od; wherefore she told him nothing, katan or gadol, until the ohr haboker.
\p
\v 37 But it came to pass in the boker, when the yayin was gone out of Naval, and his isha had told him these things, that his lev died within him, and he became like even \add (stone)\add*. 
\v 38 It came to pass about ten yamim later, \nd Hashem\nd* struck Naval, that he died.
\p
\v 39 And when Dovid heard that Naval was dead, he said, Baruch \nd Hashem\nd*, that hath upheld the cause of my cherpah \add (reproach)\add* from the yad of Naval, and hath kept his eved from ra'ah; for \nd Hashem\nd* hath returned the ra'ah \add (wickedness)\add* of Naval upon his own rosh. And Dovid sent and communed with Avigal, to take her to him as isha.
\p
\v 40 And when the avadim of Dovid were come to Avigal to Carmel, they spoke unto her, saying, Dovid sent us unto thee, to take thee to him as isha.
\p
\v 41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the ground, and said, Hinei, let thine handmaid be for a shifchah to wash the feet of the avadim of adoni.
\p
\v 42 And Avigal hasted, and arose and rode upon a chamor, with five na'arot of hers that attended her; and she went after the malachim of Dovid, and became his isha.
\p
\v 43 Dovid also took Achino'am of Yizre'el; and they were also both of them his nashim \add (wives)\add*.
\p
\v 44 But Sha'ul had given Michal bitto \add (his daughter)\add*, Dovidʼs isha, to Palti Ben Layish, who was from Gallim.
\c 26
\p
\v 1 And the Ziphim came unto Sha'ul at Giv'ah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon?
\p
\v 2 Then Sha'ul arose, and went down to the midbar Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisroel with him, to search for Dovid in the midbar Ziph. 
\v 3 And Sha'ul encamped in the hill of Chakhilah, which faces Yeshimon, beside the derech \add (road)\add*. But Dovid stayed in the midbar, and he saw that Sha'ul came after him into the midbar. 
\v 4 Dovid therefore sent out scouts, and understood that Sha'ul had indeed come. 
\v 5 And Dovid arose, and came to the makom where Sha'ul had encamped; and Dovid beheld the makom where Sha'ul lay down, and Avner Ben Ner, the sar of his tzava \add (army)\add*; and Sha'ul was lying in the camp, and HaAm encamped round about him.
\p
\v 6 Then answered Dovid and said to Achimelech the Chitti, and to Avishai Ben Tzeruyah, achi Yoav, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha'ul to the machaneh? And Avishai said, I will go down with thee.
\p
\v 7 So Dovid and Avishai came to HaAm by lailah; and, hinei, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the camp, and his khanit \add (spear)\add* stuck in the ground at his head; but Avner and HaAm lay round about him.
\p
\v 8 Then said Avishai to Dovid, Elohim hath delivered thine oyev into thine yad today; now therefore let me strike him, now, with the khanit, pinning him to the ground once; I will not strike him the second time. 
\v 9 And Dovid said to Avishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his yad against \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs moshiach, and be guiltless? 
\v 10 Dovid said furthermore, As \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, \nd Hashem\nd* shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into milchamah, and perish. 
\v 11 Chalilah \add (far be it)\add* from me by \nd Hashem\nd* that I should stretch forth mine yad against \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs moshiach; but, take now thou the khanit \add (spear)\add* that is at his head, and the flask of mayim, and let us go.
\p
\v 12 So Dovid took the khanit and the flask of mayim from near Sha'ulʼs head; and they got them away, and no one saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep; because a tardamat \nd Hashem\nd* was fallen upon them.
\p
\v 13 Then Dovid went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the har afar off; a great space being between them; 
\v 14 And Dovid called out to the people, and to Avner Ben Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Avner? Then Avner answered and said, Who art thou that calls out to HaMelech? 
\v 15 And Dovid said to Avner, Art not thou an ish \add (man)\add*? And who is like to thee in Yisroel? Wherefore then hast thou not been shomer over adoneicha HaMelech? For there came one of HaAm in to destroy HaMelech adoneicha. 
\v 16 This thing is not tov that thou hast done. As \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, ye are worthy for mavet, because ye have not been shomer over adoneichem, \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs moshiach. And now see where the khanit of HaMelech is, and the flask of mayim that was near his head.
\p
\v 17 And Sha'ul knew the voice of Dovid, and said, Is this thy voice, beni, Dovid? And Dovid said, It is my voice, adoni HaMelech.
\p
\v 18 And he said, Why doth adoni thus pursue after his eved? For what have I done? Or what ra'ah is in mine yad? 
\v 19 Now therefore, let adoni HaMelech hear the devarim of his eved. If \nd Hashem\nd* have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept a minchah; but if they be bnei adam, cursed be they before \nd Hashem\nd*; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the nachalah of \nd Hashem\nd*, saying, Go, serve elohim acharim. 
\v 20 Now therefore, let not my dahm fall to the earth before the face of \nd Hashem\nd*; for the Melech Yisroel is come out to search for a parosh \add (flea)\add*, as when one doth hunt the partridge in the harim.
\p
\v 21 Then said Sha'ul, I have sinned; return, beni Dovid; for I will no more do thee harm, because my nefesh was precious in thine eyes this day; hinei, I was foolish, and have erred exceedingly.
\p
\v 22 And Dovid answered and said, Hinei the khanit HaMelech! Let one of the ne'arim come over and bring it back.
\p
\v 23 \nd Hashem\nd* repay to every ish his tzedakah and his emunah; for \nd Hashem\nd* delivered thee into my yad today, but I would not stretch forth mine yad against \nd Hashem\nd*ʼs moshiach. 
\v 24 And, hinei, as thy nefesh was much valued this day in mine eyes, so let my nefesh be much valued in the eyes of \nd Hashem\nd*, and let Him deliver me out of all tzarah \add (trouble)\add*.
\p
\v 25 Then Sha'ul said to Dovid, Baruch atah, beni Dovid; may thou both accomplish many things, and also still succeed. So Dovid went on his derech, and Sha'ul returned to his makom.
\c 27
\p
\v 1 And Dovid said in his lev, I shall now perish yom echad by the yad Sha'ul; there is nothing tov for me than that I should speedily escape into the Eretz Pelishtim; and Sha'ul shall despair of searching for me any more in kol gevul Yisroel; so shall I escape out of his yad.
\p
\v 2 And Dovid arose, and he passed over with the shesh me'ot ish that were with him unto Akhish Ben Maoch Melech Gat. 
\v 3 And Dovid dwelt with Akhish at Gat, he and his anashim, every ish with his bais \add (household)\add*, even Dovid with his two nashim, Achino'am of Yizre'el, and Avigal eshet Naval of Karmel.
\p
\v 4 And it was told Sha'ul that Dovid was fled to Gat; and he sought no more again for him.
\p
\v 5 And Dovid said unto Akhish, If I have now found chen in thine eyes, let them give me a makom \add (place)\add* in some town in the sadeh \add (country)\add*, that I may dwell there; for why should thy eved dwell in the ir hamamlachah \add (royal city)\add* with thee?
\p
\v 6 Then Akhish gave him Tziklag that day; therefore Tziklag belongs unto the Melachim of Yehudah unto this day.
\p
\v 7 And the mispar hayamim that Dovid dwelt in the sadeh of the Pelishtim was four months and two days.
\p
\v 8 And Dovid and his anashim went up, and raided the Geshuri, and the Girzi, and the Amaleki; for they were of old the inhabitants of HaAretz, as thou goest to Shur, even unto Eretz Mitzrayim. 
\v 9 And Dovid attacked the land, and left neither ish nor isha alive, and took away the tzon, and the bakar, and the chamorim, and the gemalim, and the begadim, and returned, and came to Akhish. 
\v 10 And Akhish said, Where have ye raided today? And Dovid said, Against the Negev of Yehudah, or against the Negev of the Yerachme'eli, or against the Negev of the Keni.
\p
\v 11 And Dovid saved neither ish nor isha alive, to bring [news] to Gat, saying, Lest they should inform on us, saying, So did Dovid, and so has been his mishpat \add (practice)\add* all the yamim \add (days)\add* he dwelleth in the sadeh of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add*. 
\v 12 And Akhish believed Dovid, saying, He hath made his people Yisroel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be eved to me olam \add (forever)\add*.
\c 28
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass in those yamim, that the Pelishtim gathered their machanot together for tzava \add (warfare)\add*, to fight with Yisroel. And Akhish said unto Dovid, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to machaneh, thou and thy anashim. 
\v 2 And Dovid said to Akhish, Surely thou shalt know what thy eved will do. And Akhish said to Dovid, Therefore will I make thee my shomer rosh \add (head bodyguard)\add* kol hayamim.
\p
\v 3 Now Shmuel was dead, and kol Yisroel had mourned him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own town. And Sha'ul had deported the ovot \add (mediums, those with familiar spirits)\add*, and the yidonim \add (spiritists)\add* from HaAretz.
\p
\v 4 And the Pelishtim gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Sha'ul gathered kol Yisroel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 
\v 5 And when Sha'ul saw the machaneh of the Pelishtim, he was afraid, and his lev greatly trembled. 
\v 6 And when Sha'ul inquired of \nd Hashem\nd*, \nd Hashem\nd* answered him not, neither by chalomot \add (dreams)\add*, nor by Urim, nor by nevi'im.
\p
\v 7 Then said Sha'ul unto his avadim, Seek me an isha that is a ba'alat ov \add (medium, a person with a familiar spirit)\add*, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his avadim said to him, Hinei, there is an eshet ba'alat ov at Ein-Dor.
\p
\v 8 And Sha'ul disguised himself, and put on begadim acherim, and he went, and two anashim with him, and they came to the isha by lailah; and he said, divine for me by the ov \add (familiar spirit)\add*, and bring him up for me, whom I shall name unto thee. 
\v 9 And the isha said unto him, Hinei, thou knowest what Sha'ul hath done, how he hath cut off the ovot \add (mediums, those with familiar spirits)\add*, and the yidoni \add (spiritist)\add* from HaAretz; why then layest thou a snare for my nefesh, to cause me to die?
\p
\v 10 And Sha'ul vowed to her by \nd Hashem\nd*, saying, As \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, there shall no avon \add (punishment)\add* happen to thee for this thing. 
\v 11 Then said the isha, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Bring up Shmuel for me.
\p
\v 12 And when the isha saw Shmuel, she cried with a kol gadol \add (loud voice)\add*; and the isha spoke to Sha'ul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Sha'ul. 
\v 13 And HaMelech said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the isha said unto Sha'ul, I see elohim olim \add (spirits, ones ascending, a spirit ascending)\add* from HaAretz.
\p
\v 14 And he said unto her, Of what form is he? And she said, An ish zaken cometh up; and he is wearing a me'il \add (robe)\add*. And Sha'ul had da'as that it was Shmuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.
\p
\v 15 And Shmuel said to Sha'ul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Sha'ul answered, I am greatly distressed; for the Pelishtim make war against me, and Elohim has turned away from me, and answereth me no more, neither by nevi'im, nor by chalomot \add (dreams)\add*: therefore I have called on thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I should do.
\p
\v 16 Then said Shmuel, Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing \nd Hashem\nd* is turned away from thee, and is become thine adversary? 
\v 17 And \nd Hashem\nd* hath done for Himself just as He spoke by me; for \nd Hashem\nd* hath torn the Mamlachah out of thine yad, and given it to thy re'a \add (neighbor)\add*, even to Dovid: 
\v 18 Because thou obeyedst not the kol \add (voice)\add* of \nd Hashem\nd*, nor executedst His charon af upon Amalek, therefore hath \nd Hashem\nd* done this thing unto thee this day. 
\v 19 Moreover \nd Hashem\nd* will also deliver Yisroel with thee into the yad \add (hand, power)\add* of the Pelishtim; and makhar \add (tomorrow)\add* shalt thou and thy banim be with me; \nd Hashem\nd* also shall deliver the machaneh Yisroel into the yad Pelishtim.
\p
\v 20 Then at once Sha'ul fell his full length on the ground, and was greatly afraid, because of the divrei Shmuel; and there was no ko'ach in him; for he had eaten no lechem all the yom, nor all the lailah.
\p
\v 21 And the isha came unto Sha'ul, and saw that he was greatly terrified, and said unto him, Hinei, thine shifcha hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my nefesh in my palm, and have paid heed unto thy devarim which thou spoke unto me. 
\v 22 Now therefore, shema \add (pay heed)\add* thou now also unto the voice of thine shifcha, and let me set some lechem before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have ko'ach, when thou goest on thy derech.
\p
\v 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his avadim, together with the isha, urged him; and he paid heed unto their voice. So he arose from ha'aretz, and sat upon the mittah \add (bed)\add*.
\p
\v 24 And the isha had a fattened egel in the bais; and she hasted, and slaughtered it, and took kemakh \add (flour)\add*, and kneaded it, and did bake matzot thereof; 
\v 25 And she brought it before Sha'ul, and before his avadim; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that lailah.
\c 29
\p
\v 1 Now the Pelishtim gathered together all their machanot to Aphek; and Yisroel encamped by an ayin \add (spring)\add* which is in Yizre'el. 
\v 2 And the rulers of the Pelishtim \add (Philistines)\add* were passing by with me'ot, and with alafim; but Dovid and his anashim were passing at the rearguard with Akhish.
\p
\v 3 Then said the sarim of the Pelishtim, What are these Ivrim doing here? And Akhish said unto the sarim of the Pelishtim, Is not this Dovid, the eved of Sha'ul Melech Yisroel, which hath been with me these yamim, or these shanim, and unto this day I have found no fault in him since he defected? 
\v 4 And the sarim of the Pelishtim were angry with him; and the sarim of the Pelishtim said unto him, Send the ish back, that he may turn again to his makom \add (place, home)\add* which thou hast assigned him, and let him not go down with us to milchamah, lest in the milchamah he be as satan \add (adversary, antagonist)\add* to us; for wherewith should he make himself acceptable unto his adon? Is it not with the heads of these anashim? 
\v 5 Is not this Dovid, of whom they sang one to another in mecholot \add (dances)\add*, saying,
\b
\q Sha'ul slaughtered his alafim,
\q and Dovid his revavot \add (myriads)\add*?
\b
\p
\v 6 Then Akhish called Dovid, and said unto him, Surely, as \nd Hashem\nd* liveth, thou hast been yashar \add (upright)\add*, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the machaneh is tov in my sight; for I have not found ra'ah in thee since the day of thy coming unto me until this day; nevertheless, in the eyes of the rulers thou art not tov. 
\v 7 Wherefore now shuv \add (turn, turn back)\add*, and go in shalom, that thou displease not the rulers of the Pelishtim.
\p
\v 8 And Dovid said unto Akhish, But what have I done? And what hast thou found in thy eved from the day that I am before thee until this day, that I may not go fight against the oyevei adoni HaMelech?
\p
\v 9 And Akhish answered and said to Dovid, I know that thou art tov in my sight, as a malach Elohim; notwithstanding, the sarim of the Pelishtim have said, He shall not go up with us to the milchamah. 
\v 10 Wherefore now rise up early in the boker with the avadim of thy adon that are come with thee; and as soon as ye get up early in the boker, and have ohr, depart.
\p
\v 11 So Dovid and his anashim rose up early to depart in the boker, to return to Eretz Pelishtim. And the Pelishtim went up to Yizre'el.
\c 30
\p
\v 1 And it came to pass, when Dovid and his anashim were come to Tziklag on the Yom HaShelishi, that the Amaleki had made a raid on the Negev and Tziklag and attacked Tziklag, and burned it with eish; 
\v 2 And had captured the nashim, that were therein; they killed not any, either gadol or katon, but carried them off, and went on their derech. 
\v 3 So Dovid and his anashim came to the Ir, and, hinei, it was aflame with eish; and their nashim, and their banim, and their banot, had been taken captive.
\p
\v 4 Then Dovid and HaAm that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more ko'ach to weep.
\p
\v 5 And Dovidʼs two nashim were taken captive, Achino'am the Yizre'elit, and Avigal eshet Naval the Karmeli.
\p
\v 6 And Dovid was greatly distressed; for HaAm spoke of stoning him, because the nefesh of kol HaAm was marah \add (bitter)\add*, every ish for his banim and for his banot; but Dovid made himself chazak in \nd Hashem\nd* Elohav. 
\v 7 And Dovid said to Evyatar HaKohen Ben Achimelech, Bring me now here the Ephod. And Evyatar brought the Ephod to Dovid. 
\v 8 And Dovid inquired of \nd Hashem\nd*, saying, Shall I pursue after this gedood? Shall I overtake it? And He answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake, and without fail save.
\p
\v 9 So Dovid went, he and shesh me'ot ish that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. 
\v 10 But Dovid pursued, he and arba me'ot ish; for two hundred stayed behind, which were so exhausted that they could not go over the brook Besor.
\p
\v 11 And they found an Egyptian in the sadeh, and brought him to Dovid, gave him lechem, and he did eat; they made him drink mayim; 
\v 12 And they gave him a piece of pressed fig cake, and two raisin cakes; and when he had eaten, his ruach returned to him; for he had eaten no lechem, nor drunk any mayim, shloshah yamim and shloshah lailot.
\p
\v 13 And Dovid said unto him, To whom belongest thou? And from where art thou? And he said, I am a na'ar Mitzri, eved to an Amaleki; and my adon left me, because yamim shloshah ago I fell sick. 
\v 14 We made a raid upon the south of the Kereti, and upon the territory of Yehudah, and upon the south of Kalev; and we burned Tziklag with eish. 
\v 15 And Dovid said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this gedood? And he said, Swear unto me by Elohim, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my adon, and I will lead thee down to this gedood.
\p
\v 16 And when he had led him down, hinei, they were spread out over the surface of kol ha'aretz, eating and drinking, and revelling, because of all the great plunder that they had taken from Eretz Pelishtim, and from Eretz Yehudah.
\p
\v 17 And Dovid struck them from the neshef \add (twilight, evening)\add* even unto the erev of the next day; and there escaped not an ish of them, except four hundred na'ar, which rode off upon gemalim, and fled. 
\v 18 And Dovid recovered all that Amalek had carried away; and Dovid saved his two nashim. 
\v 19 And there was nothing of them missing, lacking neither katon nor gadol, neither banim nor banot, neither plunder, nor anything that they had taken for them; Dovid recovered all. 
\v 20 And Dovid took all the tzon and the bakar, which they drove before those other mikneh, and said, This is shalal Dovid \add (the plunder of David)\add*.
\p
\v 21 And Dovid came to the two hundred anashim, which were so exhausted that they could not follow Dovid, whom they had left behind also at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet Dovid, and to meet HaAm that were with him; and when Dovid came near to the people, he gave them a shalom greeting.
\p
\v 22 Then answered all the ish rah and the Beliyaal among the anashim of those that went with Dovid, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them any of the shalal that we have recovered, except to every ish his isha and his banim, that they may take them and leave.
\p
\v 23 Then said Dovid, Ye shall not do so, my achim, with that which \nd Hashem\nd* hath given us, Who hath been shomer over us, and delivered the gedood that came against us into our yad. 
\v 24 For who will pay heed unto you in this matter? But as his chelek is that goeth down to the milchamah \add (battle)\add*, so shall his chelek be that tarrieth by the kelim \add (supplies)\add*: their chelek they shall share alike.
\p
\v 25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a chok \add (statute)\add* and a mishpat for Yisroel unto this day.
\p
\v 26 And when Dovid came to Tziklag, he sent of the shalal \add (plunder)\add* unto the Ziknei Yehudah, even to his re'im \add (friends)\add*, saying, Hinei, a brocha for you of the shalal \add (plunder)\add* of the oyevim of \nd Hashem\nd*; 
\v 27 To them which were in Beit-El, and to them which were in Ramot of the South, and to them which were in Yatir, 
\v 28 And to them which were in Aro'er, and to them which were in Siphmot, and to them which were in Eshtemo'a, 
\v 29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Yerachme'eli, and to them which were in the cities of the Keni, 
\v 30 And to them which were in Chormah, and to them which were in Bor-'Ashan, and to them which were in Atakh, 
\v 31 And to them which were in Chevron, and to all the mekomot \add (places)\add* where Dovid himself and his anashim were accustomed to visit.
\c 31
\p
\v 1 Now the Pelishtim fought against Yisroel; and the anshei Yisroel fled from before the Pelishtim, and fell down chalalim \add (slain ones)\add* on Mt Gilboa. 
\v 2 And the Pelishtim followed hard upon Sha'ul and upon his banim; and the Pelishtim slaughtered Yehonatan,\f + \fr 31:2 \fr*\ft Yonatan\ft*\f* and Avinadav, and Malki-Shu'a, the Bnei Sha'ul. 
\v 3 And the milchamah became intense against Sha'ul, and the archers overtook him; and he was mortally wounded by the archers. 
\v 4 Then said Sha'ul unto his noseh keli \add (armor bearer)\add*, Draw thy cherev, and thrust me through therewith; lest these arelim \add (uncircumcised ones)\add* come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his noseh keli would not; for he was very afraid. Therefore Sha'ul took a cherev, and fell upon it. 
\v 5 And when his noseh keli saw that Sha'ul was dead, he fell likewise upon his cherev, and died with him. 
\v 6 So Sha'ul died, and his shloshet banim, and his noseh keli, and kol anashim of him, that same day together.
\p
\v 7 And when the anshei Yisroel that were on the other side of the emek \add (valley)\add*, and they that were on the other side of the Yarden, saw that the anshei Yisroel fled, and that Sha'ul and his banim were dead, they abandoned the towns, and fled; and the Pelishtim came and took occupation of them.
\p
\v 8 And it came to pass on the next day, when the Pelishtim came to strip the chalalim, that they found Sha'ul and his shloshet banim fallen on Mt Gilboa. 
\v 9 And they cut off his rosh \add (head)\add*, and stripped off his keli, and sent through eretz Pelishtim all around, to publish it in the bais atzabim, and among the people. 
\v 10 And they put his keli in the Bais Ashtarot; and they hung up his body on the chomat Beit-Shan.
\p
\v 11 And when the inhabitants of Yavesh Gil'ad heard of that which the Pelishtim had done to Sha'ul; 
\v 12 kol ish chayil arose, and went kol halailah, and took the geviyyat Sha'ul and the geviyyot of his banim from the chomat Beit-Shan, and came to Yavesh, and cremated them there. 
\v 13 And they took their atzmot, and buried them under a tree at Yavesh, and underwent a tzom shivat yamim.