Category: 1 Samuel

1 There was a certain man from Ramah of Zophim, on Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had sons. But Hannah did not have children.

3 And this man went up from his city, on the established days, so that he might adore and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord, were in that place.

4 Then the day arrived, and Elkanah immolated. And he gave portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and daughters.

5 But to Hannah he gave one portion with sorrow. For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.

6 And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb.

7 And she did so every year, when the time returned for them to ascend to the temple of the Lord. And she provoked her in this way. And so, she wept and did not take food.

8 Therefore, her husband Elkanah said to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? And why do you not eat? And for what reason do you afflict your heart? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 And so, after she ate and drank at Shiloh, Hannah rose up. And Eli, the priest, was sitting on the seat before the door of the temple of the Lord.

10 And since Hannah was bitter in soul, she prayed to the Lord, weeping greatly.

11 And she made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if, in looking with favor, you will see the affliction of your servant and will remember me, and will not forget your handmaid, and if you will give to your servant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall pass over his head.”

12 Then it happened that, while she multiplied prayers before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.

13 For Hannah was speaking in her heart, and only her lips moved, and her voice was barely heard. Therefore, Eli considered her to be drunk,

14 and so he said to her: “How long will you be inebriated? You should take only a little wine, but instead you are drenched.”

15 Responding, Hannah said: “By no means, my lord. For I am an exceedingly unhappy woman, and I drank neither wine, nor anything that can inebriate. Instead, I have poured out my soul in the sight of the Lord.

16 You should not repute your handmaid as one of the daughters of Belial. For I have been speaking from the abundance of my sorrow and grief, even until now.”

17 Then Eli said to her: “Go in peace. And may the God of Israel grant to you your petition, which you have begged of him.”

18 And she said, “I wish that your handmaid may find grace in your eyes.” And the woman went on her way, and she ate, and her countenance was no longer changed for the worse.

19 And they rose up in the morning, and they worshipped before the Lord. And they returned and arrived at their own house at Ramah. Then Elkanah knew his wife Hannah. And the Lord remembered her.

20 And it happened that, in the course of days, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, because she had requested him from the Lord.

21 Now her husband Elkanah ascended with his entire house, so that he might immolate to the Lord a solemn sacrifice, with his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up. For she said to her husband, “I will not go, until the infant has been weaned, and until I may lead him, so that he may appear before the sight of the Lord, and may remain always there.”

23 And her husband Elkanah said to her: “Do what seems good to you, and stay until you wean him. And I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word.” Therefore, the woman remained at home, and she breastfed her son, until she withdrew him from milk.

24 And after she had weaned him, she brought him with her, along with three calves, and three measures of flour, and a small bottle of wine, and she led him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. But the boy was still a young child.

25 And they immolated a calf, and they presented the boy to Eli.

26 And Hannah said: “I beg you, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord: I am that woman, who stood before you here, praying to the Lord.

27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted to me my petition, which I asked of him.

28 Because of this, I have also lent him to the Lord, for all the days when he shall be lent to the Lord.” And they adored the Lord in that place. And Hannah prayed, and she said:

1 “My heart exults in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies. For I have rejoiced in your salvation.

2 Nothing is holy as the Lord is holy. For there is no other beside you. And nothing is strong as our God is strong.

3 Do not continue speaking of great things, boasting. Let what is old depart from your mouth. For the Lord is the God of knowledge, and thoughts are prepared for him.

4 The bow of the powerful has been overwhelmed, and the weak have been girded with strength.

5 Those who before were filled, have hired themselves out for bread. And the starving have been filled, so that the barren have given birth to many. But she who had borne many sons has become unable.

6 The Lord brings death, and he gives life. He leads away to death, and he brings back again.

7 The Lord impoverishes, and he enriches. He humbles, and he lifts up.

8 He raises up the indigent from the dust, and he lifts up the poor from filth, so that they may sit with princes, and take hold of a throne of glory. For the hinges of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the globe upon them.

9 He will preserve the feet of his holy ones, and the impious will be silenced in darkness. For no man will prevail by his own strength.

10 The adversaries of the Lord will dread him. And over them, he will thunder in the heavens. The Lord will judge the parts of the earth, and he will give dominion to his king, and he will lift up the horn of his Christ.”

11 And Elkanah went away to Ramah, to his house. But the boy was a minister in the sight of the Lord, before the face of Eli, the priest.

12 But the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, not knowing the Lord,

13 nor the priestly office for the people. And so, no matter who had immolated a victim, the servant of the priest would arrive, while the flesh was still cooking, and he would take a three-pronged hook in his hand,

14 and put it into the vessel, or into the cauldron, or into the cooking pot, or into the pan, and all that the hook lifted up, the priest took for himself. So they did to all of Israel who arrived at Shiloh.

15 In addition, before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would arrive, and he would say to the one who was immolating: “Give me the flesh, so that I may boil it for the priest. For I will not accept cooked meat from you, but raw.”

16 And the one who was immolating would say to him, “First, allow the fat to be burned today, according to custom, and then take for yourself whatever your soul desires.” But in response, he would say to him: “By no means. For you will give it to me now, otherwise I will take it by force.”

17 Therefore, the sin of the servants was exceedingly great before the Lord. For they drew men away from the sacrifice of the Lord.

18 But Samuel was ministering before the face of the Lord; he was a youth girded with a linen ephod.

19 And his mother fashioned a little tunic for him, which she brought to him on the appointed days, ascending with her husband, so that he might immolate the solemn sacrifice.

20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife. And he said to him, “May the Lord repay to you offspring from this woman, on behalf of the loan that you offered to the Lord.” And they went away to their own place.

21 Then the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the youth Samuel was magnified with the Lord.

22 Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all of Israel, and how they were sleeping with the women who were waiting at the door of the tabernacle.

23 And he said to them: “Why are you doing these kinds of things, very wicked things, that I have heard from all the people?

24 My sons, do not be willing. For it is no good report that I am hearing, so that you would cause the people of the Lord to transgress.

25 If a man has sinned against a man, God may be able to be appeased over him. But if a man has sinned against the Lord, who will pray for him?” But they did not listen to the voice of their father, that the Lord was willing to kill them.

26 But the youth Samuel advanced, and grew up, and he was pleasing to the Lord, as well as to men.

27 Then a man of God went to Eli, and he said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Was I not revealed openly to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh?

28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel for myself as priest, so that he might ascend to my altar, and burn incense to me, and wear the ephod before me. And I gave to the house of your father all the sacrifices of the sons of Israel.

29 Why have you kicked away my victims and my gifts, which I instructed to be offered in the temple? And why have you given more honor to your sons than to me, so that you eat the first-fruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?

30 Because of this, the Lord God of Israel says: I have spoken clearly, so that your house, and the house of your father, may minister in my sight, even forever. But now the Lord says: May this be far from me. Instead, whoever will have glorified me, I will glorify him. But whoever despises me, they will be despised.

31 Behold the days are arriving, when I will cut off your arm, and the arm of the house of your father, so that there will not be an old man in your house.

32 And you will see your rival in the temple, amid all the prosperity of Israel. And there will not be an old man in your house for all days.

33 Yet truly, I will not entirely take away a man of you from my altar, but such that your eyes may fail, and your soul may melt away, and a great part of your house may die out, as it pertains to the state of men.

34 But this will be a sign to you, which will happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on one day they both will die.

35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will act in accord with my heart and my soul. And I will build a faithful house for him. And he will walk before my Christ for all days.

36 Then this will be in the future, that whoever will have remained of your house, he will approach so that he may pray on his behalf. And he will offer a coin of silver, and a twist of bread. And he will say: ‘Permit me, I beg you, one part of the priestly office, so that I may eat a mouthful of bread.’ “

1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no manifest vision.

2 Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see.

3 And so, to prevent the lamp of God from going out, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 And the Lord called Samuel. And responding, he said, “Here I am.”

5 And he ran to Eli, and he said, “Here I am. For you called me.” And he said: “I did not call. Return and sleep.” And he went away, and he slept.

6 And again, the Lord continued to call to Samuel. And rising up, Samuel went to Eli, and he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” And he responded: “I did not call you, my son. Return and sleep.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him.

8 And the Lord continued, and he called to Samuel still a third time. And rising up, he went to Eli.

9 And he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord had called the boy. And he said to Samuel: “Go and sleep. And if he calls to you from now on, you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” Therefore, Samuel went away, and he slept in his place.

10 And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, just as he had called the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I am accomplishing a word in Israel. Whoever will hear about it, both his ears will ring.

12 In that day, I will raise up against Eli all the things that I have spoken over his house. I will begin, and I will finish.

13 For I have foretold to him that I will judge his house unto eternity, because of iniquity. For he had known that his sons acted shamefully, and he did not chastise them.

14 For this reason, I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of his house will not be expiated, with victims or with gifts, even forever.”

15 Then Samuel slept until morning, and he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and he said, “Samuel, my son?” And responding, he said, “I am here.”

17 And he questioned him: “What is the word that the Lord has spoken to you? I beg you that you may not conceal it from me. May God do these things to you, and may he add these other things, if you hide from me one word out of all the things that were told to you.”

18 And so, Samuel revealed to him all the words, and he did not hide them from him. And he responded: “He is the Lord. May he do what is good in his own eyes.”

19 And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.

20 And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew Samuel to be a faithful prophet of the Lord.

21 And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh. For the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh, according to the word of the Lord. And the word about Samuel went forth to all of Israel.

1 And it happened that, in those days, the Philistines assembled to fight. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and he made camp beside the Stone of Assistance. But the Philistines went to Aphek,

2 and they positioned their troops against Israel. Then, when the conflict began, Israel turned his back to the Philistines. And they were cut down in that conflict, in various places in the fields, about four thousand men.

3 And the people returned to the camp. And those greater by birth of Israel said: “Why has the Lord struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring to ourselves the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. And let it enter into our midst, so that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 Therefore, the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, sitting upon the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord had arrived in the camp, all of Israel shouted with a great clamor, and the land resounded.

6 And the Philistines heard the voice of the clamor, and they said, “What is this voice of a great clamor in the camp of the Hebrews?” And they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp.

7 And the Philistines were afraid, saying, “God has entered into the camp.” And they groaned, saying:

8 “Woe to us! For there was no such great exultation yesterday, or the day before. Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these sublime gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with all the plagues, in the desert.”

9 “Be strengthened, and be manly, O Philistines! Otherwise, you may serve the Hebrews, as they also have served you. Be strengthened and wage war!”

10 Therefore, the Philistines fought, and Israel was cut down, and each one fled to his own tent. And an exceedingly great slaughter occurred. And thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell.

11 And the ark of God was captured. Also, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 Now a man of Benjamin, rushing from the troops, arrived at Shiloh on the same day, with his clothing torn, and with his head sprinkled with dust.

13 And when he had arrived, Eli was sitting on a seat opposite the way, gazing out. For his heart was fearful on behalf of the ark of God. Then, after this man entered the city, he announced it to the city. And the entire city wailed.

14 And Eli heard the sound of the outcry, and he said, “What is this sound, this tumult?” And the man hurried, and he went and announced it to Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had dimmed, so that he was not able to see.

16 And he said to Eli: “I am the one who came from the battle. And it is I who fled from the troops today.” And he said to him, “What has happened, my son?”

17 And responding, the man reported and said: “Israel has fled before the Philistines. And a great ruin has happened to the people. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, also have died. And the ark of God has been captured.”

18 And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from the seat backwards, toward the door, and, having broken his neck, he died. For he was an old man of great age. And he judged Israel for forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, and her delivery was near. And upon hearing the news that the ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she bent down and went into labor. For her pains rushed upon her suddenly.

20 Then, when she was near death, those who were standing around her said to her, “You should not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond to them, and she did not notice them.

21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory of Israel has been taken away,” because the ark of God was captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 And she said, “The glory has been taken away from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured.

1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God, and they transported it from the Stone of Assistance into Ashdod.

2 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and carried it into the temple of Dagon. And they stationed it beside Dagon.

3 And when the Ashdodites had risen up at first light on the next day, behold, Dagon was lying prone on the ground before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and they set him again in his place.

4 And again, on the next day, rising up in the morning, they found Dagon lying on his face upon the ground, before the ark of the Lord. But the head of Dagon, and both palms of his hands had been cut off upon the threshold.

5 Moreover, only the trunk of Dagon remained in its place. For this reason, the priests of Dagon, and all who enter his temple, do not tread upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, even to this day.

6 Now the hand of the Lord weighed heavily upon the Ashdodites, and he destroyed them. And he struck Ashdod and its borders at the inner part of the buttocks. And in the villages and fields, in the midst of that region, mice rose up and burst forth. And this caused a great tumult unto death in the city.

7 Then the men of Ashdod, seeing this kind of plague, said: “The ark of the God of Israel shall not remain with us. For his hand is harsh, over us and over Dagon, our god.”

8 And sending, they gathered together all the princes of the Philistines to them, and they said, “What shall we do about the ark of the God of Israel?” And the Gathites responded, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be led around.” And they led the ark of the God of Israel around.

9 And as they were carrying it around, the hand of the Lord fell upon every single city with an exceedingly great slaughter. And he struck down the men of each and every city, from the small even to the great. And cysts were festering at their buttocks. And the Gathites took counsel, and they made for themselves seat covers from pelts.

10 Therefore, they sent the ark of God into Ekron. And when the ark of God had arrived at Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, so that it may kill us and our people!”

11 And so they sent and gathered together all the princes of the Philistines, and they said: “Release the ark of the God of Israel, and return it to its own place. And let it not kill us, with our people.”

12 For the fear of death fell upon every single city, and the hand of God was very heavy. Also, the men who did not die were being afflicted in the inner part of the buttocks. And the wailing of each city was ascending to heaven.

1 Now the ark of the Lord was in the region of the Philistines for seven months.

2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying: “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Reveal to us in what manner we should send it back to its place.” And they said:

3 “If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, do not choose to release it empty. Instead, repay to him what you owe because of sin. And then you will be cured. And you will know why his hand did not withdraw from you.”

4 And they said, “What is it that we ought to repay to him because of transgression?” And they responded:

5 “In accord with the number of the provinces of the Philistines, you shall fashion five gold cysts and five gold mice. For the same plague has been upon all of you and your princes. And you shall fashion a likeness of your cysts and a likeness of the mice, which have destroyed the land. And so shall you give glory to the God of Israel, so that perhaps he may lift off his hand from you, and from your gods, and from your land.

6 Why have you hardened your hearts, just as Egypt and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he was struck, did he not then release them, and they went away?

7 Now therefore, fashion and take a new cart, with two cows that have given birth, but on which no yoke has been imposed. And yoke them to the cart, but retain their calves at home.

8 And you shall take the ark of the Lord, and you shall place it upon the cart, with the articles of gold that you have paid to him on behalf of transgression. You shall place these in a little box at its side. And release it, so that it may go.

9 And you shall watch. And if, indeed, it ascends by the way of his own parts, toward Beth-shemesh, then he has done this great evil to us. But if not, then we shall know that it is by no means his hand that has touched us, but instead it happened by chance.”

10 Therefore, they did it in this way. And taking two cows that were feeding calves, they yoked them to the cart, and they enclosed their calves at home.

11 And they placed the ark of God upon the cart, with the little box that held the gold mice and the likenesses of the cysts.

12 But the cows went directly along the way that leads to Beth-shemesh. And they advanced only in one direction, lowing as they went. And they did not turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left. Moreover, the princes of the Philistines followed them, as far as the borders of Beth-shemesh.

13 Now the Beth-shemeshites were harvesting wheat in the valley. And lifting up their eyes, they saw the ark, and they were glad when they had seen it.

14 And the cart went into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemeshite, and it stood still there. Now in that place was a great stone, and so they cut up the wood of the cart, and they placed the cows upon it as a holocaust to the Lord.

15 But the Levites took down the ark of God, and the little box that was at its side, in which were the articles of gold, and they placed them upon the great stone. Then the men of Beth-shemesh offered holocausts and immolated victims, on that day, to the Lord.

16 And the five princes of the Philistines saw, and they returned to Ekron on the same day.

17 Now these are the gold cysts, which the Philistines repaid to the Lord for transgression: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one.

18 And there were gold mice, according to the number of the cities of the Philistines, of the five provinces, from the fortified city to the village that was without a wall, and even to the great stone upon which they placed the ark of the Lord, which was, at last in that day, in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemeshite.

19 Then he struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had seen the ark of the Lord. And he struck down some of the people: seventy men, and fifty thousand of the common people. And the people lamented, because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said: “Who will be able to stand in the sight of the Lord, this holy God? And who will ascend to him from us?”

21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying: “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Descend and lead it back to you.”

1 Then the men of Kiriath-jearim arrived, and they led away the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab, in Gibeah. Then they sanctified Eleazar, his son, so that he might care for the ark of the Lord.

2 And it happened that, from that day, the ark of the Lord remained in Kiriath-jearim. And the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.

3 Then Samuel spoke to the entire house of Israel, saying: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, take away strange gods from among you, the Baals and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone. And he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.

5 And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”

6 And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.

8 And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.

10 Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.

11 And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.

12 Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”

13 And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.

17 And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.

1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.

3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.

4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.

5 And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”

6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.

8 In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.

9 Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”

10 And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.

11 And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.

12 And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.

13 Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.

14 Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.

15 Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.

16 Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.

17 Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.

18 And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”

19 But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,

20 and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.

22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust.

2 And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,

4 and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.

5 And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over us.”

6 And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”

7 And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”

8 The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to us our way.”

9 (In past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was called a seer.)

10 And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into the city, where the man of God was.

11 And as they were ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is the seer here?”

12 And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, on the high place.

13 Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”

14 And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.

15 Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:

16 “Tomorrow, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached me.”

17 And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”

19 And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart.

20 And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for all your father’s house?”

21 And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word to me?”

22 And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.

23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”

24 Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

25 And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.

26 And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.

27 And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”

1 Then Samuel took a little vial of oil, and poured it on his head. And he kissed him, and said: “Behold, the Lord has anointed you as first ruler over his inheritance. And you shall free his people from the hands of their enemies, who are all around them. And this shall be a sign for you that God has anointed you as ruler:

2 When you will have departed from me this day, you will find two men beside the sepulcher of Rachel, in the parts of Benjamin to the south. And they will say to you: ‘The donkeys have been found, which you had been seeking as you traveled. And your father, forgetting about the donkeys, has been anxious for you, and he says, “What shall I do about my son?” ‘

3 And when you will have departed from there, and will have traveled farther, and will have arrived at the oak of Tabor, in that place three men, who are going up to God at Bethel, will find you. One will be bringing three young goats, and another three loaves of bread, and another will be carrying a bottle of wine.

4 And when they will have greeted you, they will give you two loaves. And you shall accept these from their hand.

5 After these things, you shall arrive at the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. And when you will have entered the city there, you will meet a company of prophets, descending from the high place, with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp before them, and they will be prophesying.

6 And the Spirit of the Lord will spring up within you. And you shall prophesy with them, and you shall be changed into another man.

7 Therefore, when these signs will have happened to you, do whatever your hand will find, for the Lord is with you.

8 And you shall descend before me into Gilgal, (for I will descend to you), so that you may offer an oblation, and may immolate victims of peace. For seven days, you shall wait, until I come to you, and reveal to you what you should do.”

9 And so, when he had turned his shoulder, so that he might go away from Samuel, God changed him to another heart. And all these signs occurred on that day.

10 And they arrived at the above-stated hill, and behold, a group of prophets met him. And the Spirit of the Lord leapt up within him, and he prophesied in their midst.

11 Then all those who had known him yesterday and the day before, seeing that he was with the prophets, and that he was prophesying, said to one other: “What is this thing that has happened to the son of Kish? Could Saul also be among the prophets?”

12 And one would respond to the other, saying, “And who is their father?” Because of this, it turned into a proverb, “Could Saul also be among the prophets?”

13 Then he ceased to prophesy, and he went to the high place.

14 And the uncle of Saul said to him, and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And they responded: “To seek the donkeys. But when we did not find them, we went to Samuel.”

15 And his uncle said to him, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us that the donkeys would be found.” But the word about the kingdom, which Samuel had spoken to him, he did not reveal to him.

17 And Samuel called the people together, to the Lord at Mizpah.

18 And he said to the sons of Israel: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I led Israel away from Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kings who were afflicting you.

19 But today you have rejected your God, who alone saved you from all your evils and tribulations. And you have said: ‘By no means! Instead, appoint a king over us.’ Now therefore, stand in the sight of the Lord, by your tribes and by your families.”

20 And Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell upon the tribe of Benjamin.

21 And he brought near the tribe of Benjamin, with its families, and the lot fell upon the family of Matri. And then it went to Saul, the son of Kish. Therefore, they sought him, but he was not found.

22 And after these things, they consulted the Lord as to whether he would soon arrive there. And the Lord responded, “Behold, he is hidden at home.”

23 And so they ran and brought him there. And he stood in the midst of the people, and he was taller than the entire people, from the shoulders upward.

24 And Samuel said to all the people: “Certainly, you see the one whom the Lord has chosen, that there is not anyone like him among all the people.” And all the people cried out and said, “Long live the king!”

25 Then Samuel spoke to the people the law of the kingdom, and he wrote it in a book, and he stored it in the sight of the Lord. And Samuel dismissed all the people, each one to his own house.

26 And then Saul went away to his own house at Gibeah. And a portion of the army, whose hearts had been touched by God, went away with him.

27 Yet the sons of Belial said, “How could this one be able to save us?” And they despised him, and they brought him no presents. But he pretended not to hear them.