meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Prophets/I Samuel/English/The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J.txt"}
text: I Samuel
  שמואל א
  The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J
  
  
  I Samuel
  
  
  
  
  
  There was a man from Ramasayim Tsofim in Mount Ephrayim; and his name was Elkonoh the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Tsuf, from the land of Ephrayim.
  He had two wives; the name of one was Chana and the name of the second was Penina. Penina had children, but Chana was childless.
  This man would go up from his city from time to time to prostrate himself and to bring offerings to Adonoy of Hosts in Shiloh. There the two sons of Eili, Chofni and Pinchas, were kohanim to Adonoy.
  It happened on the day (of the festival) that Elkonoh brought offerings, he would give to Penina, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters portions.
  But to Chana he would give one choice portion, for he loved Chana, and Adonoy had closed her womb.
  Her rival would frequently anger her in order that she should complain, because Adonoy had closed her womb.
  He would do this, year after year. Whenever she went up to the house of Adonoy, she would anger her; and she wept and would not eat.
  Elkonoh, her husband, said to her, "Chana, why do you weep and why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
  Chana arose after eating in Shiloh and after drinking; and Eili the kohein was sitting on the chair near the doorpost of the Temple of Adonoy.
  She was bitter in spirit, and she prayed to Adonoy and wept bitterly.
  She made a vow and said, "Adonoy of Hosts, if you look at the suffering of Your maidservant, and You remember me, and do not forget Your maidservant, and give Your maidservant male offspring, then I will give him to Adonoy all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head."
  As she continued to pray before Adonoy Eili watched her mouth.
  Chana was praying in her heart, only her lips were moving and her voice was not heard, so Eili thought she was drunk.
  Eili said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Remove your wine from yourself."
  Chana answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a troubled spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink; but I have poured out my soul before Adonoy.
  Do not deliver your maidservant to a wicked woman, for it is out of much grievance and anger that I have prayed until now."
  Eili then answered and said, "Go in peace. The God of Yisroel will grant your request that you have asked of Him."
  She said, "May your maidservant find favor in your eyes." And the woman went on her way; and she ate, and no longer had the [sad] look on her face.
  They rose early in the morning and prostrated themselves before Adonoy; then they returned and came to their home, to Romoh. Elkonoh knew Chana his wife, and Adonoy remembered her.
  And as the seasons and days passed Chana conceived, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Shmuel [saying], "For I requested him from Adonoy."
  The man Elkonoh went up with his entire household to bring to Adonoy the festival offering and his vow.
  But Chana did not go up for she said to her husband, "When the boy will be weaned, then I will bring him, and he shall appear before Adonoy and shall remain there forever."
  Elkonoh, her husband, said to her, "Do what is proper in your eyes, remain until you wean him; but may Adonoy fulfill His word." So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.
  She brought him up with her when she weaned him, with [an offering of] three bulls, one <i>eiphah</i> of flour, and a flask of wine; she brought him to the House of Adonoy in Shiloh, though the child was still a lad.
  They slaughtered the bull, and brought the child to Eili.
  She said, "Please my lord, by your life my lord, I was the woman who stood with you here, praying to Adonoy.
  This is the child that I prayed for; Adonoy granted me my request that I asked of Him.
  And I have dedicated him to Adonoy. All the days that he lives he is dedicated to Adonoy." He then prostrated himself to Adonoy.
  
  
  
  Chana prayed and said: "My heart exults in Adonoy, my horn is exalted in Adonoy, my mouth is enlarged over my enemies; for I rejoice in Your salvation.
  For there is none holy like Adonoy, for there is none beside You; and there is no stronghold like our God.
  Do not abound in speaking so very proudly, let not harshness come from your mouth; for a God of knowledge is Adonoy, and by Him all actions are counted.
  The bows of the mighty are broken, and [they that had been] stumbling were girded with strength.
  The sated have hired themselves out for bread, and the hungry have ceased; until the barren has born seven, and she with many children was bereaved.
  Adonoy kills and gives life; He casts down to the grave and brings up.
  Adonoy makes poor and makes rich; He makes low and also lifts up.
  He raises up the poor from the dirt, from the dung heaps He lifts up the destitute, to seat them with the nobles and apportions them the seat of honor. For the foundations of earth are Adonoy's, and He set the world upon them.
  He guards the steps of his pious ones, and the wicked are stilled in the darkness; for not by strength does man prevail.
  Adonoy, may His adversaries be broken; let Him thunder against them from heaven. May Adonoy judge the ends of the world, and give power to His king, and raise the pride of His anointed one."
  Elkonoh went to Romoh to his home; and the youth served Adonoy in the presence of Eili the kohein.
  The sons of Eili were wicked, they did not know Adonoy.
  The custom of the kohanim with the people was that when any person would offer a sacrifice, the kohein-youth would come while the meat was cooking with the three-pronged fork in his hand.
  He would thrust it into the cauldron, pot, pan or bowl; [and] everything that the fork would bring up, the kohein would take for himself. This is what they would do to all Yisroel who would come there to Shiloh.
  Even before they would burn the fat, the youth-kohein would come and say to the man who was offering the sacrifice, "Give meat for roasting for the kohein, for he will not take cooked meat from you, but only raw."
  And if the man would say to him, "Let them first burn the fat and then take whatever your soul desires," then he would say, "No! Give it now, or else I will take it by force."
  The sinfulness of the youths was very great before Adonoy, for the men had disgraced Adonoy's offering.
  But Shmuel served before Adonoy, a lad girded with a linen robe.
  His mother would make for him a small robe and bring it up to him once a year, when she came up with her husband to sacrifice the festival's offering.
  Eili would then bless Elkonoh and his wife and say, "May Adonoy give you offspring from this woman," because of the request that he had made of Adonoy. They would then return to to his dwelling.
  For Adonoy remembered Chana, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the youth Shmuel grew up with Adonoy.
  Eili was very old and he heard all that his sons would do to all of Yisroel, and that they would lie with the women who assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
  And he said to them, "Why do you do such things, for I hear of your evil deeds from all these people?
  No, my sons, for it is not good the report that I hear being passed on by Adonoy's people.
  If man sins against man, a judge tries him; but if a man sins against Adonoy, who can speak in his defense?" But they would not listen to their father's voice, for it was Adonoy's will to kill them.
  But the youth Shmuel continued to grow and was in favor both with Adonoy and also with people.
  Then a man of God came to Eili and said to him, "Thus said Adonoy, 'Have I not repeatedly revealed Myself to your ancestor's family when they were in Egypt, [enslaved] to the house of Pharaoh?
  And chose him of all the tribes of Yisroel to be a kohein to Me, to offer up [sacrifices] on My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me; and I did give your ancestor's family all the fire-offerings of the Bnei Yisroel.
  Why do you scorn My sacrifice and My meal-offering which I have commanded you [to bring in My] Sanctuary? But you honor your sons more than Me, to feed yourselves from the choice parts of all the offerings of Yisroel, My people?'
  Therefore,' says Adonoy, God of Yisroel, 'I had indeed decreed that your family and your father's family would serve before Me forever.' 'But now,' says Adonoy, 'Far be it from Me [to do so]; for I honor those who honor Me, and those who dishonor Me will be cursed.
  Behold, days are coming when I shall cut off your arm and the arm of your father's family, from there being an elder in your family.
  And you will see a rival [in My] Sanctuary throughout all the good that He will bring upon Yisroel; but there will be no elder in your family for all time.
  Yet I will not cut [one last man] from My altar, to pine your eyes and sadden your soul, and all those raised in your house will die as [young] men.
  This is the sign for you, that which will happen to your two sons, Chofni and Pinchas: they will both die on the same day.
  And I will appoint for Myself a faithful kohein, [one] who will do as is in My heart and in My desire; I will build for him an everlasting house, and he will serve before My anointed one all the days.
  And everyone that will remain of your family will come to bow down to him for a silver coin or a loaf of bread, and will say, "Please let me be included among one of the priestly divisions, that I may eat a morsel of bread."'"
  
  
  
  The youth Shmuel was serving Adonoy before Eili. The word of Adonoy was rare in those days; prophetic vision was not widespread.
  It happened one day that Eili was lying in his place, and his eyes had begun to become dim, he was unable to see.
  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was lying in the Temple of Adonoy where the Ark of God was located.
  Adonoy called to Shmuel, and he said, "Here I am."
  He ran to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." But he replied, "I did not call; go back and lie down," so he went and lay down.
  Adonoy continued to call again, "Shmuel." Then Shmuel rose, went to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." But he replied, "I did not call, my son; go back and lie down."
  Shmuel had not yet [learned to] know [prophecy] from Adonoy, and it had not yet been revealed to him—the word of Adonoy.
  Adonoy continued to call, "Shmuel" yet a third time, and he rose and went to Eili and said, "Here I am, for you have called me." Now Eili understood that Adonoy was calling the lad.
  Eili said to Shmuel, "Go and lie down; and if He calls you, you should say, 'Speak, Adonoy, for Your servant is listening.'" Shmuel went and lay down in his place.
  Adonoy came, stood, and called as the other times, "Shmuel, Shmuel," and Shmuel said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."
  Adonoy said to Shmuel, "Behold, I am going to do something in Yisroel that when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will ring.
  On that day, I will set up against Eili all that I have spoken concerning his family, [I will] begin to destroy.
  I have told him that I am executing judgment against his family forever, for the sin of knowing that his sons were blaspheming themselves, yet he did not censure them.
  Therefore I have sworn concerning the house of Eili, that the sin of of Eili's house shall not be atoned with sacrifice or meal-offering forever."
  Shmuel lay until the morning, when he opened the doors of the House of Adonoy; and Shmuel was afraid of relating the vision to Eili.
  Eili called Shmuel and said, "Shmuel, my son," and he said, "Here I am."
  He said, "What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not withhold it from me. Such shall God do to you and such shall He do more, if you withhold from me anything from all that He spoke to you."
  Shmuel told him everything and did not withhold [anything] from him. Then [Eili] said, "He is Adonoy; He will do what is proper in His eyes."
  Shmuel grew up, and Adonoy was with him; He did not cast any of his words to the ground.
  All of Yisroel, from Don to Beer Sheva knew, that Shmuel was as faithful as a prophet to Adonoy.
  Adonoy continued to appear in Shiloh, for Adonoy revealed Himself to Shmuel in Shiloh, with the word of Adonoy.
  
  
  
  The word of Shmuel went out to all of Yisroel. Yisroel went out to war against the Philistines. They camped at Even Haezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.
  The Philistines arrayed themselves against Yisroel and the war spread and Yisroel was smitten before the Philistines; in the battlefield they slew about four thousand men.
  The people came to the camp, and the elders of Yisroel said, "Why did Adonoy smite us today before the Philistines? Let us take with us from Shiloh, the Ark of the Covenant of Adonoy, that He will come in our midst and save us from the hand of our enemies."
  The people sent to Shiloh and carried from there the Ark of the Covenant of Adonoy, Master of Hosts, Who is enthroned on the Cherubim; and there were Eili's two sons along with the Ark of the Covenant of God—Chofni and Pinchas.
  When it arrived—the Ark of the Covenant of Adonoy—at the camp, all of Yisroel sounded a great shofar blast and the ground shook.
  The Philistines heard the sound of the blast and said, "What is the sound of this great blast in the Hebrew camp?" And they realized that the Ark of Adonoy had come to the camp.
  The Philistines were frightened, for they said, "[The Ark of] God has come to the camp!" And they said, "Woe unto us, for something like this had not happened yesterday or the day before!
  Woe unto us! Who will save us from the hand of this mighty God? This is the God Who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness!
  Be strong! Be men, 0 Philistines, lest you become enslaved to the Hebrews as they have been enslaved to you. Be men and fight!"
  The Philistines fought and Yisroel was defeated and each man ran to his tents. The blow was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers of Yisroel fell.
  The Ark of God was taken; and Eili's two sons, Chofni and Pinchas, died.
  And a Binyaminite man ran from the battlefield and came to Shiloh that day, his clothes were torn and there was earth upon his head.
  When he arrived, Eili was sitting on a chair by the road, looking out, for his heart was fearful about the Ark of God. The man came to inform the city, and the entire city cried out.
  Eili heard the sound of the outcry and said, "What is the uproar of this multitude?" The man came quickly and told Eili.
  Eili was ninety-eight years old, his eyes had become motionless and he could not see.
  The man said to Eili, "I am the one who came from the battlefield and I fled from the battlefield today." And he said, "What was the outcome, my son?"
  The bearer of the news answered him and said, "Yisroel fled from the Philistines; and there also was a great massacre among the nation; also, your two sons, Chofni and Pinchas died, and the Ark of God was taken!"
  And it was as he mentioned the Ark of God, that he fell backwards off the chair by the gate, breaking his neck, and he died; for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Yisroel for forty years.
  His daughter-in-law, the wife of Pinchas, was pregnant, about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of the Ark of God and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she kneeled down and gave birth, because her labor pains came suddenly upon her.
  As she was about to die, those standing around her spoke, "Do not fear for you have given birth to a son." She did not answer, and paid no attention.
  She called the boy Ichavod, saying, "Glory has been exiled from Yisroel," because of the capture of the Ark of God and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
  And she said, "Glory has been exiled from Yisroel, for the Ark of God has been taken."
  
  
  
  The Philistines had taken the Ark of God and brought it from Even Haezer to Ashdod.
  The Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to the House of Dagon, placing it beside Dagon.
  The people of Ashdod arose early the next day and behold, Dagon had fallen upon its face to the ground, before the Ark of Adonoy. They took Dagon and returned it to its place.
  They arose early the next morning and again Dagon had fallen upon its face to the ground, before the Ark of Adonoy. Dagon's head and the two palms of its hands were severed and, lying on the threshold, only Dagon's body remained intact near [the Ark].
  Because of this, they do not tread—the priests of Dagon, and all those who come to the house of Dagon—upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
  Adonoy's hand weighed even more heavily against the people of Ashdod, and He devastated them; He struck them with hemorrhoids—Ashdod and its territories.
  The men of Ashdod saw what happened, they said, "Let the Ark of the God of Yisroel not stay with us, for His hand has been hard upon us and upon Dagon, our god."
  They summoned and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines and said [to them], "What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Yisroel?" They replied, "Let it be transferred to Gas—the Ark of the God of Yisroel," so they transferred the Ark of the God of Yisroel.
  After it was transferred, the hand of Adonoy was [raised] against the city, creating a very great uproar; He struck the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, and they were afflicted internally with hemorrhoids.
  They then sent the Ark of God to Ekron; and when the Ark of God arrived in Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out saying, "They have transferred to me the Ark of the God of Yisroel, to kill me and my people."
  They summoned and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines and said [to them], "Send the Ark of the God of Yisroel back to its place and let it not kill me and my people, for there has been deadly upheaval throughout the city; the hand of God was laid very heavily there."
  The people who did not die were afflicted with hemorrhoids, and the cry of the city ascended heavenward.
  
  
  
  The Ark of Adonoy was in the land of the Philistines for seven months.
  The Philistines called upon the priests and the sorcerers, saying, "What shall we do about the Ark of Adonoy? Let us know how we should send it back to its place."
  They replied, "If you are sending [back] the Ark of the God of Yisroel, do not send it empty-handed; rather you must return a guilt-offering to Him. Then you will be healed, and you will realize why His hand would not turn away from [afflicting] you."
  They said, "What is the guilt-offering that we should return to Him?" They answered, "According to the number of Philistine rulers, five golden [images of] hemorrhoids and five golden [images of] mice; for the same plague is on all of you and upon your rulers.
  Make images of your hemorrhoids and images of your mice, which are destroying the land, and give [them] to honor the God of Yisroel, perhaps He will ease His hand from upon you and your gods, and from your land.
  Why should you harden your hearts as Egypt and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After He mocked them did they not send them off, and they left?
  Now, make one new wagon, and take two nursing cows which have not borne a yoke; tie the cows to the wagon, and turn their calves homeward from behind them.
  Take the Ark of Adonoy and put it on the wagon, and the golden objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt-offering put in the box beside it. Send it off and it will go.
  Then you will see: If it goes up by the path to its own border, towards Beis Shemesh, then it was He Who caused us this great evil; but if not, we will know that it was not His hand that afflicted us, but what happened to us was all by chance."
  The men did so, they took two nursing cows and tied them to the wagon, and confined their calves in the house.
  They put the Ark of Adonoy on the wagon, together with the box and the golden mice and the images of their hemorrhoids.
  The cows set out on a straight course on the road to Beis Shemesh. They went on a single path, lowing as they walked, neither turning right nor left. The Philistine rulers went behind them until the border of Beis Shemesh.
  [The people of] Beis Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley. They raised their eyes and saw the Ark, and they rejoiced to see it.
  The wagon came to the field of Yehoshua of Beis Shemesh, and stopped there, where there was a large rock. They split the boards of the wagon, and offered up the cows as a burnt-offering to Adonoy.
  The Levites had unloaded the Ark of Adonoy and the box that was with it, that contained the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. The people of Beis Shemesh brought burnt-offerings and sacrificed feast-offerings on that day to Adonoy.
  The five Philistine rulers saw all this and returned to Ekron on that day.
  These are the golden hemorrhoids that the Philistines sent as a guilt-offering to Adonoy: one for Ashdod; one for Gaza; one for Ashkelon; one for Gas; and one for Ekron.
  And golden mice [corresponding to] the number of all Philistine cities of the five rulers, from fortified city to open village, extending until the large rock on which they placed the Ark of Adonoy, which to this day is in the field of Yehoshua of Beis Shemesh.
  Then He smote the men of Beis Shemesh because they had looked at the Ark of Adonoy. He killed of the people seventy men, [and] fifty thousand men. The people mourned because Adonoy had struck the people with a great blow.
  And the people of Beis Shemesh said, "Who can [possibly] stand before Adonoy, this Holy God? To whom among us can it go up?"
  They sent emissaries to the inhabitants of Kiryas Ye'arim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the Ark of Adonoy. Come down and bring it up to you."
  
  
  
  The men of Kiryas Yearim came and brought up the Ark of Adonoy. They brought it to the house of Avinadav, on the hill, and they appointed his son Elazar to watch over the Ark of Adonoy.
  From the time the Ark came to rest at Kiryas Ye'arim there ensued many days, and they became twenty years, during which the entire House of Yisroel was drawn after Adonoy.
  Shmuel spoke to the entire House of Yisroel, saying, "If with all your hearts, you are returning to Adonoy, remove the foreign gods from your midst, and the <i>Ashtoros,</i> and direct your hearts to Adonoy, and worship Him alone; then He will save you from the hand of the Philistines."
  And the Bnei Yisroel removed the <i>Baalim</i> and the <i>Ashtoros,</i> and they worshipped Adonoy exclusively.
  Shmuel said, "Gather all of Yisroel to Mitzpoh, and I will pray to Adonoy on your behalf.
  They gathered at Mitzpoh. They drew water and poured it out before Adonoy. They fasted on that day and they said there, "We have sinned to Adonoy." Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpoh.
  The Philistines heard that the Bnei Yisroel had gathered together at Mitzpoh, and the Philistine rulers went up against Yisroel. The Bnei Yisroel heard and they were afraid of the Philistines.
  The Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, "Do not be silent from crying out on our behalf to Adonoy our God, that He save us from the hands of the Philistines."
  Shmuel took a suckling lamb and offered it all as a burnt-offering to Adonoy. Shmuel cried out to Adonoy on Yisroel's behalf, and Adonoy answered him.
  While Shmuel was offering the burnt-offering, the Philistines approached to battle Yisroel. Adonoy thundered with a great noise on that day against the Philistines making them panic, so that they were routed before Yisroel.
  The men of Yisroel went out of Mitzpoh and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until below Beis Kor.
  Shmuel took one rock and placed it between Mitzpoh and Shein, and called it Even Haezer, saying, "Adonoy helped us until here."
  The Philistines were subdued and no longer ventured into Yisroel's borders. The hand of Adonoy was against the Philistines all of Shmuel's days.
  The cities reverted—that the Philistines had taken from Yisroel—to Yisroel; from Ekron to Gas and their surrounding areas, Yisroel rescued from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Yisroel and the Amorite.
  Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life.
  He traveled year after year, circling to Beis Eil and the Gilgal, and Mitzpoh, and he judged Yisroel in all these places.
  He would return to Romoh, for his home was there, and there he would judge Yisroel. He built an altar to Adonoy there.
  
  
  
  When Shmuel became old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Yisroel.
  The name of his firstborn son was Yoeil and the name of his second was Aviyah; they were judges in Beer Sheva.
  But his sons did not follow his ways. They were swayed after graft, took bribes and perverted justice.
  All the elders of Yisroel then gathered together and they came to Shmuel, to Romoh.
  They said to him, "Behold! You are old, and your sons did not follow your ways. Appoint for us now a king to judge us, like all the nations."
  The matter was wrong in Shmuel's eyes when they said, "Give us a king to rule us," and Shmuel prayed to Adonoy.
  Adonoy said to Shmuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they tell you, for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is Me whom they have rejected to reign over them.
  Like all the deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up from Egypt until this day; they forsook Me and worshiped other gods. So are they doing to you, too.
  Now, obey their voice, but warn them and tell them about the manner of the king who will reign over them."
  Shmuel told all the words of Adonoy to the people who were asking him for a king.
  He said, "This is the manner of the king who will reign over you; he will take away your sons and appoint them for his chariots and horsemen, and they will run before his chariot.
  And to appoint for himself officers over thousands and officers over fifty, and to plow his furrow and reap his harvest, and to produce his implements of war and equipment for his chariots.
  He will take your daughters for perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
  And your fields, vineyards, and olive trees—the best [of which]— he will take and present them to his servants.
  He will tithe your grain and vineyards, and give them to his officers and servants.
  He will take your servants, maidservants, and your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to do his work.
  He will tithe your sheep, and you will become his servants.
  On that day you will cry out because of your king whom you chose for yourselves; but Adonoy will not answer you on that day."
  The people refused to listen Shmuel's voice. They said, "No! We must have a king over us.
  We too, will be like all the nations; our king will judge us, and go forth before us, and wage our wars."
  Shmuel heard all the words of the people and told them to Adonoy.
  Adonoy told Shmuel, "Listen to their voice, and crown a king for them." Shmuel said to the people of Yisroel, "Every man, go to his city."
  
  
  
  There was a man of Binyomin whose name was Kish, son of Avieil, son of Tzeror, son of Bechoras, son of Aphiach, son of a Binyominite, a mighty man of valor.
  He had a son whose name was Shaul. He was young and handsome; not a man of Bnei Yisroel was more handsome than he. From his shoulders up, he was taller than any of the people.
  The donkeys of Kish, Shaul's father, became lost, and Kish said to Shaul his son, "Please take one of the youths with you, rise, go and search for the donkeys."
  He passed through Mount Ephrayim and he passed through the land of Sholishoh, but they did not find them. They passed through the land of Sha'alim, but they were not there; and he passed through the land of Binyomin but they did not find them.
  They came to the land of Tzuph and Shaul said to his youth who was with him, "Come let us return, lest my father stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us."
  He [the youth] said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is honorable; everything he says surely occurs. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us our road upon which we should travel."
  Shaul replied to his youth, "Behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man? The bread from our vessels is used up and we have no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?"
  The youth continued to answer Shaul, and said, "Behold! I have a quarter shekel of silver with me. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way."
  In former times in Yisroel, this is what someone said when he went to inquire of God, "Let us go to the seer," for "the prophet" of today was formerly called "the seer."
  Shaul said to his youth, "You have spoken well, come, let us go." And they went to the city where the man of God was.
  As they were climbing the ascent to the city they encountered some girls going out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is this where the seer is?"
  They answered them and said, "He is there ahead of you. Hurry now, for he came to the city today, because a feast-offering are the people bringing today at the high place.
  As you enter the city you will find him before he ascends the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the offering; afterwards the invited guests will eat. Now go up, for you will find him as [surely as it is] day."
  They ascended to the city. As they were entering the city, behold, Shmuel was coming out towards them, to go up the high place.
  Adonoy had revealed to Shmuel's ear, one day before Shaul's coming, saying.
  "At this time tomorrow I will send a man to you from the territory of Binyomin; you shall anoint him to be ruler over My people Yisroel, and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen [the plight] of My people, since its cry has reached Me."
  Shmuel saw Shaul, and Adonoy said to him, "There is the man of whom I said to you, 'this one will rule over My people.'"
  Shaul approached Shmuel inside the gate and said, "Please tell me, please, which is the house of the seer?"
  Shmuel answered Shaul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place and you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will send you away, and whatever is in your heart I will tell you.
  As for your donkeys which were lost to you now for three days; do not concern yourself over them, for they were found. But for whom does all of Yisroel desire? Is it not for you and all your father's family?"
  Shaul answered and said, "But I am only a Binyominite, and from the smallest of the tribes of Yisroel, and my family is the youngest of all the families of the tribe of Binyomin. Why, then, have you said this to me?"
  Shmuel took Shaul and his youth and brought them to the chamber. He gave them a place at the head of the invited guests, who were about thirty men.
  Shmuel said to the cook, "Serve the portion that I gave you, about which I told you, 'Keep it with you.'"
  The cook raised the thigh with what was attached to it, and placed it before Shaul. He [Shmuel] then said, "Here is what remains, put before you and eat, for it was kept for you until the appointed time because I told [the cook], 'I have invited the people.'" And Shaul ate with Shmuel on that day.
  They came down from the high place to the city, and he spoke with Shaul on the roof.
  They rose early, and as morning dawned, Shmuel called Shaul to the roof, saying, "Rise and I will send you off." Shaul rose, and the two of them, he and Shmuel, went outside.
  As they were going down near the outskirts of the city, Shmuel said to Shaul, "Tell the youth to pass ahead of us," and he went ahead. "But you stand here now and I will let you hear the word of God."
  
  
  
  Shmuel took the flask of oil and poured it onto his head,. and he kissed him. He said, "For Adonoy has anointed you as ruler over His heritage.
  When you leave me today you will find two men by Rochel's Tomb, at the border of Binyomin, in Tzeltzach. They will say to you, "The donkeys that you went to seek were found, and that your father has abandoned the matter of the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, "What shall I do [to find] my son?"
  You will proceed onward from there and come to Eilon Tavor, where you will be encountered by three men going up to [worship] God['s altar] at Beis Eil; one carrying three kids, one carrying three loaves of bread, and one carrying a flask of wine.
  They will greet you and give you two breads, which you shall take from them.
  After that you will come to the Hill of God, where the Philistine officers are stationed. Then as you come to the city you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, and before them will be a lyre, drum, flute, and harp and they will be prophesying.
  The spirit of Adonoy will pass over you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into another person.
  And when these signs come upon you, prepare yourself as well as you can, for God is with you.
  Then you shall go down to Gilgol ahead of me; and I will go down to you, to offer burnt-offerings, to sacrifice peace-offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you, and I will inform you what you are to do."
  And so, as soon as he turned aside to part from Shmuel, God transformed his heart and all these signs came about on that day.
  They came to the Hill, and behold, there was a band of prophets coming towards him. The spirit of God passed over him, and he prophesied among them.
  All who knew him from yesterday and before, saw that there he was prophesying along with the prophets, and the people said one to another, "What is this that happened to the son of Kish? Is Shaul too among the prophets?"
  A man from there answered and said, "And who is their father?" It thus became a byword, "Is Shaul too among the prophets?"
  He finished prophesying and came to the high place.
  Shaul's uncle said to him and to his youth, "Where did you go?" He said, "To look for the donkeys, but when we saw that they were not there, we went to Shmuel."
  Shaul's uncle said, "Please tell me now what Shmuel said to you."
  Shaul told his uncle, "He did tell us that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of the kingship he did not tell him of which Shmuel had spoken.
  Shmuel gathered the people to Adonoy at Mitzpoh.
  He said to the Bnei Yisroel, "Thus said Adonoy, the God of Yisroel. I brought Yisroel up out of Egypt and saved you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.
  Today you have rejected your God, Who rescues you from all calamities and troubles, and you said to Him, 'But appoint a king over us.' Now stand before Adonoy, according to your tribes and your thousands."
  Shmuel then brought near, all the tribes of Yisroel, and the tribe of Binyomin was singled out.
  He then brought the tribe of Binyomin near according to their families, and the Matri family was singled out; and Shaul son of Kish was singled out. They searched for him but he was not found.
  They inquired again of Adonoy, "Has the man arrived here as yet?" And Adonoy replied, "He is hidden by the baggage."
  They ran and took him from there, and he stood up in the midst of the people. He was taller than any of the people from his shoulder upward.
  Shmuel said to all the people, "Do you see [the one] whom Adonoy has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted and said, "[Long] live the king!"
  Shmuel then told the people the laws of the kingship and wrote it in the book and laid it before Adonoy. Then Shmuel sent away all the people, each man to his home.
  Shaul, too, went to his home, to Givah, and with him went the band of those whose heart God had touched.
  But wicked men said, "How will this person save us?" They ridiculed him and did not offer him a gift, yet he remained as one who is mute.
  
  
  
  Nochosh the Ammonite went up and camped against Yoveish Gilad. All the people of Yoveish said to Nochosh, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you."
  But Nochosh the Ammonite said to them, "On this [condition] I will make a covenant with you; when we gouge out each right eye of yours and I will make it a sign of shame for all of Yisroel."
  The elders of Yoveish said to him, "Hold off from [attacking] us for seven days while we send messengers throughout all the Land of Yisroel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you."
  The messengers came to Givas Shaul and told the people these words; the people raised their voices and wept.
  Just then Shaul was coming in from the field, behind the cattle: Shaul said, "What happened to the people that they are crying?" They told him what the men from Yoveish said.
  The spirit of God passed over Shaul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
  He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces, and he sent them throughout the Land of Yisroel—with the messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out to follow Shaul and Shmuel, so shall be done to his cattle." The fear of Adonoy fell upon the people, and they went forth as one man.
  He counted them at Bezek, and the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Yehudah were thirty thousand.
  They said to the messengers who had come, "So shall you say to the people of Yoveish Gilad: 'Tomorrow there will be a salvation for you by [the time] the sun gets hot.'" The messengers came and told the people of Yoveish, and they rejoiced.
  So the people of Yoveish said, "Tomorow we will go out to you, and you may do to us as you see fit."
  On the next day Shaul divided the people into three forces. They entered into the camp during the morning watch, and they struck down the Ammonites by [the time] the day became hot. There were survivors and they scattered, so that no two remained together.
  The people then said to Shmuel, "Who is it that says, 'Will Shaul reign over us?' Give us these men and we will put them to death."
  Shaul said to them,. "Let no man be put to death this day, for today Adonoy has brought salvation for Yisroel."
  Shmuel said to the people, "Come and let us go to Gilgol, and renew the kingdom there."
  All the people went to Gilgol; there, they made Shaul king, before Adonoy, at Gilgol. There they offered peace-offerings before Adonoy; and there Shaul rejoiced—and all the men of Yisroel—greatly.
  
  
  
  Shmuel said to all of Yisroel, "Behold, I have listened to you, to everything that you have said to me, and I crowned a king over you.
  Now, behold, the king marches before you. I have aged and become gray, and my sons are here with you. And as for me, I have led you from my youth until this day.
  Here I am; testify against me in Adonoy's presence and in the presence of His anointed one. Whose ox have I taken or whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I robbed? Whom have I oppressed? From whom have I taken a bribe to look away from him? [Tell me,] and I will give it back to you."
  And they said, "You have neither robbed us nor have you oppressed us; nor you have taken anything from anyone."
  He said to them, "Adonoy is your witness, and His anointed one is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said [as one], "Witnessed."
  Shmuel then said to the people, "Adonoy [is the One] Who produced Moshe and Aharon, and Who brought your forefathers up from the land of Egypt.
  And now, stand up, and I shall enter into judgment with you before Adonoy [concerning] all the righteous acts of Adonoy that He has done with you and with your forefathers.
  When Yaakov came to Egypt and your forefathers cried out to Adonoy, Adonoy sent Moshe and Aharon, and they brought your forefathers out of Egypt, and settled them in this place.
  But they forgot Adonoy, their God, and He delivered them into the hand of Sisera, commander of Chatzor's army, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moav, and they fought against them.
  They cried out to Adonoy, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have forsaken Adonoy, and we have worshiped the <i>Baalim</i> and the <i>Ashtaros.</i> But now, save us from the hand of our enemies, and we will worship You.'
  And Adonoy sent Yeruba'al and Bedan and Yiphtoch and Shmuel. He saved you from the hand of your enemies from all around, and you dwelt in security.
  And when you saw that Nochosh, king of the Ammonites, came upon you, you said to me, 'No, for a king shall reign over us.' But Adonoy, your God, is your King.
  And now, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have requested. Behold, Adonoy has set him over you as king.
  If you will fear Adonoy and worship Him and obey Him and you will not rebel against the word of Adonoy, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall be; following after Adonoy, your God.
  But if you do not obey Adonoy, and you rebel against the word of Adonoy, then Adonoy's hand will be against you and against your forefathers.
  Now, stand up and see this great thing that Adonoy will do before your eyes.
  Is today not the [season of the] wheat harvest? I shall call to Adonoy and He will send thunder and rain; then you will know and see that your evil is great, that you have done in the eyes of Adonoy, in demanding a king for yourselves."
  Shmuel called to Adonoy, and Adonoy sent thunder and rain on that day; and all the people greatly feared Adonoy and Shmuel.
  All the people said to Shmuel, "Pray on behalf of your servants to Adonoy, your God, that we not die; for we have added evil upon all of our sins, by demanding a king for ourselves."
  Shmuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from following Adonoy, rather serve Adonoy with all your hearts.
  Do not turn away, for [then you would] pursue futilities that cannot help or save, for they are futile.
  For Adonoy shall not abandon His people for the sake of His great Name; for Adonoy has sworn to make you for a nation [dedicated] to Him.
  And as for me, far be it from me to sin against Adonoy and ceasing to pray on your behalf; I shall instruct you in the good and proper path.
  Only fear Adonoy and worship Him faithfully, with all your hearts; for look at the great things He did for you.
  But if you act wickedly, both you and your king will perish."
  
  
  
  One year was Shaul in his reign, and he reigned over Yisroel for two years.
  Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men] from Yisroel. Two thousand were with Shaul at Michmos and at Mount Beis Eil, and one thousand were with Yonoson at Givas Binyomin; and the rest of the people he sent off, each man to his tent.
  Yonoson slew the Philistine governor in Geva, and the Philistines heard about it. Shaul blew the shofar throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
  All Yisroel heard, saying, "Shaul had killed the Philistine governor, and that Yisroel has become hateful to the Philistines." The people were called up to follow Shaul to Gilgol.
  The Philistines gathered to wage war against Yisroel; thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand of the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmos, to the east of Beis Oven.
  The men of Yisroel saw that they were in distress, for the people were in dire straits, so the people hid in caves, in thorn bushes, among rocks, in towers and in pits.
  Some Hebrews crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad and Gilad. Shaul was still in Gilgol, and all the people hurried after him.
  He waited seven days, till the time set by Shmuel; but Shmuel did not come to Gilgol, so the people disbanded from him.
  Shaul said, "Bring me the burnt-offering and the peace-offering." And he sacrificed the burnt-offering.
  Just as he finished sacrificing the burnt-offering, behold, Shmuel came, and Shaul went out to meet and greet him.
  Shmuel said, "What have you done?" And Shaul said, "Because I saw that the people were disbanding from me, and you had not come at the appointed day, and that the Philistines were gathering at Michmos.
  And I said [to myself], 'Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgol, and I have not supplicated before Adonoy, so I forced myself and sacrificed the burnt-offering.'"
  Shmuel said to Shaul, "You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Adonoy, your God, that He commanded you. For now Adonoy would have established your kingship over Yisroel forever.
  But now your kingship shall not endure. Adonoy has sought for Himself a man after His own heart and He appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not observed that which Adonoy commanded you.
  Shmuel rose and went up from Gilgol to Givas Binyomin. Shaul counted the people who were [still] with him: about six hundred men.
  Shaul and his son Yonoson, and the people who were with them, were staying in Givas Binyomin, while the Philistines were camped at Michmos.
  The raiders came out of the Philistine camp in three forces. One force turned toward the road to Ophroh, to the land of Shual;
  And one force turned toward the road to Beis Choron; and one force turned toward the road of the border which overlooks the Valley of the Tzevo'im, toward the desert.
  A blacksmith was not to be found anywhere in the entire land of Yisroel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews produce a sword or spear."
  And all of Yisroel would go down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe and his tools.
  There was a multi-edged file that was used for the tools, mattocks, three-pronged pitchforks, and axes, and for setting the yoke.
  Thus it was on that day of war, that there was neither a sword or spear to be found in the hand of any of the people who were with Shaul and Yonoson; but they could be found with Shaul and his son Yonoson.
  A Philistine garrison went out towards the Pass of Michmos.
  
  
  
  It happened one day that Yonoson son of Shaul said to the youth who carried his weapons, "Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison which is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.
  Shaul was staying at the edge of Givoh, under the pomegranate tree which was in Migron; and the people who were with him, were about six hundred men.
  Achiyoh son of Achitov, brother of Ichavod, son of Pinchas, son of Eili the kohein of Adonoy in Shiloh, wore the Eiphod. The people did not know that Yonoson had gone.
  Between the passes that Yonoson wanted to cross to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky precipice on one side and a rocky precipice on the other side; one was named Botzetz and the other was named Seneh.
  One precipice jutted out from the north, towards Michmos, and the other was from the south, towards Geva.
  Yonoson said to the youth carrying his weapons, "Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps Adonoy will act on our behalf, for nothing can prevent Adonoy from saving [us], whether by many or by few."
  His weapon bearer said to him, "Do whatever is in your heart. Choose your direction; I am with you as you please."
  Yonoson said, "Behold, we are crossing over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.
  If they say to us, 'Stop until we reach you,' we will then stay our ground and not go up to them.
  But if they say [to us], 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for Adonoy has delivered them into our hand. This is our sign."
  The two of them revealed themselves to the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, "Behold, these Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they were hiding."
  The men of the garrison called out to Yonoson and his weapon bearer, saying, "Come up to us. We have something to tell you." Yonoson then said to his weapon bearer, "Come up after me, for Adonoy has delivered them into the hand of Yisroel."
  Yonoson climbed up on his hands and feet, with his weapon bearer behind him, and they [the Philistines] fell before Yonoson, and his weapon bearer slew people behind him.
  The first blow that Yonoson and his weapon bearer struck [killed] about twenty men within [the space of] half a furrow of a pair [of oxen plowing] in the field.
  There was a great terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison raiders trembled too. The earth quaked and became terror stricken by God.
  Shaul's sentries at Givas Binyomin saw that, behold, the [Philistine] multitude was melting away and was continuing to scatter.
  Shaul said to the people who were with him, "Please inspect and see who from us has gone." They inspected and behold, Yonoson and his weapon bearer were not there.
  Shaul said to Achiyoh, "Bring near the Ark of God," for the Ark of God was there with the Bnei Yisroel on that day.
  While Shaul was speaking to the kohein, the tumult in the Philistine camp was continuously increasing. Shaul told the kohein, "Put your hands together!"
  Shaul gathered—and all the people who were with him—and entered the battle. And behold, each man's sword was turned against his fellow, in a very great confusion.
  And the Hebrews who were with the Philistines from yesterday and before, who had come up with them in their encampment, they too joined with the Israelites who were with Shaul and Yonoson.
  All the men of Yisroel who were hiding in the mountains of Ephrayim heard that the Philistines had fled, and they too joined them and followed them into the battle.
  Adonoy saved Yisroel on that day and they battled on past Beis Oven.
  The people of Yisroel were hard pressed on that day Shaul had imposed an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who will eat food until the evening, when I shall be avenged of my enemies." And none of the entire people tasted food.
  All [inhabitants of] the land came into the forest, and there was honey on the surface of the field.
  The people came to the forest and behold, there was a flow of honey, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
  But Yonoson had not heard about the oath his father had imposed upon the people, and he stretched out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it into the honeycomb; he then put his hand to his mouth and his eyes lit up.
  A man from among the people spoke up and said, "Your father has imposed an oath upon the people saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today,' and the people have become weary."
  Yonoson said, "My father has brought distress to the [inhabitants of the] land. Look how my eyes lit up because I tasted a bit of this honey.
  For if the people had eaten today of the spoils of their enemy that they found, would it not now have been even greater—the blow against the Philistines?"
  That day they slew the Philistines, from Michmos to Ayalon, and the people were very weary.
  The people rushed to the spoils, and took sheep, cattle, and their young, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate with the blood.
  They told Shaul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning before Adonoy by eating with the blood." He said, "You have acted faithlessly. Roll over a boulder to me today."
  Shaul said, "Spread out among the people and tell them, 'Let each man bring me his ox and each man his sheep, and you shall slaughter [them] here and eat [them], so that you not sin before Adonoy by eating with the blood.'" So each man of the people brought his ox with him that night, and they slaughtered them there.
  Shaul built an altar to Adonoy; it was the first of the altars that he built to Adonoy.
  Shaul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines at night and plunder them until the morning light; we shall not leave a man [alive] among them." They answered, "Do whatever you feel is proper." The kohein then said, "Let us approach God here."
  So Shaul inquired of God: "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Yisroel?" But He did not answer him on that day.
  Shaul said, "Draw near to here all leaders of the people, and find out and see through whom was this sin today.
  For as Adonoy, the Savior of Israel, lives, even if it is found to be with my son Yonoson, he shall surely die!" But no one of all the people answered him.
  He said to all of Yisroel, "You be on one side and I and my son Yonoson will be on the other side." The people said to Shaul, "Do whatever you feel is proper."
  Shaul said to Adonoy, "God of Yisroel, make it truthful." Yonoson and Shaul were singled out and the people were excluded.
  Shaul said, "Cast [a lot] between me and my son Yonoson." And Yonoson was singled out.
  Shaul said to Yonoson, "Tell me, what have you done?" And Yonoson told him, and he said, "I did taste—with the tip of the staff that is in my hand—a bit of honey; I am prepared to die."
  So Shaul said "So shall Adonoy do and so shall He do further, for you must die, Yonoson."
  But the people said to Shaul, "Shall Yonoson die? He who has brought about this great salvation for Yisroel, Far be it! As Adonoy lives, not a hair on his head shall fall to the ground, for he acted for God's sake this day." The people redeemed Yonoson and he did not die.
  Shaul left from [the pursuit of] the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their place.
  Shaul strengthened his hold on the kingship over Yisroel. He waged war against all his surrounding enemies, against Moav and Ammon, against Edom and the kings of Tzovah, and against the Philistines; wherever he turned he overwhelmed [his enemies].
  He raised an army and defeated Amoleik and he saved Yisroel from the hand of its oppressor.
  The sons of Shaul were Yonoson, Yishvi, and Malckishua; and the names of his two daughters—the name of the older one was Meirav, and the name of the younger one was Michal.
  The name of Shaul's wife [was] Achinoam daughter of Achima'atz; the name of his commander of the army was Avineir the son of Neir, Shaul's uncle.
  Shaul's father Kish and Avneir's father Neir were sons of Avieil.
  The war against the Philistines was intense all the days of Shaul, and whenever Shaul saw a man who was mighty or valiant, he would take him [into his army].
  
  
  
  Shmuel said to Shaul, "I was sent by Adonoy to anoint you as king over His people, over Yisroel. Now obey Adonoy's words.
  Thus said Adonoy of Hosts, 'I have remembered what Amoleik did to Yisroel, that they ambushed them on the[ir] way, when they came up out of Egypt.
  Now, go and strike Amoleik and destroy everything that is theirs. Have no pity on them; kill men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"
  Shaul summoned the people, and he counted them with lambs; two hundred thousand infantrymen, and ten thousand men of Yehudah.
  Shaul came to the city of Amoleik and he fought in the valley.
  Shaul said to the Kenites, "Go, turn away, go down from among the Amoleikites, lest I destroy you with them; for you acted kindly to all the Bnei Yisroel when they came up out of Egypt." And the Kenites withdrew from Amoleik's midst.
  Shaul struck down Amoleik from Chaviloh to the approach to Shur, which is alongside Egypt.
  He captured Agog, king of Amoleik, alive; and all the people he destroyed by the sword.
  Shaul and the people had pity on Agog, on the best of the sheep, the cattle, the fattened cattle, the fattened sheep, and on all that was good, and they did not want to destroy them; but all that was undesirable and inferior, that they destroyed.
  The word of Adonoy then came to Shmuel saying,
  "I have reconsidered having crowned Shaul as king, for he has turned away from Me and he has not fulfilled My word." It grieved Shmuel and he cried out to Adonoy the entire night.
  Shmuel rose early in the morning to meet Shaul. It had been told to Shmuel, saying, "Shaul came to the Carmel and is setting up a place for himself. He turned and descended to Gilgal.
  Shmuel came to Shaul, and Shaul said to him, "Blessed be you by Adonoy. I have fulfilled the word of Adonoy."
  Shmuel said, "And what is this sound of the sheep in my ears, and the sound of the cattle that I hear?"
  Shaul said, "They have brought them from the Amoleikites, for the people had pity on the best of the sheep and cattle in order to sacrifice them as offerings to Adonoy, your God, but the remainder we destroyed."
  Shmuel said to Shaul, "Stay, and I will tell you what Adonoy told to me last night." He said to him, "Speak."
  Shmuel said, "Is this not so? Though you may be small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Yisroel, and Adonoy has anointed you to be king over Yisroel.
  Adonoy sent you on a mission, and He said, 'Go and destroy the sinners, Amoleik, and wage war with them until they destroy them.'
  Why did you not obey Adonoy? You rushed after the spoils, and you did what was evil in Adonoy's eyes."
  Shaul said to Shmuel, "But I did obey the voice of Adonoy. I went on the mission which Adonoy sent me, and I brought Agog, king of Amoleik, and I destroyed Amoleik.
  The people took sheep and cattle from the spoils, the best of that which was to be destroyed, to sacrifice to Adonoy, your God, in Gilgol."
  Shmuel said, "Does Adonoy have desire in burnt-offerings and feast-offerings as in [your] obeying to the voice of Adonoy? Behold, obeying [is better] than a choice offering, to hearken [is better] than the fat of rams.
  For defiance is like the sin of sorcery, and stubborness is like the sin of idolatry; because you have rejected the word of Adonoy, He has rejected you from being king."
  Shaul said to Shmuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the word of Adonoy and your word, for I feared the people and I yielded to their demands.
  But now, please forgive my sin and return with me, and I will prostrate myself before Adonoy."
  Shmuel said to Shaul, "I will not return with you, for you rejected the word of Adonoy and Adonoy has rejected you from being king over Yisroel."
  Shmuel turned to go, and he [Shaul] grabbed the corner of his robe and it tore.
  Shmuel said to him, "Adonoy has torn the kingship of Yisroel from you this day, and has given it to your fellow who is better than you.
  But, the Eternal One of Yisroel neither lies nor relents, for He is not a human that He should relent."
  He said, "I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and Yisroel; return with me, and I will prostrate myself to Adonoy, your God."
  Shmuel returned after Shaul, and Shaul prostrated himself before Adonoy.
  Shmuel said, "Bring me Agog, king of Amoleik." Agog went to him bound. Agog said, "Indeed, the bitterness of death approaches."
  Shmuel said "As your sword bereaved women, so shall your mother be bereaved among women." Shmuel cut Agog down before Adonoy in Gilgol.
  Shmuel went to Romoh, and Shaul went up to his home at Givas Shaul.
  Shmuel never saw Shaul again until the day of his death, for Shmuel mourned over Shaul; Adonoy reconsidered that He had made Shaul king over Yisroel.
  
  
  
  Adonoy said to Shmuel, "How long will you mourn over Shaul, for I have rejected him from reigning over Yisroel. Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Yishay the Beis Lechemite, for I have seen among his sons, a king for Myself."
  Shmuel said, "How can I go? If Shaul hears about it, he will kill me." Adonoy said, "Take a calf with you and say, 'I have come to bring an offering to Adonoy.'
  Invite Yishay to the sacrificial meal, then I will tell you what to do, and you will anoint for Me the one whom I will tell you."
  Shmuel did what Adonoy had spoken, and he came to Beis Lechem. The elders of the city hurried out to greet him, and [one of them] said, "Do you come in peace?"
  He said, "Peace. It is to bring an offering to Adonoy that I have come. Prepare yourselves and come with me to the sacrificial feast." He invited Yishay and his sons, and called them to the sacrificial feast.
  As they arrived, he saw Eliov and he said, "Surely, before Adonoy is His anointed."
  Adonoy said to Shmuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his great height, for I have rejected him. For it is not as man perceives it; man sees what is visible to the eyes, but Adonoy sees into the heart." For it is not as man perceives it; man sees what is visible to the eyes, but Adonoy sees into the heart."
  Yishay called Avinodov and brought him before Shmuel; but he said, "Adonoy did not choose this one either."
  Yishay brought Shammoh, but he said, "Adonoy did not choose this one either."
  Yishay presented his seven sons before Shmuel, but Shmuel said to Yishay, "Adonoy did not choose these."
  Shmuel said to Yishay, "Are there no more youths?" And he said, "The youngest one is still left, and he is tending the sheep now." Shmuel said to Yishay, "Send for him and bring him, for we will not sit until he comes here."
  He sent for him and brought him. He had a reddish complexion, with beautiful eyes and handsome. Adonoy then said, "Rise and anoint him, for this is he."
  Shmuel took the horn of oil and anointed him sin the midst of his brothers; and the spirit of Adonoy passed over Dovid from that day on. Then Shmuel rose and went to Romoh.
  The spirit of Adonoy left Shaul, and he was tormented by an evil spirit from Adonoy.
  Shaul's servants said him, 'Look now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
  Let our lord please tell your servants who are before you, that they should seek a man who knows how to play the harp, so that when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he will play music with his hand[s] and you will be well."
  Shaul said to his servants, "Please find for me a man who plays well, and bring him to me."
  One of the youths responded and said, 'Behold, I have observed that a son of Yishay the Beis Lechemite, knows how to play; he is courageous and a warrior, who speaks wisely and is a handsome man; and Adonoy is with him."
  Shaul sent messengers to Yishay, saying, "Send me Dovid your son who is with the sheep."
  Yishay took a donkey [laden with] bread, a jug of wine, and one kid, and sent them with his son Dovid, to Shaul.
  Dovid came to Shaul and stood before him; he loved him very much, and he became his arms bearer.
  Shaul sent [word] to Yishay, saying, "Please let Dovid stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes."
  And it happened that whenever the [evil] spirit from God was upon Shaul, Dovid would take the harp and play with his hand[s], and Shaul would be relieved and feel well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
  
  
  
  The Philistines assembled their camps for war, and they gathered at Socoh which was in Yehudah's territory; they camped between Socoh and Azeikoh, at Ephes Damim.
  Shaul and the men of Yisroel gathered and camped in the Eiloh Valley; they drew up their lines for war against the Philistines.
  The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side and Yisroel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
  A champion came out from the Philistine camps, whose name was Golyos of Gas; he was six cubits and a span tall.
  On his head was a copper helmet, and he wore scaled armor; the armor weighing five thousand copper <i>shekels</i>.
  On his legs were copper shields and between his shoulders, a copper guard.
  The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam and his spearhead weighed six hundred iron <i>shekels</i>; the shield bearer walked in front of him.
  He stood and called out to the battalions of Yisroel and said to them, "Why should you go out to wage war? Am I not the Philistine, and you, the servants of Shaul? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me.
  If he will be able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your slaves; but if I defeat him and kill him, then you will become our slaves and you shall serve us."
  The Philistine said, "I have insulted the battalions of Yisroel this day; give me a man and we will fight together."
  Shaul and all of Yisroel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were terrified and very afraid.
  Dovid was the son of this Ephrathite man from Beis Lechem [in] Yehudah; his name was Yishay and he had eight sons. In the days of Shaul, the man was old, and would come among the elders.
  Yishay's three oldest sons went and followed Shaul to war. The names of his three sons who went to war were Eliov, the firstborn; his second, Avinodov; and the third, Shammoh.
  Dovid was the youngest; [only] the three older ones followed Shaul.
  Dovid would go back and forth from Shaul, to tend his father's sheep in Beis Lechem.
  The Philistine would approach [Yisroel's battalion] and stand there early in the morning and evening, for forty days.
  Yishay said to his son Dovid, "Please take to your brothers this <i>eiphah</i> of toasted grain and ten loaves of this bread, and hurry to the camp, to your brothers.
  And bring these ten cheeses to the captain of the thousand; also, inquire into your brothers' welfare and take the tidings of their welfare."
  Shaul, they, and all the men of Yisroel were in the Eiloh Valley fighting with the Philistines.
  Dovid rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a watchman, and started out and went as Yishay had commanded him; he came to the barricade as the troops were going out to the battlefront, shouting battle cries.
  Yisroel and the Philistines deployed battalions, one opposite the other.
  Dovid left his things with the keeper of the equipment and ran to the battlefront; he arrived and greeted his brothers.
  While speaking to them, behold, the champion came up—Golyos the Philistine of Gas was his name—from the Philistine camp and spoke as he had before, and Dovid heard.
  All the men of Yisroel, upon seeing the man, fled from him, and they were very frightened.
  The men of Yisroel said, "Have you seen this man who goes forth? He goes forth to insult Yisroel. Whoever will kill him, the king will enrich with great wealth, and he will give his daughter to him [to marry], and his father's family he will exempt [from all royal obligations] in Yisroel."
  Dovid spoke to the men standing with him, saying, "What will be done for the man who slays this Philistine and thus remove shame from Yisroel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that insults the battalions of the Living God?"
  The people answered him with these words, saying, "Such and such will be done for the man who kills him."
  Eliov, his older brother, heard him speaking to the men, and Eliov became angry with Dovid, and said, "Why did you come down? and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know of your schemes and evil thoughts, that to watch the fighting you have come down here."
  Dovid said, "What have I done now? Is it not but a word?"
  He turned away from him towards someone else, and said the same thing [to him]; the people responded as before.
  The words were heard that Dovid was saying; they were told over to Shaul, and he summoned him.
  Dovid said to Shaul, "Let no man despair because of him. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine."
  Shaul said to Dovid, "You cannot go to fight this Philistine, for you are a lad, while he has been a warrior from his childhood."
  Dovid said to Shaul, "While your servant was a shepherd for his father's sheep, the lion came with a bear and carried off a sheep from the flock.
  I went after it, struck it down, and saved [the sheep] from its mouth; then it attacked me, but I grabbed onto its beard and struck it and killed it.
  Even the lion and the bear your servant has killed; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall become like one of them, for he has insulted the battalions of the Living God."
  Then Dovid said, "Adonoy Who saved me from the claws of the lion and from the claws of the bear, He will rescue me from the hands of this Philistine." Shaul said to Dovid, "Go, and may Adonoy be with you."
  Shaul dressed Dovid in his own battle garments, and put a copper helmet on his head and dressed him in armor.
  Dovid girded his sword over his battle garments. But he did not want to go out [in Shaul's battle garments], for he was not accustomed [to them]; so Dovid said to Shaul, "I am unable to walk with these, for I am not accustomed [to them]," and Dovid removed them from himself.
  He took his staff in his hand and picked out five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; he then approached the Philistine.
  The Philistine approached, going closer and closer to Dovid, and the man carrying his shield was in front of him.
  The Philistine looked and he saw Dovid, and he scorned him, for he was a youth, with a reddish complexion and handsome.
  The Philistine said to Dovid, "Am I a dog that you come after me with sticks?" and the Philistine cursed Dovid by his god.
  The Philistine said to Dovid, "Come to me, and I will offer your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field."
  Dovid said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin; but I come to you with the Name of Adonoy of Hosts, the God of the battalions of Yisroel Whom you have blasphemed.
  On this day Adonoy will deliver you into my hand and I will kill you and I will remove your head; I will offer the carcasses of the Philistine camp this day to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of earth. Then the whole earth['s inhabitants] will know that Yisroel has a God.
  And this entire community will know that not with a sword or a spear that Adonoy saves; for unto Adonoy is the [outcome of] battle, and He will deliver you into our hand."
  As the Philistine rose and moved closer towards Dovid, Dovid hurried and ran to the line, towards the Philistine.
  Dovid reached into the bag, took a stone from there and slung it, and struck the Philistine in the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead, and he fell face down upon the ground.
  Thus Dovid overpowered the Philistine with the sling and stone; he smote the Philistine and killed him, though there was no sword in Dovid's hand.
  Dovid ran and stood by the Philistine; he took his [Golyos'] sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. The Philistines saw that their hero was dead, and they fled.
  The men of Yisroel and Yehudah rose up, and shouted triumphantly, and pursued the Philistines until the approach to the Gei and to the gates of Ekron; Philistine corpses were strewn along the road to Shaarayim, up to Gas and Ekron.
  The Bnei Yisroel returned from pursuing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
  Dovid took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Yerusholayim, and his weapons he put in his tent.
  When Shaul saw Dovid going out towards the Philistine, he said to Avneir, the commander of the army, "Whose son is this youth, Avneir?" Avneir replied, "By your life, O king, I do not know."
  The king said, "Ask whose son this young man is."
  When Dovid returned from killing the Philistine, Avneir took him and brought him before Shaul, while the head of the Philistine was in his hand.
  Shaul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" Dovid replied, "The son of your servant Yishay, the Beis Lechemite."
  
  
  
  And it was after he finished speaking to Shaul that Yonoson's soul became attached to Dovid's soul, and Yonoson loved him as his own soul.
  Shaul took him on that day and did not allow him to return to his father's home.
  Yonoson and Dovid made a covenant, in their great love for one another.
  Yonoson took off the robe he wore and gave it to Dovid, along with his battle garments, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt.
  Dovid went out, and wherever Shaul sent him he succeeded; Shaul appointed him over the warriors, and he was popular among all the people and also among Shaul's servants.
  When [the troops] came back, when Dovid returned from slaying the Philistines, the women from all the towns of Yisroel came out to sing and play musical instruments to greet King Shaul, with timbrels, joyful sounds and cymbals.
  The rejoicing women called out, and said, "Shaul has slain his thousands, and Dovid his tens of thousands."
  Shaul grew very angry, and this matter upset him. He said, "They have attributed to Dovid ten thousands, while to me they have attributed thousands. He is lacking only the kingship."
  Shaul viewed Dovid suspiciously from that day on.
  It was on the next day that an evil spirit from God came upon Shaul and he raved in the house. Dovid was playing [the harp] with his hand as he did every day, and in Shaul's hand was a spear.
  Shaul hurled the spear, saying [to himself], "I will strike Dovid and the wall." But Dovid eluded him twice.
  Shaul feared Dovid, for Adonoy was with him, but He had turned away from Shaul.
  So Shaul removed him from his presence and made him an officer over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
  Dovid succeeded in all his ways, and Adonoy was with him.
  Shaul saw that he was very successful, and he was terrified of him.
  But all of Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, for he came out and went in before them.
  Shaul said to Dovid, "Here is my older daughter, Meirav; I shall give her to you as a wife, but you must be courageous for me and fight Adonoy's wars." Shaul said [to himself], "Let not my hand be upon him; but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him."
  Dovid said to Shaul, "Who am I and what is my life or my father's family in Yisroel that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
  But it happened that when the time came to give Meirav daughter of Shaul to Dovid, that she was given instead to Adrieil the Mecholathite as a wife.
  But Michal daughter of Shaul loved Dovid. They told this to Shaul and he was pleased.
  Shaul said [to himself], "I will give her to him and she will be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines will be upon him." So Shaul said to Dovid, "Through the second [of my two daughters] you will become my son-in-law today."
  Shaul commanded his servants, "Speak to Dovid secretly and say, 'Behold, the king wants you, and all his servants love you, therefore become now the king's son-in-law.'"
  Shaul's servants spoke in Dovid's ears these words. Dovid said, "Is it a trivial matter in your eyes to be the king's son-in-law when I am a poor and insignificant person?"
  Shaul's servants told him saying, "Dovid spoke words such as these."
  Shaul said, "So shall you say to Dovid, 'The King wants no dowry, only one hundred Philistine foreskins to avenge the king's enemies.'" Shaul intended for Dovid to fall into Philistine hands.
  His servants told to Dovid these words, and it was proper in Dovid's eyes, to become the king's son-in-law. Time had not yet expired.
  Dovid rose and went, he and his men, and slew two hundred Philistine men. Dovid brought their foreskins and gave them all to the king so that he could become the king's son-in-law. Shaul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife.
  Shaul saw and realized that Adonoy was with Dovid, and that Michal, Shaul's daughter, loved him.
  Shaul continued to fear Dovid even more; Shaul remained Dovid's enemy all his life.
  The Philistine officers would venture out and whenever they ventured out, Dovid was more successful than all of Shaul's servants; his reputation became highly respected.
  
  
  
  Shaul spoke to Yonoson his son and to all his servants about killing Dovid, but Yonoson, son of Shaul, liked Dovid very much.
  And Yonoson told Dovid, saying, "My father Shaul wants to kill you, so now please be careful this morning; stay in a secret place, and hide yourself.
  I will go out and stand next to my father in the field where you are; I will speak to my father about you, and I will see what happens and tell you."
  So Yonoson spoke favorably of Dovid to his father Shaul, and said to him, "Let the king not sin against his servant, against Dovid, for he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds are very beneficial for you.
  He endangered his life and slew the Philistine, and Adonoy granted a great salvation to all of Yisroel You saw and rejoiced. Why then should you sin [by spilling] innocent blood, to kill Dovid for no reason?"
  Shaul listened to Yonoson's voice, and Shaul swore, "As Adonoy lives, he shall not be put to death."
  Then Yonoson called Dovid, and Yonoson told him all these things. Yonoson brought Dovid to Shaul and he stayed with him as in previous times.
  There was war again, and Dovid went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them a great blow, and they fled from him.
  Then an evil spirit from Adonoy befell Shaul, while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and Dovid was playing [music] with his hand.
  Shaul tried to strike Dovid and the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Shaul and the spear hit the wall. Dovid fled and escaped on that night.
  Shaul sent messengers to Dovid's house to watch him and kill him in the morning. His wife Michal told Dovid, saying, "If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead."
  Michal lowered Dovid through the window; he went and ran away and escaped.
  Michal then took a manlike figure and put it in the bed; she put a goatskin at its head and covered it with a cloth.
  Shaul sent messengers to take Dovid, but she said, "He is sick."
  Shaul then sent the messengers [again] to inquire after Dovid, telling them, "Bring him up to me in the bed, to have him killed."
  The messengers came and behold, the manlike figure was in the bed and a goatskin at its head!
  Shaul asked Michal, "Why have you tricked me this way? You sent away my enemy and he has escaped." Michal said to Shaul, "He said to me, 'Let me go, why make me kill you.'"
  Dovid fled and escaped, and came to Shmuel at Romoh; he told him all that Shaul had done to him, then he and Shmuel went and stayed at Nayos.
  It was told to Shaul, saying, "Behold! Dovid is in Nayos, in Romoh."
  Shaul sent messengers to take Dovid [captive; but upon arriving] they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Shmuel standing at their head, overseeing them. Then, upon Shaul's messengers the spirit of God came and they, too, prophesied.
  When it was told to Shaul, he sent other messengers, but they, too, prophesied. Shaul continued and sent a third group of messengers, but they, too, prophesied.
  Then he too went to Romoh. He came to the great pit in Seichu, and asked, saying, "Where are Shmuel and Dovid?" Someone replied, "They are at Nayos, in Romoh."
  He went there, to Nayos in Romoh, and the spirit of God came upon him, as well, and he kept on prophesying until he came to Nayos in Romoh.
  He too removed his garments and he, too, prophesied in Shmuel's presence; he fell down stripped [of his senses] all that day and the entire night. Therefore they say, "Is Shaul too among the prophets?"
  
  
  
  Dovid fled from Nayos in Romoh, and came and said before Yonoson, "What have I done? What is my transgression and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"
  He said to him, "Far be it! You shall not die! Behold, my father does not do anything great or small without revealing it to me. Why then should my father conceal this matter from me? It is not so."
  Dovid swore to him again, and said, "Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and said [to himself], 'Yonoson should not know of this, lest he be saddened.' However, as Adonoy lives, and by your life, there is but a step between me and death."
  Yonoson said to Dovid, "Whatever your soul says I will do for you."
  Dovid said to Yonoson, "Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I usually sit with the king to eat. Let me leave and I will hide in the field until the third evening.
  If your father notices my absence, then say, 'Dovid asked me to let him hurry off to Beis Lechem, his city, for there is an annual feast-offering there for the entire family.'
  If he says thus, 'Good,' then it is well for your servant. But if he gets very angry, you should know that he has decided upon evil.
  Be kind to your servant, for into a covenant of Adonoy you have brought your servant with you; if I am guilty of any sin, kill me yourself, why bring me to your father?"
  Yonoson said, "Far be it from you! If I were to know that my father has decided upon evil against you, would I not tell it to you?"
  Dovid then said to Yonoson, "Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?"
  Yonoson said to Dovid, "Come, let us go out to the field," and the two of them went out to the field.
  Yonoson said to Dovid, "[I swear by] Adonoy the God of Yisroel that I will sound out my father at this time on the third day from now, and behold, if it is good for Dovid, will I then not send for you and let you know?
  So may Adonoy do to Yonoson and much more, if it pleases my father to harm you, I will let you know, and I will send you away that you may go safely; and may Adonoy be with you as He was with my father.
  I will not [ask of you] if I will still be alive that you not do for me Adonoy's kindness, so that I will not die?
  And that you do not cut off your kindness from my descendants forever; not even when Adonoy cuts off each of Dovid's enemies from the face of the earth."
  Yonoson made a covenant regarding Dovid's household, "May Adonoy exact punishment from Dovid's enemies."
  Yonoson again had Dovid take an oath, because of his love for him; for he loved him as he loved himself.
  Yonoson said to him, "Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.
  For three days you are to remain far down. Then come to the place where you hid on the day of the incident, and stay near the marker stone.
  I will shoot three arrows in that direction as if I were shooting at a target.
  Behold, I will then send the lad [saying], 'Go find the arrows.' If I repeatedly say to the lad, 'Behold, the arrows are on this side of you,' then take [the arrows] and come, for all is well with you and there is no concern, as Adonoy lives.
  But if I say thus to the young man, 'Behold, the arrows are on the far side of you,' then go, for Adonoy has sent you away.
  But as for the matter of which we have spoken, I and you, behold, Adonoy is [witness] between me and you forever."
  Dovid hid in the field; it was the New Moon and the king sat down to eat.
  The king sat on his seat as at other times, on the seat against the wall. Yonoson rose and Avneir sat at Shaul's side, and Dovid's place was empty.
  Shaul said nothing on that day, for he said [to himself], "something happened, he must be impure, for he is not ritually pure."
  It was the day after the New Moon, the second [day], and Dovid's place was empty. Shaul said to Yonoson, his son, "Why has the son of Yishay not come to the meal neither yesterday nor today?"
  Yonoson answered Shaul, "Dovid repeatedly asked me for permission [to go] to Beis Lechem.
  He said, 'Please let me go, for we have a family feast-offering in the city, and he, my brother, summoned me. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me hurry off and see my brothers.' Therefore he did not come to the king's table."
  Shaul's anger raged against Yonoson, and he said to him, "[You] son of a straying woman deserving of punishment! Do I not know that you choose Yishay's son, to your own disgrace and to the disgrace of your mother's unchastity?
  For as long as Yishay's son is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he deserves to die!"
  Yonoson answered his father Shaul, and said to him, "Why should he die? What has he done?"
  Shaul raised the spear at him to strike him; thus Yonoson realized that his father had decided to kill Dovid.
  Yonoson rose from the table in a rage; he did not partake—on the second day of the month—of food, for he was saddened over Dovid, because his father had humiliated him.
  The following morning Yonoson went out to the field for the meeting with Dovid, and a young boy accompanied him.
  He said to his lad, "Run, please find the arrows that I shoot." The lad ran, and he shot the arrow beyond him.
  The lad came to the place of the arrow that Yonoson had shot, and Yonoson called out after the lad and said, "Is not the arrow beyond you?"
  Yonoson then called out after the lad, "Quickly, hurry, do not delay!" Yonoson's lad gathered the arrows and came to his master.
  The lad knew nothing, only Yonoson and Dovid knew the matter.
  Yonoson gave his things to his lad and said to him, "Go, bring them to the city."
  The lad went and Dovid rose from near the southern side [of the stone], and he fell on his face to the ground and prostrated himself three times. Each man kissed the other and they cried with one another, until Dovid exceeded.
  Yonoson said to Dovid, "Go to peace. For the two of us have sworn in the Name of Adonoy, saying, 'Adonoy will be [a witness] between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever!'"
  
  
  
  He [Dovid] rose and left, and Yonoson returned to the city.
  Dovid came to Noveh, to Achimelech the kohein. Achimelech came trembling toward Dovid, and said to him, "Why are you alone, with no one accompanying you?"
  Dovid said to Achimelech the kohein, "The king ordered me on a mission, and told me, 'Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending you and have commanded you.' And as for the youths, I have sent them ahead to a certain secret place.
  And now, what do you have available? Five loaves of bread? Give them, or whatever there is, into my hand."
  The kohein answered Dovid, saying, "I have no ordinary bread available, there is only sacred bread; provided the youths have kept themselves at least from women."
  Dovid answered the kohein, saying to him, "Women have been kept from us yesterday and the day before, when I left; the garments of the youths were pure, even though it is an ordinary mission, even more so today it will remain sacred in the vessel."
  The kohein gave him sacred [bread], for there was no [other] bread there, except for the showbread that was removed from before Adonoy, in order to put hot bread on the day it was taken off.
  One of Shaul's servants was there on that day, who remained before Adonoy; his name was Do'eg the Edomite, chief of Shaul's shepherds.
  Dovid then said to Achimelech, "Perhaps you have in your possession a spear or a sword, for my sword and my weapons I did not take with me, because the king's mission was urgent."
  The kohein said, "The sword of Golyos the Philistine, whom you slew in the Eiloh Valley, behold it is here, wrapped up in a cloth behind the <i>eiphod;</i> if you will take it, take it, for there is no other but that one." Dovid said, "There is none like it; give it to me."
  Dovid rose and fled from Shaul on that day, and he came to Achish, king of Gas.
  The servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not Dovid, the king of the land? Is it not of him that they sing and play with musical instruments, saying, 'Shaul has slain his thousands, and Dovid his tens of thousands?'"
  Dovid took this matter to heart and was very afraid of Achish, king of Gas.
  He changed his behavior in front of them and feigned madness while he was with them; he scribbled on the doors of the gate and let his saliva drip on his beard.
  Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me?
  Do I lack madmen that you brought this one to display his madness in front of me? Should such [a person] come into my house?"
  
  
  
  Dovid went from there and escaped to the cave of Adullom. His brothers and all his father's house heard, and they went down to him there.
  They gathered to him—every man in distress, every man in debt, and every man with an embittered spirit—and he became their leader; there were with him about four hundred men.
  Dovid went from there to the Mitzpeh of Moav, and he said to the king of Moav, "Please let my father and mother come out [and stay] with you until I know what God will do for me."
  He brought them before the king of Moav and they remained with him all the time that Dovid was in the fortress.
  Gad the prophet said to Dovid, "Do not stay in the fortress; go and return to the land of Yehudah. Dovid went and arrived at the forest of Chares.
  Shaul heard that they had been discovered—Dovid and the men who were with him. Shaul was staying in Givah beneath the tamarisk tree in Romoh; his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him.
  Shaul said to his servants who were standing about him, "Listen now you Binyominites. Will Yishay's son give you all fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers of thousands and officers of hundreds?
  That all of you have conspired against me and no one revealed to me that my son made a pact with Yishay's son, and that none among you worried about me or let me know that my son has set my servant against me, to ambush me this day."
  Then Doeg the Edomite answered—who was in charge of Shaul's servants—and said, "I saw Yishay's son coming to Noveh, to Achimelech son of Achituv.
  He inquired of Adonoy for him and gave him provisions, and the sword of Golyos the Philistine he [also] gave him."
  The king sent to call Achimelech son of Achituv the kohein, and all his father's house, the kohanim that were in Nov; and they all came to the king.
  Shaul said, "Listen now, son of Achituv!" And he said, "Here I am, my master."
  Shaul said to him, "Why did you conspire against me, you and Yishay's son, by giving him bread and a sword, and inquiring of God for him, so that he could attack and ambush me this day?"
  Achimelech answered the king, and said, "Who of all your servants is as trustworthy as Dovid, the king's son-in-law, who bows to your bidding, and is honored in your household?
  Did I begin today to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let the king not accuse his servant or my father's entire household of anything, for your servant knew nothing of this entire matter, either small or great."
  The king said, "You surely shall die, Achimelech, you and all your father's house."
  The king then said to the runners who stood near him, "Surround and put to death the kohanim of Adonoy, because their hand is also with Dovid, for they knew that he was fleeing but did not reveal it to me." But the servants of the king did not want to stretch forth their hand to slay the kohanim of Adonoy.
  The king said to Do'eg, "You turn and slay the kohanim!" Do'eg the Edomite turned and he killed the kohanim; on that day he killed eighty-five men, who wore a linen <i>eiphod.</i>
  And Nov, the city of kohanim, he killed by the sword; man and woman; child and suckling; ox, donkey and sheep, by the sword.
  One son escaped; of Achimelech son of Achituv, his name was Evyosor, and he fled to Dovid.
  Evyosor told Dovid that Shaul had killed the kohanim of Adonoy.
  Dovid said to Evyosor, "I knew on that day when Do'eg the Edomite was there, that he would surely inform Shaul. I am responsible for every life of your father's house.
  Stay with me, fear not; for the man who seeks my life seeks your life. But with me, you are safe."
  
  
  
  They told Dovid, saying, "Behold, the Philistines are waging war against Ke'iloh and they are plundering the granaries."
  Dovid then inquired of Adonoy, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" Adonoy said to Dovid, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Ke'iloh."
  Dovid's men said to him, "Behold, here in Yehudah we are afraid; how much more so if we go to Ke'iloh, to the Philistine batallions."
  Dovid inquired further of Adonoy, and Adonoy answered him and said, "Rise, go down to Ke'iloh, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand."
  Dovid and his men went to Ke'iloh and fought the Philistines; he led away their livestock and struck them a great blow. Thus Dovid saved the residents of Ke'iloh.
  When Evyosor son of Achimelech fled to Dovid to Ke'iloh, he brought down the <i>eiphod</i> with him.
  It was told to Shaul that Dovid had come Ke'iloh, and Shaul said, "God has given him into my hand, for he has been shut in by entering a city that has doors and a bolt."
  Shaul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Ke'iloh to besiege Dovid and his men.
  Dovid knew that Shaul was planning evil against him, so he said to Evyosor the kohein, "Bring over the eiphod."
  Dovid said, "Adonoy, God of Yisroel, Your servant has heard that Shaul seeks to come to Ke'iloh to destroy the city because of me.
  Will Ke'iloh's residents hand me over into his hand? Will Shaul come down here, as Your servant has heard? O Adonoy God of Yisroel, please tell Your servant." And Adonoy said, "He will come down."
  Dovid said, "Will Ke'iloh's residents hand me and my men over into Shaul's hand?" And Adonoy said, "They will hand [you] over."
  Dovid and his men rose—about six hundred men—and departed from Ke'iloh and went wherever they could go. Shaul was told that Dovid had escaped from Ke'iloh, and he refrained from going out.
  Dovid dwelled in the wilderness, in strongholds, and he stayed in the mountain, in the wilderness of Ziph. Shaul searched for him all the days, but God did not deliver him into his hand.
  Dovid saw that Shaul had gone out to seek his life, and Dovid was in the wilderness of Ziph, in Chorshoh.
  Yonoson son of Shaul rose and went to Dovid to Chorshoh, and he strengthened his hand through [the word of] God.
  He said to him, "Fear not, for the hand of my father Shaul will not find you; you will be king over Yisroel, and I will be second to you, even my father Shaul knows it."
  The two of them made a pact before Adonoy; Dovid stayed in Chorshoh, and Yonoson went to his home.
  The Ziphites went up to Shaul, to Givah, saying, "Dovid is hiding among us in the strongholds of Chorshoh, in Givas Hachachiloh, south of Yeshimon.
  So now, whenever the king desires to go down, go down, and it is ours to hand him over into the king's hand."
  Shaul said, "May you be blessed by Adonoy, for taking pity upon me.
  Please go and prepare further, and know and observe his location, where he will be, [and] who has seen him there, for [someone] told me that he is very cunning.
  Observe and know all the hiding places where he hides, and return to me well prepared, then I will go with you. And it will be that if he is in the land, I will search for him among all the thousands of Yehudah."
  They rose and went to Ziph ahead of Shaul; but Dovid and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on in the Arovoh, south of Yeshimon.
  Shaul and his men went to search, but Dovid was told, so he went down towards the cliff and stayed in the wilderness of Ma'on. Shaul heard and pursued Dovid in the wilderness of Ma'on.
  Shaul went from one side of the mountain while Dovid and his men went from the other side of the mountain; Dovid hurried to get away from Shaul, but Shaul and his men were surrounding Dovid and his men, to seize them.
  A messenger came to Shaul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have spread out over the land!"
  So Shaul returned from pursuing Dovid, and he went toward the Philistines; therefore they named that place, "the Rock of Divisions."
  
  
  
  Dovid went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Ein Gedi.
  When Shaul returned from [pursuing] the Philistines, they told him, saying, "Behold, Dovid is in the wilderness of Ein Gedi."
  Shaul took three thousand chosen men from all of Yisroel, and he went to search for Dovid and his men, across the rocky land of the wild goats.
  He came to the sheepfolds along the way, and there was a cave, which Shaul entered to relieve himself. Dovid and his men were sitting at the far end of the cave.
  Dovid's men said to him, "Behold, this is the day of which Adonoy said to you, 'Behold, I am delivering your enemy into your hand, and you will do to him as you please.'" Dovid rose and cut off a corner of Shaul's robe—stealthily.
  Afterwards, however, Dovid's heart pounded within him for having cut off the corner of Shaul's [robe].
  He said to his men, "Adonoy forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the anointed of Adonoy, to send forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Adonoy."
  Dovid pacified his men with words, and did not allow them to attack Shaul; Shaul rose from the cave and went on the way.
  After that, Dovid rose and went out of the cave, and he called after Shaul, saying, "My master, the king." Shaul looked behind him, and Dovid bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.
  Dovid said to Shaul, "Why do you listen to the words of someone who says, 'Behold, Dovid seeks to harm you'?
  Behold, this day your eyes have seen how Adonoy has given you today into my hand, in the cave; someone said to kill you, but I had mercy on you, and I said, 'I shall not send forth my hand against my master, for he is the anointed of Adonoy.'
  My father, indeed, see the corner of your robe that is in my hand; by my cutting off the corner of your robe but not killing you, you should know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and that I have not sinned against you, yet you hunt my soul to take it.
  May Adonoy judge between me and you, and may Adonoy avenge me from you; but my hand will not act against you.
  As the ancient proverb says, 'From the wicked comes wickedness,' but my hand will not act against you.
  After whom has the king of Yisroel gone out? Whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a single flea?
  May Adonoy be judge, and let Him judge between me and you; let Him see and plead my cause, and exact my justice from your hand."
  When Dovid finished speaking these words to Shaul, Shaul said, "Is that your voice, my son Dovid?" Then Shaul raised his voice and wept.
  He said to Dovid, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me with goodness while I have repaid you with wickedness.
  You have related today that you have done with me—the good, for Adonoy handed me over into your hand, yet you did not kill me.
  If a man finds his enemy does he then send him off on a good way? May Adonoy repay you well for what you have done for me this day.
  Now, behold, I know that you will surely reign, and it will be established in your hand—the kingship over Yisroel.
  Now, swear to me by Adonoy that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house."
  Dovid swore to Shaul. Shaul went to his house and Dovid and his men went up to the stronghold.
  
  
  
  Shmuel died, and all of Yisroel gathered and mourned him, and they buried him at his home in Romoh. Dovid rose and went down to the wilderness of Poron.
  There was a man in Ma'on whose business was in Carmel. The man was very wealthy; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. It was the time when he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
  The man's name was Novol and his wife's name was Avigayil; the woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man was hard and of evil deeds. He was a Calebite.
  While Dovid was in the wilderness he heard that Novol was shearing his sheep.
  Dovid sent ten youths, and Dovid said to the youths, "Go up to Carmel and come to Novol, and greet him in peace in my name.
  And say, 'May it always be so. Peace unto you, peace unto your household, and peace unto all that is yours.
  Now, I have heard that they are shearing for you. Now, your shepherds were with us; we did not shame them and not a thing of theirs was missing all the time they were in Carmel.
  Ask your youths and they will tell you; may the youths find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you can spare to your servants and to your son, Dovid.'"
  Dovid's youths came and spoke to Novol in accordance with all these words, in Dovid's name, and then they rested.
  Novol replied to Dovid's servants, and said, "Who is Dovid and who is the son of Yishay? Nowadays many are the servants who break away from their master.
  Should I take from my bread and my water and my meat, that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to men from where I do not know?"
  Dovid's youths turned back to their way; they returned and came, and told him all these things.
  Dovid said to his men, "Each man gird his sword." Each man girded his sword, and Dovid, too, girded his sword; and after Dovid went up about four hundred men, and two hundred others stayed with the equipment.
  And to Avigayil, Novol's wife, one youth from among the youths told, saying, "Behold, Dovid sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he chased them away.
  And these men were very good to us; we were not shamed, nor did we miss anything all the time that we went with them, when we were in the field.
  They protected us, both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.
  Now know and see what you will do, for evil has been decided against our master and upon his entire household; he is too wicked a person to speak to."
  So Avigayil hurried and took two hundred breads, two flasks of wine, five prepared sheep, five seah of toasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and she put them on the donkeys.
  She said to her youths, "Go on ahead of me; I am coming right behind you." But to Novol her husband she said nothing.
  And it happened, as she was riding on the donkey, going down the hidden part of the mountain, and behold, Dovid and his men were going down toward her, and she met them.
  Dovid said [to himself], "It was for naught that I guarded all that this one has in the wilderness and that nothing of his was missing; yet he has repaid my kindness with evil.
  Such shall God do to Dovid's enemies and such shall He do further, if I leave over of all that belongs to him until daybreak—even one dog."
  When Avigayil saw Dovid, she hurried and dismounted from the donkey; she fell on her face before Dovid and prostrated herself to the ground.
  She fell at his feet and said, "My master, with me lies the sin. Let your maidservant please speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.
  Please let not my master set his heart against this wicked man, against Novol, for he is as his name implies, Novol is his name and villainy is his trait; and I, your maidservant, did not see my master's youths whom you sent.
  Now, my master, as Adonoy lives, and by your life, Adonoy has prevented you from shedding blood and from avenging yourself by your own hand; now may all your enemies be like Novol and those who seek evil against my master.
  Now, this offering that your maidservant has brought to my master, let it be given to the youths who accompany my master.
  Please pardon the sin of your maidservant, for Adonoy will surely make for my master an everlasting house, because the wars of Adonoy, my master fights, and no evil has been found in you all your days.
  A man rose to pursue you and to seek your life; may my master's soul be bound up in the bond of life, with Adonoy, your God, and may He cast away the soul of your enemies as one shoots [a stone] from a slingshot.
  And may it be that when Adonoy does for my master according to all the good of which He has spoken about you, and appoints you as leader over Yisroel.
  That this not be for you an obstacle and a stumbling block of the heart for my master, to have shed innocent blood and that my master has avenged himself. And when Adonoy has done good for my master, may you remember your maidservant."
  Dovid said to Avigayil, "Blessed be Adonoy, God of Yisroel, who sent you this day to meet me.
  And blessed is your counsel and blessed are you, who prevented me this day from shedding blood and from avenging myself by my own hand.
  Indeed, as Adonoy, God of Yisroel, lives, He prevented me from doing evil to you, for had you not hurried and come to meet me, for not so much would have remained to Novol—by the morning light—as a dog."
  Dovid then took from her what she had brought him, and he said to her, "Go up to peace to your house. See, I have heeded your advice, and I have honored your wish."
  Avigayil then came to Novol and behold, he was hosting a feast in his house, a feast fit for the king. Novol's heart was in good spirits, and he was very drunk, so she did not tell him anything small or great until the morning's light.
  And it was in the morning, when Novol had sobered up, his wife told him about the whole incident, and his heart sank within him, and he became like a stone.
  Then, after ten days, Adonoy struck Novol down and he died.
  When Dovid heard that Novol had died, he said, "Blessed is Adonoy, Who has fought the battle of my disgrace from the hand of Novol, and has spared His servant from evil, and Novol's evil Adonoy has returned upon his own head." Dovid sent, inquiring of Avigayil, to take her as his wife.
  Dovid's servants came to Avigayil to Carmel and spoke to her, saying, "Dovid has sent us to you, to take you for himself as a wife."
  She rose and prostrated herself upon her face to the ground and said, "Behold, let your maidservant be a handmaid to wash the feet of my master's servants."
  Avigayil then hurried and rose, and rode on the donkey, with her five youths going behind her. She followed Dovid's messengers and became his wife.
  Dovid also married Achino'am of Yizre'el, and both of them became his wives.
  Shaul had given his daughter Michal, Dovid's wife, to Palti the son of Layish of Gallim.
  
  
  
  The Ziphites came to Shaul to Givah, saying, "Is not Dovid hiding himself in Givas Chachiloh, which faces Yeshimon?"
  Shaul rose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, with him were three thousand chosen men of Yisroel, to search for Dovid in the wilderness of Ziph.
  Shaul camped at Givas Chachiloh, which faces Yeshimon, by the road. Dovid was staying in the wilderness, and he saw that Shaul had come after him, to the wilderness.
  Dovid sent out scouts and he knew that Shaul had definitely come.
  Dovid rose and came to the place where Shaul was camped. Dovid saw the place where they lay—Shaul and Avneir the son of Neir, the commander of his army; Shaul lay within the circle, and the people were camped around him.
  Dovid spoke and said to Achimelech the Chiti and Avishai son of Tzeruyoh, Yo'av's brother, saying, "Who will go down with me to Shaul, to the camp?" And Avishai said, "I will go down with you."
  So Dovid and Avishai came to the people at night, and behold, Shaul lay sleeping in the circle, his spear stuck into the ground at his head, and Avneir and the people lay around him.
  Avishai said to Dovid, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now, let me strike him with the spear to the ground with a single thrust, I will not need a second time."
  But Dovid said to Avishai, "Do not kill him, for who can send forth his hand against the anointed one of Adonoy and be free of guilt?"
  Dovid said, "As Adonoy lives, Adonoy will strike him, or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and perish.
  Adonoy forbid me from sending forth my hand against Adonoy's anointed. Now, please take the spear that is near his head and the flask of water, and let us go."
  Dovid took the spear and the flask of water from next to Shaul's head and they left without anyone seeing and without anyone knowing and without anyone waking up; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Adonoy had fallen upon them.
  Dovid then crossed to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain at a distance. There was considerable distance between them.
  Dovid called out to the people and to Avneir son of Neir, saying, "Will you not answer, Avneir?" Avneir answered and said, "Who are you to call out to the king?"
  Dovid said to Avneir, "Are you not a [great] man? Who is your equal in Yisroel? Why then have you not guarded your master, the king? For someone from among the people came to assassinate the king, your master.
  This deed which is not proper—that you have done. As Adonoy lives, you are deserving of death for not having watched over your master, over the anointed one of Adonoy. Now, look where the king's spear is and the flask of water that was near his head?"
  Shaul recognized Dovid's voice and said, "Is that your voice, my son Dovid?" Dovid replied, "It is my voice, my master, the king."
  And he said, "Why is it that my master pursues his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
  And now, let my master the king, hear the words of his servant. If it is Adonoy Who has incited you against me, let my offering be pleasing to him; but if it be men, let them be cursed before Adonoy, for they have driven me away this day from being joined to the inheritance of Adonoy, saying, 'Go serve other gods.'
  Now, let my blood not fall to the earth, away from the presence of Adonoy's attention, for the king of Yisroel has come out to seek a single flea, as one hunting a partridge in the mountains."
  Shaul said, "I have sinned. Come back, my son Dovid, for I will no longer harm you, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have been foolish and have very greatly erred."
  Dovid then spoke up and said, "Here is the spear of the king, let one of the youths cross over and take it.
  May Adonoy reward each man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Adonoy has delivered you today into [my] hand, but I did not desire to send forth my hand against the anointed one of Adonoy.
  Behold, just as your life was precious to me today in my eyes, so may my life be precious in the eyes of Adonoy, and may He save me from all misfortune."
  Shaul said to Dovid, "Blessed are you, my son Dovid. May you accomplish much and may you surely prevail." Then Dovid went on his way and Shaul returned to his place.
  
  
  
  Dovid said to himself, "Now I might perish one day at the hand of Shaul. There is nothing better for me [to do] than to escape to the land of the Philistines; for then Shaul will give up pursuing me anymore throughout Yisroel's borders, and I will have escaped from his hand."
  Dovid rose and crossed over, with the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Ma'och, king of Gas.
  Dovid stayed with Achish in Gas, he and his men, each man with his household, Dovid with his two wives, Achinoam, the Yizre'elite and Avigayil, the Carmelite, the [former] wife of Novol.
  It was told to Shaul that Dovid had fled to Gas, and he did not continue to search for him.
  Dovid said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the countryside towns that I may settle there. Why should your servant remain in the royal city with you?"
  So Achish gave him Tziklag on that day; therefore Tziklag belongs to the kings of Yehudah to this day.
  The time that Dovid stayed in the Philistine countryside was days and four months.
  Dovid and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gizrites and the Amaleikites, for they had always dwelt in the land, in the direction of Shur to the land of Egypt.
  Dovid would smite the [inhabitants of the] land, and he left no man or woman alive. He took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothing, and would return and come to Achish.
  Achish would ask, "Where did you raid today?" And Dovid would say, "Against the south of Yehudah," or "against the south of the Yerachme'elites," or "to the south of the Kenites."
  Dovid left neither man nor woman alive to bring back [as a captive] to Gas, saying [to himself], "They might inform on us, saying, 'This is what Dovid has done and this was his custom as long as he stayed in the Philistine countryside.'"
  So Achish believed Dovid, saying [to himself], "He thoroughly detests his people Yisroel, and he will remain my servant always."
  
  
  
  At that time the Philistines gathered their camps into an army, to wage war against Yisroel. Achish said to Dovid, "You surely know that you will go out with me in the camp—you and your men."
  Dovid replied to Achish, "Therefore you will know what your servant will do." Achish then said to Dovid, "Therefore as my bodyguard—I shall appoint you, permanently."
  Shmuel had died and all Yisroel mourned him and buried him in Romoh, in his city. Shaul had banished the Ovos and the Yidonim diviners from the land.
  The Philistines gathered and they came and camped in Shunem; Shaul gathered all of Yisroel and they camped in Gilbo'a.
  When Shaul saw the Philistine camp he became fearful and his heart trembled greatly.
  Shaul inquired of Adonoy, but Adonoy did not answer him; neither through dreams, nor through the Urim, nor through the prophets.
  Shaul said to his servants, "Seek out a medium of an Ov, and I will go to her and inquire of her." His servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who is an Ov medium in Ein Dor."
  Shaul disguised himself and changed his clothing; he went together with two men. They came to the woman at night, and he said to her, "Please conjure an Ov for me, and bring up for me whomever I tell you."
  The woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Shaul did, that he has eliminated the Ovos and Yidonim from the land. Why then do you seek to entrap me, to have me killed?"
  Shaul then swore to her by Adonoy, saying, "As Adonoy lives, no punishment shall befall you because of this thing."
  The woman asked, "Whom shall I conjure up for you?" And he said, "Bring Shmuel up for me."
  When the woman saw Shmuel, she screamed loudly. The woman said to Shaul saying, "Why did you deceive me? For you are Shaul!"
  The king said to her, "Fear not. What did you see?" The woman said to Shaul, "I saw a godly man rising from the earth."
  He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man is rising, and he is garbed in a robe." Shaul knew that it was Shmuel, and he bowed with his face towards the ground and prostrated himself.
  Shmuel said to Shaul, "Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?" Shaul said, "I am in great distress, and the Philistines are at war against me; God has turned away from me and no longer answers me, neither through the prophets nor through dreams. Therefore I called upon you to tell me what to do."
  Shmuel said, "But why do you ask me when Adonoy has turned away from you and become your adversary?
  Adonoy has done to him that which He said through me. Adonoy has torn the kingship from your hand and given it to your fellow, to Dovid.
  Because you did not obey the word of Adonoy and did not execute His wrath against Amaleik, therefore Adonoy has done this thing to you today.
  Adonoy will deliver Yisroel with you into the hand of the Philistines; tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and also, the camp of Yisroel, will Adonoy deliver, into the hand of the Philistines."
  Shaul hastened and fell full length to the ground and he greatly feared Shmuel's words; also, he had no strength in him because he had not eaten any food all day and all night.
  The woman came to Shaul and saw that he was very terrified, and she said to him, "Behold, your maidservant heeded your voice and I put my life in my hand, and I listened to your words that you spoke to me.
  So now you, too, please listen to the voice of your maidservant. I will put before you a loaf of bread. Eat, so that you will have strength when you go on the way."
  But he refused, and said, "I shall not eat." His servants begged him, and so did the woman, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
  The woman had a fattened calf in her possession; she quickly slaughtered it, and took flour which she kneaded and baked into matzos.
  She served it to Shaul and to his servants and they ate; and they got up and left that night.
  
  
  
  The Philistines gathered together all their camps at Aiphek; Yisroel was camped at the spring that is in Yizre'el.
  The Philistine governors crossed over with hundreds and thousands, and Dovid and his men crossed over last, with Achish.
  The Philistine officers said, "Who are these Hebrews?" And Achish replied to the Philistine officers, "Why, this is Dovid, the servant of Shaul, king of Yisroel, who has been with me for these days or these years, and I have found no fault with him, from the day he settled [with me] to this day."
  But the Philistine officers were angry with him, and the Philistine officers said to him, "Send back the man, and let him return to his place that you assigned to him. Let him not go down with us to battle, so that he not be an adversary to us in the battle. How can this [person] prove his loyalty to his master? Is it not with the heads of those [Philistine] men?
  Is this not Dovid, of whom they sing, accompanied with musical instruments, saying, 'Shaul has slain his thousands, and Dovid his tens of thousands'?"
  So Achish called Dovid and said to him, "As Adonoy lives, you are upright, and it is fine with me—your going out and coming back with me in the camp, for I have found no evil in you from the day you came to me until this day; but in the eyes of the governors you are not good.
  Return, therefore, and go in peace, and do nothing that is evil in the eyes of the Philistine governors."
  Dovid then said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I have been before you to this day, that I should not come and fight against the enemies of my master the king?"
  Achish answered, and said to Dovid, "I know, you are good in my eyes as an angel of God; but the Philistine officers have said, 'He shall not go up with us into battle.'
  So now, rise early in the morning together with the servants of your master who have come with you; rise early in the morning, and when you have light, go."
  Dovid and his men rose early, to leave in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines, while the Philistines went up towards Yizre'el.
  
  
  
  And it was when Dovid and his men came to Tziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the south and Tziklag. They had attacked Tziklag and they set it on fire.
  They had taken captive—the women in it—young and old, without killing anyone; they carried them off and went on their way.
  When Dovid and his men came to the city, behold, it had been set on fire; and their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive.
  Dovid and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no strength to weep.
  Both of Dovid's wives had been taken captive; Achinoam the Yezre'elite and Avigayil, the Carmelite, the [former] wife of Novol.
  Dovid was very distressed, because the people spoke of stoning him, for the soul of all the people was embittered, each man over [the loss of] his sons and his daughters; but Dovid found strength in Adonoy his God.
  Dovid said to Evyosor the kohein, the son of Achimelech, "Please, bring me the <i>eiphod</i>," so Evyosor brought the <i>eiphod</i> to Dovid.
  Dovid inquired of Adonoy, saying, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake it?" And He said to him, "Pursue, for you will surely overtake them and you will certainly rescue [the captives]."
  Dovid went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the Nachal Besor, where some of them remained behind.
  Dovid pursued—he together with four hundred men—while two hundred men remained, who were too exhausted to cross the Nachal Besor.
  They found an Egyptian man in the field and took him to Dovid. They gave him bread and he ate, and they gave him water to drink.
  They gave him a cake of pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. He ate, and he came to himself, for he had neither eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
  Dovid said to him, "To whom do you belong and from where are you?" He said, "I am an Egyptian youth, the slave of an Amaleikite man. My master abandoned me because I have been ill for three days now.
  We raided the south of the Kerethite and the territory of Yehudoh, and the south of Caleiv, and Tziklag we set on fire."
  Dovid said to him, "Will you take me down to this raiding party?" He replied, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this raiding party."
  He took him down and behold, they had spread across the entire land, eating, drinking and celebrating with all the great spoils which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Yehudoh.
  Dovid attacked them from dusk until the evening of the next day; not one of them escaped, except four hundred youths who rode camels and fled.
  Dovid recovered everything that Amaleik had taken, and Dovid rescued his two wives.
  Nothing of theirs was missing, from small to great, sons and daughters, not the spoils, or anything they had taken for themselves; Dovid returned everything.
  Then Dovid took all the sheep and cattle; they led them in front of the livestock and said, "This is Dovid's booty."
  Dovid came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to go follow after Dovid, whom he had left at the Nachal Besor. They went out to meet Dovid and to meet the people who were with him. Dovid approached the people and inquired after their welfare.
  They spoke up—every evil and wicked person of the men who had gone with Dovid and said, "Because they did not go with me, we will not give them of the spoils that we recovered, except for each man's wife and his children; let them lead them away and go."
  Dovid said, "My brothers, do not do so, with that which Adonoy has given us; He protected us and delivered the raiding party who came against us into our hand.
  Who will listen to you concerning this matter? For as the share of the one that goes down into battle, so is the share of the one who stays with the equipment; they shall share equally."
  From that day on, he made this a statute and a law for Yisroel, until this day.
  When Dovid came to Tziklag, he sent of the spoils to the elders of Yehudoh, to his allies, saying, "Here is a present for you, from the spoils of the enemies of Adonoy."
  [He sent booty] to those in Beis Eil, to those in Ramos Negev, to those in Yattir.
  To those in Aroe'er, to those in Siphmos, to those in Eshtemo'a.
  To those in Rochol, to those in the Yerachme'elite cities, to those in the Kenite cities.
  To those in Chormoh, to those in Bechor Oshon, and to those in Asoch.
  To those in Chevron, and to all those places where Dovid had gone—he and his men.
  
  
  
  The Philistines were battling with Yisroel, and the men of Yisroel fled from the Philistines and fell slain on Har Gilbo'a.
  The Philistines overtook Shaul and his sons, and the Philistines slew Yonoson, Avinodov, and Malki Shua, the sons of Shaul.
  The battle then turned against Shaul; the archers who shot at him with bows found him, and he was very terrified of the archers.
  Shaul said to his armsbearer, "Draw your sword and stab me, lest these uncircumcised men come and stab me and make sport of me." But his armsbearer did not want to do so, for he was very frightened; so Shaul took the sword and fell upon it.
  When his armsbearer saw that Shaul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.
  Shaul died, and his three sons, and his armsbearer, as well as all his men, together on that day.
  When the men of Yisroel saw—those who were on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Yardein—that the men of Yisroel fled and that Shaul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. The Philistines then came and settled in them.
  On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the corpses, they found Shaul and his three sons, fallen on Har Gilbo'a.
  They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent [them] in the land of the Philistines—throughout—to bring the news to the temples of their idols and to the people.
  They placed his armor in the temple of Ashtoros, and they hung his body on the wall of Beis Shon.
  They heard about him—the inhabitants of Yoveish Gilod—about what the Philistines had done to Shaul.
  All the men of valor rose and went that entire night, and they removed Shaul's body and his sons' bodies from the wall of Beis Shon; they came to Yoveish and burned them there.
  They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Yoveish, and they fasted seven days.