Bible in 90 Days

³⁰ Therefore Hashem Elohei Yisroel saith, I said indeed that thy Bais, and the Bais Avicha, should walk before Me ad olam (forever); but now Hashem saith, Be it far from Me; for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

³¹ Hinei, the yamim are coming, that I will cut off thine zero’a, and the zero’a of the Bais Avicha, that there shall not be a zaken in thine Bais.

³² And thou shalt see Tzar Ma’on [See 1Sm 4:11 and Jer 7:12-14] in spite of all that He will do of tov to Yisroel; and there shall not be a zaken in thine Bais kol hayamim.

³³ And the ish of thine, whom I shall not cut off from Mine Mizbe’ach, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine nefesh; and all the increase of thine Bais shall die anashim [i.e., not zekenim].

³⁴ And this shall be HaOt unto thee, that shall come upon thy two banim, on Chophni and on Pinchas: in one day they shall die both of them.

³⁵ And I will raise up for Me a Kohen Ne’eman, that shall do according to that which is in Mine lev and in My nefesh; and I will build for him a Bais Ne’eman; and he shall walk before Mine Moshiach kol hayamim.

³⁶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine Bais shall come and bow before him [i.e., the Kohen Ne’eman] to get an agorat kesef (a silver coin) and a kikar lechem (loaf of bread), and shall say, Put me please into one of the Kehunnot (Divisions of the Kehunah), that I may get a piece of lechem to eat.

3 And the na’ar Shmuel ministered unto Hashem before Eli. And the Devar Hashem was yakar (precious, dear, rare) in those days; there was no chazon nifratz ([prophetic] vision open, spread out, common, i.e., prophetic vision was uncommon).

² And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his makom (his eyes had began to grow dim, that he could not see);

³ And the Ner Elohim had not yet gone out in the Heikhal Hashem, where the Aron Elohim was, and Shmuel was lying down;

⁴ That Hashem called Shmuel; and he answered, Hineni.

⁵ And he ran unto Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

⁶ And Hashem called yet again, Shmuel. And Shmuel got up and went to Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, beni; lie down again.

⁷ Now Shmuel did not yet know Hashem; the Devar Hashem was not yet revealed unto him [See Yn 1:1,14).

⁸ And Hashem called Shmuel again the third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, Hineni; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that Hashem was calling the na’ar.

⁹ Therefore Eli said unto Shmuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Hashem; for Thy eved (servant) shomei’a (is listening). So Shmuel went and lay down in his makom.

¹⁰ And Hashem came, and stood, and called as at other times, Shmuel, Shmuel. Then Shmuel answered, Speak; for Thy eved shomei’a.

¹¹ And Hashem said to Shmuel, Hinei, I am doing a thing in Yisroel, at which both the oznayim of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

¹² In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his Bais; from beginning even to the end.

¹³ For I have told him that I will judge his Bais ad olam for the avon (iniquity) which he knoweth; because his banim brought klalot (curses) upon themselves, and he restrained them not.

¹⁴ And therefore I have sworn unto the Bais Eli, that there shall be no kapporah for the avon Bais Eli by zevach nor minchah ad olam.

¹⁵ And Shmuel lay until boker, and opened the dlatot Beis Hashem. And Shmuel feared to show Eli the mareh (vision).

¹⁶ Then Eli called Shmuel, and said, Shmuel, beni. And he answered, Hineni.

¹⁷ And he said, What is the davar that Hashem hath said unto thee? Now hide it not from me; Elohim do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that He said unto thee.

¹⁸ And Shmuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is Hashem; let Him do what seemeth Him tov.

¹⁹ And Shmuel grew, and Hashem was with him, and did let none of his [Shmuel’s] words fall to the ground.

²⁰ And kol Yisroel from Dan even to Beer Sheva knew that Shmuel was established to be a navi of Hashem.

²¹ And Hashem appeared again in Shiloh; for Hashem revealed Himself to Shmuel in Shiloh by the Devar Hashem.

4 And the davar Shmuel came to kol Yisroel. Now Yisroel went out to meet in milchamah the Pelishtim (Philistines), and encamped at Even-Ezer; and the Pelishtim (Philistines) encamped at Aphek.

² And the Pelishtim (Philistines) put themselves in array to meet Yisroel [in battle]; and when the milchamah spread, Yisroel was defeated before the Pelishtim; and they slaughtered on the ma’arakhah (battleground) in the sadeh about arba’at alafim ish (four thousand men).

³ And when HaAm were come into the machaneh, the Ziknei Yisroel said, Why hath Hashem defeated us today before the Pelishtim (Philistines)? Let us bring the Aron Brit Hashem out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the palm of oyeveinu (our enemies).

⁴ So HaAm sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the Aron Brit Hashem Tzva’os, Who dwelleth between the keruvim; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, were there with the Aron Brit HaElohim.

⁵ And when the Aron Brit Hashem came into the machaneh, kol Yisroel shouted with a teru’ah gedolah, so that ha’aretz shook.

⁶ And when the Pelishtim (Philistines) heard the kol hateruah, they said, What meaneth kol hateruah hagedolah hazot in the machaneh HaIvrit? And they understood that the Aron Hashem was come into the machaneh.

⁷ And the Pelishtim (Philistines) were afraid, for they said, elohim is come into the machaneh. And they said, Oy lanu! For there hath not been such a thing as this heretofore.

⁸ Oy lanu! Who shall save us out of the yad of these elohim ha’adirim (mighty g-ds)? These are the g-ds that struck the Mitzrayim with kol makkah (all the plagues) in the midbar.

⁹ Be strong and conduct yourselves like anashim, O ye Pelishtim (Philistines), that ye be not avadim unto the Ivrim (Hebrews), as they have been subject to you; conduct yourselves like anashim, and fight.

¹⁰ And the Pelishtim fought, and Yisroel was defeated, and they fled every ish into his ohel; and there was makkah gedolah me’od (a very great slaughter); for there fell of Yisroel shloshim elef foot soldiers.

¹¹ And the Aron Elohim was captured; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, died.

¹² And there ran an ish of Binyamin out of the ma’arakhah (battleground), and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn, and with adamah upon his rosh.

¹³ And when he arrived, hinei, Eli sat upon a kisse by the side of the derech, watching; for his lev anxiously trembled for the Aron HaElohim. And when the ish came into the Ir [of Shiloh], and told it, kol HaIr cried out.

¹⁴ And when Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the ish came in hastily, and told Eli.

¹⁵ Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were kamah (set, stiff, fixed motionless), that he could not see.

¹⁶ And the ish said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the ma’arakhah (battleground), and I fled today from the ma’arakhah. And he said, What happened there, beni?

¹⁷ And the mevaser (herald, bringer of news, bearer of tidings, evangelist) answered and said, Yisroel is fled before the Pelishtim, and there hath been also a magefah gedolah among HaAm, and thy two banim also, Chophni and Pinchas, are dead, and the Aron HaElohim is captured.

¹⁸ And it came to pass, when he made mention of the Aron HaElohim, that he fell from off the kisse backward by the side of the sha’ar, and his neck was broken, and he died; for the ish was zaken (old) and kaved (heavy). And he had judged Yisroel arba’im shanah.

¹⁹ And his kallah (daughter-in-law), eshet Pinchas, was with child, near to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the Aron HaElohim was captured, and that her kham (woman’s father-in-law) and her ish were dead, she fell upon her knees in labor and gave birth; for her labor pains came upon her.

²⁰ And about the time of her mot (death) the attending women said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born ben. But she answered not, neither did her lev pay attention.

²¹ And she named the na’ar Ichavod [Inglorious], saying, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; because the Aron HaElohim is captured, and because of her kham (woman’s father-in-law) and her ish.

²² And she said, The kavod is departed from Yisroel; for the Aron HaElohim is captured.

5 And the Pelishtim (Philistines) captured the Aron HaElohim, and brought it from Even HaEzer unto Ashdod.

² When the Pelishtim (Philistines) took the Aron HaElohim, they brought it into the Bais Dagon, and set it beside Dagon.

³ And when they of Ashdod arose early the next day, hinei, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Aron Hashem. And they took Dagon, and returned him to his makom.

⁴ And when they arose baboker on the next day, hinei, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Aron Hashem; and the rosh Dagon and both the kapot (palms) of his hands were cut off upon the miftan (threshold); only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

⁵ Therefore neither the kohanim of Dagon, nor any that enter Bais Dagon, tread on the miftan (threshold) of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

⁶ But the Yad Hashem was heavy upon the Ashdodim, and He brought desolation, and struck them with techorim (tumors), even Ashdod and the vicinity thereof.

⁷ And when the anshei Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Aron Elohei Yisroel shall not abide with us; for His Yad is hard upon us, and upon Dagon eloheinu.

⁸ They sent therefore and gathered all rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines) unto them, and said, What shall we do with the Aron Elohei Yisroel? And they answered, Let the Aron Elohei Yisroel be brought about unto Gat. And they brought the Aron Elohei Yisroel about to there.

⁹ And it was so, that, after they had brought it about, the Yad Hashem was against the Ir with a mehumah gedolah me’od (a very great tumult, commotion); and He struck the anshei HaIr, both katon and gadol, so that techorim (tumors) broke out on them.

¹⁰ Therefore they sent the Aron HaElohim to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the Aron HaElohim came to Ekron, that the Ekronim cried out, saying, They have brought about the Aron Elohei Yisroel to us, to slay us and our people.

¹¹ So they sent and gathered together all the rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and said, Send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, and let it return to its own makom, [see 2Chr 6:41], that it slay us not, and our people; for there was a mehumah (tumult, public panic) of mavet (death) throughout kol HaIr; the Yad HaElohim was very heavy there.

¹² And the anashim that died not were struck with the techorim (tumors); and the outcry of the Ir went up to Shomayim.

6 And the Aron Hashem was in the teritory of the Pelishtim (Philistines) shivah chodashim.

² And the Pelishtim (Philistines) called for the [Dagon] kohanim and the kosemim (sorcerers), saying, What shall we do with the Aron Hashem? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to its makom (place).

³ And they said, If ye send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, send it not away empty; but ye shall surely return to Him an asham (trespass offering); then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His Yad is not removed from you.

⁴ Then they said, What shall be the asham (trespass offering) which we shall return to Him? They answered, Five techorim of zahav, and five akhbarim (rats) of zahav, according to the number of rulers of the Pelishtim: for one magefah (plague) was on you all, and on your rulers.

⁵ So ye shall make tzalmei techorim (likenesses of tumors) of yours, and tzalmei akhabarim (likenesses of rats) of yours, of that which mar the land; and ye shall give kavod unto Elohei Yisroel; perhaps He will lighten His Yad from off you, and from off eloheichem (your g-ds), and from off your land.

⁶ Now then why do ye harden levavchem, as the Mitzrayim and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not send them away, so that they departed?

⁷ Now therefore make an agalah chadashah (new cart, wagon), and take two milch [milk-yielding] cows, [i.e., nursing cows] on which there hath come no ol (yoke), and hitch the cows to the agalah, and take their calves home, away from them;

⁸ And take the Aron Hashem, and lay it upon the agalah; and put the kelei hazahav, which ye send back to Him for an asham (trespass offering), in a box by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

⁹ And see: if it [the Aron Hashem] goeth up by the derech of its own territory [i.e., Eretz Yisroel] toward Beit Shemesh, then He hath done us this ra’ah hagedolah (great disaster); but if not, then we shall know that it is not His Yad that struck us; the evil came upon us mikreh (by chance, by accident).

¹⁰ And the anashim did so; and took two milch cows, and hitched them to the agalah, and penned up their calves babayit;

¹¹ And they laid the Aron Hashem upon the agalah, and the box with the akhbarim of zahav and the tzalmei techorim (likenesses of tumors) of theirs.

¹² And the cows took the straight derech to the derech Beit Shemesh, and went along the path, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the yamin or to the semol; and the rulers of the Pelishtim went after them as far as the border of Beit Shemesh.

¹³ And they of Beit Shemesh were kotzerim (harvesting) their ketzir chittim (wheat harvest) in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the Aron, and they rejoiced to see it.

¹⁴ And the agalah came into the sadeh of Yehoshua, a man of Beit Shemesh, and stopped there, where there was an even gedolah (a large rock); and they chopped up the wood of the agalah, and offered the cows as an olah (burnt offering) unto Hashem.

¹⁵ And the Levi’im took down the Aron Hashem, and the box that was with it, wherein were the kelei zahav, and put them on the even hagedolah (large rock); and the anashim of Beit Shemesh offered olot (burnt offerings) and sacrificed zevakhim (sacrifices) on that day unto Hashem.

¹⁶ And when the five rulers of the Pelishtim saw it, they returned to Ekron on that same day.

¹⁷ And these are the techorim (tumors) of zahav which the Pelishtim (Philistines) returned for an asham (trespass offering) unto Hashem; for Ashdod one, for Azah (Gaza) one, for Askelon one, for Gat one, for Ekron one;

¹⁸ And the akhbarim of zahav, according to the mispar of all the towns of the Pelishtim (Philistines) belonging to the five rulers, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto Avel HaGedolah, whereon they set down the Aron Hashem; it (the even hagedolah [See verse 15]) remaineth unto this day in the sadeh of Yehoshua, the man of Beit Shemesh.

¹⁹ And He struck down the anashim of Beit Shemesh, because they had looked into the Aron Hashem [Num 4:20], even He struck down of HaAm shivim ish [and chamishim elef ish]; and HaAm mourned, because Hashem had struck down many of HaAm with a makkah gedolah (a great stroke, blow).

²⁰ And the anashim of Beit Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Hashem HaElohim HaKadosh Hazeh (Hashem this holy G-d)? And to whom shall He [Hashem dwelling with the Aron Hashem] go up from us?

²¹ And they sent malachim to the inhabitants of Kiryat Ye’arim saying, The Pelishtim (Philistines) have returned the Aron Hashem; come ye down, and take it up to you.

7 And the anshei Kiryat-Yearim came, and took up the Aron Hashem, and brought it into the bais Avinadav on the givah (hill), and set apart as kodesh El’azar bno to be shomer over the Aron Hashem.

² And it came to pass, while the Aron abode in Kiryat-Yearim, that the time was long; for it was esrim shanah; and kol Bais Yisroel mourned after Hashem.

³ And Shmuel spoke unto kol Bais Yisroel, saying, If ye do return unto Hashem with all your hearts, put away the elohei hanekhar and Ashtarot from among you, commit your hearts unto Hashem, serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the yad Pelishtim.

⁴ Then the Bnei Yisroel did put away Baalim and Ashtarot, and served Hashem only.

⁵ And Shmuel said, Gather kol Yisroel to Mitzpah, and I will make intercessory prayer and daven for you unto Hashem.

⁶ And they gathered together at Mitzpah, and drew mayim, and poured it out before Hashem, and did a tzom on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Hashem. And Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpah.

⁷ And when the Pelishtim heard that the Bnei Yisroel were gathered together at Mitzpah, the rulers of the Pelishtim went up against Yisroel. And when the Bnei Yisroel heard it, they were afraid of the Pelishtim.

⁸ And the Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, Cease not to cry out unto Hashem Eloheinu for us, that He will save us out of the yad Pelishtim.

⁹ And Shmuel took a suckling lamb, and offered him for an olah unto Hashem; and Shmuel cried out unto Hashem on behalf of Yisroel; and Hashem answered him.

¹⁰ And as Shmuel was offering up the olah, the Pelishtim drew near to battle against Yisroel; but Hashem thundered with a kol gadol on that day upon the Pelishtim, and threw them into confusion and panic; and they were struck down before Yisroel.

¹¹ And the Anshei Yisroel went from Mitzpah, and pursued the Pelishtim, and struck them down, until they came to below Beit-Kar.

¹² Then Shmuel took one even (stone), and set it up between Mitzpah and Shen, and called the shem of it Even-Ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Hashem helped us.

¹³ So the Pelishtim were subdued, and they came no more into the territory of Yisroel; and the yad Hashem was against the Pelishtim all the days of Shmuel.

¹⁴ And the towns which the Pelishtim had captured from Yisroel were restored to Yisroel, from Ekron even unto Gat; and the territory thereof did Yisroel deliver out of the yad Pelishtim. And there was shalom between Yisroel and HaEmori (the Amorites).

¹⁵ And Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life.

¹⁶ And he went from shanah b’shanah in circuit to Beit-El, and Gilgal, and Mitzpah, and judged Yisroel in all those places.

¹⁷ And his teshuvah (return) was to Ramah; for there was his bais; and there he judged Yisroel; and there he built a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem.

8 And it came to pass, when Shmuel was old, that he made his banim shofetim over Yisroel.

² Now the shem of his ben habechor was Yoel; and the shem of his mishneh (second), Aviyah; they were shofetim at Be’er Sheva.

³ And his banim walked not in his drakhim, but turned aside after betza (dishonest gain), and took shochad (bribe[s]), and perverted mishpat (justice).

⁴ Then kol Ziknei Yisroel gathered themselves together, and came to Shmuel unto Ramah,

⁵ And said unto him, Hinei, thou art old, and thy banim walk not in thy drakhim; now appoint for us a Melech to judge us like kol HaGoyim.

⁶ But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Shmuel, when they said, Give us a Melech to judge us. And Shmuel davened unto Hashem.

⁷ And Hashem said unto Shmuel, Shema unto the voice of HaAm in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign as Melech over them.

⁸ According to all the ma’asim which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Mitzrayim even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me, and served elohim acherim, so do they also unto thee.

⁹ Now therefore pay heed unto their voice; howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the mishpat hamelech (customary ways of the king, kingly perogative) that shall reign over them.

¹⁰ And Shmuel told all the Divrei Hashem unto the people that asked of him a Melech.

¹¹ And he said, This will be the mishpat hamelech that shall reign over you: he will take your banim, and appoint them for himself for his merkavah and his parashim; and some shall run before his merkavah.

¹² And he will appoint for him sarei elafim, and sarei chamishim and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his katzir (harvest), and to make his instruments of war, and his chariot equipment.

¹³ And he will take your banot to be perfumers, and to be tabakhot (cooks) and ofe’ot (bakers).

¹⁴ And he will take your fields, and your kramim (vineyards), and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his avadim.

¹⁵ And he will take the tenth of your zera, and of your kramim (vines), and give to his officers, and to his avadim.

¹⁶ And he will take your avadim, and your shifchot, and your finest bochurim, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

¹⁷ He will take the tenth of your tzon; and ye shall be his avadim.

¹⁸ And ye shall cry out in that day because of your melech which ye shall have chosen for you; and Hashem will not hear you in that day.

¹⁹ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Shmuel; and they said, No; but we will have a Melech over us;

²⁰ That we also may be like kol HaGoyim; and that our Melech may judge us, and go out before us, and fight milchamoteinu (our battles).

²¹ And Shmuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Hashem.

²² And Hashem said to Shmuel, Pay heed unto their voice, and crown them a Melech. And Shmuel said unto the Anshei Yisroel, Go ye back every ish unto his ir (town).

9 Now there was an ish of Binyamin, shmo Kish Ben Aviel Ben Tzeror Ben Bechorat Ben Aphiach, an ish of Binyamin, a gibbor chayil (man of valor).

² And he had a ben, shmo Sha’ul, a handsome bochur; and there was not among the Bnei Yisroel one more handsome than he; he was head and shoulders taller than kol HaAm.

³ And the donkeys of Kish Avi Sha’ul were lost. And Kish said to Sha’ul bno, Take now one of the ne’arim with thee, and arise, go look for the donkeys.

⁴ And he passed through har Ephrayim, and passed through Eretz Shalisha, but they found them not; then they passed through Eretz Sha’alim, and they were not there; and he passed through the territory of Binyamin, but they found them not.

⁵ And when they were come to Eretz Tzuph, Sha’ul said to his na’ar that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest Avi stop caring for the donkeys, and become concerned for us.

⁶ And he said unto him, Hinei now, there is in this town an Ish Elohim, an ish nikhbad (an honorable man); all that he saith cometh surely to pass; now let us go there; perhaps he can show us darkeinu (our way) that we should go.

⁷ Then said Sha’ul to his na’ar, But, hinei, if we go, what shall we bring the Ish? For the lechem is all gone in our vessels, and there is not a teshurah (gift) for the Ish HaElohim: what have we?

⁸ And the na’ar answered Sha’ul again, and said, Hinei, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of kesef; that will I give to the Ish HaElohim, to tell us darkeinu (our way).

⁹ Beforetime in Yisroel, when an ish went to inquire of Elohim, thus he spoke, Come, and let us go to the ro’eh (seer): for he that is now called a navi was beforetime called a ro’eh (seer).

¹⁰ Then said Sha’ul to his na’ar, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the town where the Ish HaElohim was.

¹¹ And as they went up the hill to the town, they found ne’arot (girls) going out to draw mayim, and said unto them, Is the ro’eh here?

¹² And they answered them, and said, He is; hinei, he is ahead of you; make haste now, for he came today to the town; for there is a zevach (sacrifice) for HaAm today in the bamah (high place);

¹³ As soon as ye be come into the town, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat; for HaAm will not eat until he come, because hu yevarech hazevach (he doth bless the sacrifice); and afterwards hakeru’im (the ones being invited) eat. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

¹⁴ And they went up into the town; and when they were come into the town, hinei, Shmuel came out toward them as he was going up to the bamah (high place).

¹⁵ Now Hashem galah (had revealed, unveiled) in the ozen (ear) of Shmuel yom echad before Sha’ul came, saying,

¹⁶ Makhar (tomorrow) about this time I will send thee an ish out of Eretz Binyamin, and umeshachto (thou shalt anoint him) to be Nagid over My people Yisroel, that he may save My people out of the yad Pelishtim; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come unto Me.

¹⁷ And when Shmuel saw Sha’ul, Hashem said unto him, Hinei haIsh [Zech 6:12] whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall rule over My people.

¹⁸ Then Sha’ul drew near to Shmuel in the sha’ar, and said, Tell me, now, where is the Bais HaRo’eh.

¹⁹ And Shmuel answered Sha’ul, and said, I am the Ro’eh (seer): go up before me unto the bamah (high place); for ye shall eat with me hayom, and baboker I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine levav.

²⁰ And as for thine donkeys that were lost hayom sheloshet hayamim (now three days), set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is kol chemdat Yisroel (all the Desire of Yisroel [See Hag 2:7])? Is it not on thee, and on Kol Bais Avicha?

²¹ And Sha’ul answered and said, Am not I of Binyamin, of the smallest of the Shivtei Yisroel? And my mishpakhat the least of all the mishpekhot of the Shivtei Binyamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

²² And Shmuel took Sha’ul and his na’ar, and brought them into the room, and made them sit at the makom berosh (chief place) among hakeru’im (the ones being invited), which were about shloshim ish.

²³ And Shmuel said unto the tabakh (cook), Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it aside for thee.

²⁴ And the tabakh took up the shok (thigh piece), and that which was upon it, and set it before Sha’ul. And Shmuel said, Hinei that which is set aside! Set it before thee, and eat; for unto this mo’ed hath it been set aside for thee since I said, I have invited HaAm. So Sha’ul did eat with Shmuel that day.

²⁵ And when they were come down from the bamah (high place) into the town, Shmuel communed with Sha’ul upon the gag (rooftop).

²⁶ And they arose early; and it came to pass about shachar, that Shmuel called Sha’ul to the gag (rooftop), saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Sha’ul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Shmuel, outside.

²⁷ And as they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Shmuel said to Sha’ul, Bid the na’ar pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the Devar Elohim.

10 Then Shmuel took a flask of shemen, and poured it upon his rosh, and kissed him [Ps 2:12], and said, Hath not Hashem meshachacha (anointed thee) to be Nagid over His nachalah?

² When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt find two anashim near Kevurat Rachel on the border of Binyamin at Tzeltzach; and they will say unto thee, The donkeys which thou wentest to seek are found; and, hinei, Avicha hath taken leave of caring about the donkeys, and careth for you, saying, What shall I do for beni (my son)?

³ Then shalt thou go on forward from there, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tavor, and there shall meet thee shloshah anashim going up to HaElohim to Beit-El, one carrying shloshet gedayim (three young goats), and another carrying shloshet kikrot (three loaves) lechem, and another carrying a skin of yayin;

⁴ And they will give thee a Shalom greeting, and give thee two of the lechem; which thou shalt receive of their yad.

⁵ After that thou shalt come to the Giveat HaElohim, where is the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines); and it shall come to pass, when thou art come there to the Ir, that thou shalt meet a chevel (company, band) of nevi’im coming down from the high place with a nevel (lyre), tof (tambourine), khalil (flute), and kinnor (harp) before them; and they shall prophesy;

⁶ And the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into an ish acher (another man, a different man).

⁷ And let it be, when these otot (signs) are come unto thee, that thou do what yadecha (thy hand) finds [i.e., what thou seest fit to do]; for HaElohim is with thee.

⁸ And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, hinei, I will come down unto thee, to offer olot (burnt offerings), and to sacrifice zivkhei shelamim (sacrifices of peace offerings); shivat yamim shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.

⁹ And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Shmuel, Elohim changed for him a lev acher (another heart, a different heart); and all those otot (signs) came to pass that day.

¹⁰ And when they came there to the Giveah (Hill), hinei, a chevel (company, band) of nevi’im met him; and the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Elohim came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, hinei, he prophesied with the nevi’im, then HaAm said one to another, What is this that hath happened unto the Ben Kish? Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

¹² And an ish from that place answered and said, And who is avihem (their father, cf Amos 7:14)? Therefore it became a mashal (proverb), Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

¹³ And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the bamah (high place).

¹⁴ And the dod Sha’ul said unto him and to his na’ar, Where went ye? And he said, To search for the donkeys; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Shmuel.

¹⁵ And the dod Sha’ul said, Tell me, now, what Shmuel said unto you.

¹⁶ And Sha’ul said unto his dod, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But of the matter of the melukhah (kingship), whereof Shmuel spoke, he told him not.

¹⁷ And Shmuel called HaAm together unto Hashem at Mitzpah;

¹⁸ And said unto the Bnei Yisroel, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, I brought up Yisroel out of Mitzrayim, and delivered you out of the yad Mitzrayim, and out of the yad kol HaMamlachot, and of them that oppressed you;

¹⁹ And ye have this day rejected Eloheichem, who Himself was Moshi’a for you out of all your adversities and your tzoroses; and ye have said unto Him, No, but set a Melech over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Hashem by your Shevatim (Tribes), and by your alefim (thousands, larger kinship units).

²⁰ And when Shmuel had caused all the Shivtei Yisroel to come near, the Shevet (Tribe) of Binyamin was lakhad (taken [by lot], singled out [by lot]).

²¹ When he had caused the Shevet (Tribe) of Binyamin to come near by their mishpekhot, the mishpakhat Matri was lakhad (singled out [by lot]), and Sha’ul Ben Kish was lakhad; and when they searched for him, he could not be found.

²² Therefore they inquired of Hashem further, Has the ish come here yet? And Hashem answered, Hinei he hath hid himself among the kelim (vessels, baggage, stuff).

²³ And they ran and brought him out from there; and when he stood among HaAm, he was taller than any of HaAm from his shekhamim (shoulders) upward.

²⁴ And Shmuel said to kol HaAm, See ye him whom Hashem hath chosen? That there is none like him among kol HaAm? And kol HaAm shouted, and said, May HaMelech live!

²⁵ Then Shmuel told HaAm the mishpat haMelukhah (right of the monarchy; see also Dt. 17:14-20), and wrote it in a sefer, and deposited it up before Hashem. And Shmuel sent kol HaAm away, every ish to his bais.

²⁶ And Sha’ul also went home to Giveah; and there went with him the valiant whose lev Elohim had touched.

²⁷ But the Bnei Beliyaal said, How shall this one yoshi’einu (save us)? And they despised him, and brought no minchah (gift). But he held his peace.

11 Then Nachash the Ammoni came up, and laid siege to Yavesh Gil’ad; and all the anashim of Yavesh said unto Nachash, Make a brit with us, and we will serve thee.

² And Nachash the Ammoni answered them, On this condition will I cut a brit with you, that I may gouge out all your ayin yamin (right eyes), and so bring cherpah upon kol Yisroel.

³ And the Zekenim of Yavesh said unto him, Give us shivat yamim that we may send malachim unto all the territory of Yisroel; and then, if there be no moshi’a to save us, we will come out and surrender to thee.

⁴ Then came the malachim to Giveat Sha’ul, and told the devarim in the oznayim of HaAm; and kol HaAm lifted up their kol (voices), and wept.

⁵ And, hinei, Sha’ul came after the bakar out of the sadeh; and Sha’ul said, What aileth HaAm that they weep? And they told him the divrei anshei Yavesh.

⁶ And the Ruach Elohim came upon Sha’ul when he heard those devarim, and his anger was kindled greatly.

⁷ And he took a tzemed bakar, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Yisroel by the hands of malachim, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Sha’ul and after Shmuel, so shall it be done unto his bakar. And the pachad Hashem fell on HaAm, and they came out as ish echad.

⁸ And when he mustered them at Bezek, the Bnei Yisroel were three hundred elef, and the Ish Yehudah thirty elef.

⁹ And they said unto the malachim that came, Thus shall ye say unto the Ish Yavesh Gil’ad, Tomorrow, by the time the shemesh is hot, teshuah will come to you. So the malachim came and reported it to the anshei Yavesh; and they had simchah.

¹⁰ Therefore the anshei Yavesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to surrender unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth tov in your eyes.

¹¹ And it was so on the next day, that Sha’ul set HaAm into shloshah rashim (three companies); and they came into the midst of the machaneh in the ashmoret haboker (morning watch), and slaughtered Ammon until the chom (heat) of the yom; and it came to pass, that they which survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

¹² HaAm said unto Shmuel, Who is he that said, Shall Sha’ul reign as melech over us? Bring the anashim, that we may put them to death.

¹³ And Sha’ul said, There shall not an ish be put to death this day; for today Hashem hath wrought Teshuah (Salvation) in Yisroel.

¹⁴ Then said Shmuel to HaAm, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the Meluchah (kingdom) there.

¹⁵ And kol HaAm went to Gilgal; and there they made Sha’ul Melech before Hashem in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed zevakhim of shelamim before Hashem; and there Sha’ul and kol Anshei Yisroel rejoiced with simchah me’od.

12 And Shmuel said unto kol Yisroel, Hinei, I have paid heed unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have set a Melech over you.

² And now, hinei, the Melech walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, hinei, my banim are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth unto hayom hazeh.

³ Hineni (here I am); testify against me before Hashem, and before His Moshiach. Whose shor (ox) have I taken? Or whose chamor (donkey) have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose yad have I accepted any kofer to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restitution make to you.

⁴ And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken anything from any yad ish.

⁵ And he said unto them, Ed Hashem (Hashem is witness) against you, and His Moshiach is ed (witness) this day, that ye have not found anything in my yad. And they answered, He is Ed (witness).

⁶ And Shmuel said unto HaAm, It is Hashem that made Moshe and Aharon, and that brought avoteichem up out of Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁷ Now therefore stand still, that I may enter into shofet judgment with you before Hashem of kol tzidkot (all the righteous acts [of Hashem]), which He made for you and avoteichem.

⁸ When Ya’akov was come into Mitzrayim, and avoteichem cried unto Hashem, then Hashem sent Moshe and Aharon, which brought forth avoteichem out of Mitzrayim, and made them dwell in this makom (place).

⁹ And when they forgot Hashem Eloheihem, He sold them into the yad Sisra, Sar Tzeva Chatzor, and into the yad Pelishtim, and into the yad Melech Moav, and they fought against them.

¹⁰ And they cried unto Hashem, and said, Chatanu (we have sinned), because we have forsaken Hashem, and have served Baalim and Ashtarot; but now deliver us out of the yad oyeveinu (power, hand of our enemies), and we will serve Thee.

¹¹ And Hashem sent Yerubaal [Gideon], and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shmuel, and delivered you out of the yad oyeveichem on every side, and ye dwelled betach (in safety).

¹² And when ye saw that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a Melech shall reign over us: when Hashem Eloheichem was your Melech.

¹³ Now therefore behold the Melech whom ye have chosen, and for whom ye have made request! And, hinei, Hashem hath set a Melech over you.

¹⁴ If ye will fear Hashem, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Hashem, then shall both ye and also the Melech that reigneth over you continue following after Hashem Eloheichem;

¹⁵ But if ye will not obey the voice of Hashem, but rebel against the commandment of Hashem, then shall the yad Hashem be against you, as it was against avoteichem.

¹⁶ Now therefore stand and see this davar hagadol (great thing), which Hashem will make before your eyes.

¹⁷ Is it not ketzir chittim (wheat harvest) today? I will call unto Hashem, and He shall send kolot (thunder) and matar (rain); that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is rabbah (great), which ye have made in the eyes of Hashem, in requesting for you a Melech.

¹⁸ So Shmuel called unto Hashem; and Hashem sent kolot and matar that day; and kol HaAm greatly feared Hashem and Shmuel.

¹⁹ And kol HaAm said unto Shmuel, Pray for thy avadim unto Hashem Eloheicha, that we die not; for we have added unto kol chattoteinu (all our sins) this ra’ah (evil), to ask for us a Melech.

²⁰ And Shmuel said unto HaAm, Fear not; ye have done kol hara’ah hazot (all this wickedness); yet turn not aside from following Hashem, but serve Hashem with kol levavchem;

²¹ And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after hatohu (the vain, empty thing, idol), which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are tohu (vain, empty).

²² For Hashem will not forsake His people for the sake of Shmo Hagedol; because it hath pleased Hashem to make you His people.

²³ Moreover, as for me, chalilah (far be it) from me that I should sin against Hashem in ceasing to pray for you; but horeiti (I will teach) you the derech hatovah v’hayesharah (the good and upright way);

²⁴ Only fear Hashem, and serve Him in emes with kol levavchem; for consider what great things He hath done for you.

²⁵ But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your Melech.

13 It was in the first year of Sha’ul’s reign, and when he had reigned [his first] two shanim over Yisroel,

² Sha’ul chose him shloshet alafim of Yisroel; whereof two elef were with Sha’ul at Michmash and in har Beit-El, and an elef were with Yonatan in Giveat Binyamin; and the rest of HaAm he sent back every ish to his ohel.

³ And Yonatan struck the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines) that was in Geva, and the Pelishtim heard of it. Then Sha’ul blew the shofar throughout kol HaAretz, saying, Let the Ivrim (Hebrews) hear.

⁴ And kol Yisroel heard the news that Sha’ul had struck the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and that Yisroel also had become odious to the Pelishtim. And HaAm were called together after Sha’ul at Gilgal.

⁵ And the Pelishtim (Philistines) gathered themselves together to fight against Yisroel, sheloshim elef merkavot and sheshet alafim parashim, and soldiers like the chol (sand) which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up, and encamped at Michmash, east of Beit-Aven.

⁶ When the Ish Yisroel saw that they were in danger (for the army was hard-pressed), then the people did hide themselves in me’arot (caves), and in thickets, and among rocks, and in towers, and in borot (pits).

⁷ And some of the Ivrim (Hebrews) went over Yarden to Eretz Gad and Gil‘ad. As for Sha’ul, he was yet in Gilgal, and kol HaAm followed him fearfully trembling.

⁸ And he tarried shivat yamim, according to the mo’ed (set time) that Shmuel had appointed; but Shmuel came not to Gilgal; and HaAm started slipping away from him.

⁹ And Sha’ul said, Bring to me the olah (burnt offering), and shelamim (peace offerings). And he offered the olah (burnt offering).

¹⁰ And it came to pass, that as soon as he had finished offering the olah (burnt offering), hinei, Shmuel came; and Sha’ul went out to meet him, that he might make a brocha greeting on him.

¹¹ And Shmuel said, What hast thou done? And Sha’ul said, Because I saw that HaAm were slipping away from me, and that thou camest not at the mo’ed hayamim, and that the Pelishtim were assembling themselves together at Michmash;

¹² Therefore, said I, the Pelishtim (Philistines) will come down now upon me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto Hashem; I felt compelled therefore, and offered the olah (burnt offering).

¹³ And Shmuel said to Sha’ul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not been shomer over the mitzvat Hashem Eloheicha, which He commanded thee; for now would Hashem have established thy mamlachah over Yisroel ad olam.

¹⁴ But now thy mamlachah shall not endure; Hashem hath sought for Him an ish after His own levav, and Hashem hath commanded him to be Nagid over His people, because thou hast not been shomer over that which Hashem commanded thee.

¹⁵ And Shmuel arose, and went up from Gilgal unto Giveat Binyamin. And Sha’ul numbered HaAm that were being found with him, about shesh me’ot ish (six hundred men).

¹⁶ And Sha’ul, and Yonatan bno, and HaAm that were being found with them, abode in Geva of Binyamin; but the Pelishtim encamped in Michmash.

¹⁷ And the raiders came out of the machaneh of the Pelishtim in three companies; one company turned toward the derech Ophrah, unto Eretz Shu’al;

¹⁸ And another company turned toward derech Beit Choron; and another company turned toward derech (the road) of the border that overlooks Gey HaTzevo’im toward the midbar.

¹⁹ Now there was no charash (blacksmith) found throughout kol Eretz Yisroel; for the Pelishtim (Philistines) said, Lest the Ivrim (Hebrews) make them cherev (sword) or khanit (spear);

²⁰ But kol Yisroel went down to the Pelishtim, to sharpen every ish his plowshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his hoe.

²¹ And a dullness of the edges occurred in the plowshares, hoes, three pronged pitchforks, axes, and for repointing the darvon (goad).

²² So it came to pass in the yom milchemet (day of battle), that there was neither cherev nor khanit found in the yad kol HaAm that were with Sha’ul and Yonatan; but with Sha’ul and with Yonatan bno was there found.

²³ And the detachment of the Pelishtim (Philistines) went out toward Ma’avar

14 Now the day came to pass, that Yonatan Ben Sha’ul said unto the na’ar (young man) that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines), that is on the other side. But he told not aviv.

² And Sha’ul tarried in the outskirts of Giveah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and HaAm (the people, the army) that were with him were about shesh me’ot ish (six hundred men);

³ And Achiyah Ben Achituv, the ach of Ikhavod Ben Pinchas Ben Eli, kohen Hashem in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And HaAm knew not that Yonatan was gone.

⁴ And between the passes, by which Yonatan sought to go over unto the outpost of the Pelishtim, there was a rocky cliff on the one side, and a rocky cliff on the other side; and the shem of the one was Botzetz, and the shem of the other Seneh.

⁵ The one steep rock faced north opposite Michmash, and the other southward toward Giveah.

⁶ And Yonatan said to the na’ar that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the outpost of these arelim (uncircumcised); it may be that Hashem will act for us; for nothing restrains Hashem l’hoshi’a (to save), by many or by few.

⁷ And his armor-bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine lev; turn thee; hineni, I am with thee according to thy lev.

⁸ Then said Yonatan, Hinei, we will pass over unto these anashim, and we will show ourselves unto them.

⁹ If they say thus unto us, Stand still until we come to you; then we will stand still tachteinu (in our place), and will not go up unto them.

¹⁰ But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Hashem hath delivered them into yadenu (our hand, power): and this shall be haot (the sign) unto us.

¹¹ And both of them showed themselves unto the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines); and the Pelishtim said, Hinei, the Ivrim (Hebrews) come forth out of the chorim (holes) where they had hid themselves.

¹² And the anashim of the outpost answered Yonatan and his armor-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Yonatan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me, for Hashem hath delivered them into the yad Yisroel.

¹³ And Yonatan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him; and they fell before Yonatan; and his armorbearer slaughtered behind him.

¹⁴ And that first attack, which Yonatan and his armorbearer made, killed about esrim ish (twenty men), within an area of half a yoke [i.e., the area an oxen yoke could plow in one day, or rather, half of that].

¹⁵ And there was fearful panic in the machaneh, in the sadeh, and among kol haAm; the outpost, and the raiders, they also trembled, and ha’aretz quaked; so it was a cheredat Elohim (a panic from Elohim).

¹⁶ And the tzofim (watchmen, lookouts, sentries) of Sha’ul in Giveat Binyamin looked; and, hinei, the multitude melted away, and they went in all directions.

¹⁷ Then said Sha’ul unto HaAm that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, hinei, Yonatan and his armor-bearer were not there.

¹⁸ And Sha’ul said unto Achiyah, Bring here the Aron HaElohim. For the Aron HaElohim was at that time with the Bnei Yisroel there.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, while Sha’ul talked to the kohen [i.e., Achiyah], that the tumult that was in the machaneh Pelishtim went on and increased; and Sha’ul said unto the kohen, Withdraw thine yad [i.e., let’s go].

²⁰ And Sha’ul and kol HaAm that were with him assembled themselves, and they went to the milchamah; and, hinei, every cherev ish was against his fellow, and there was mehumah gedolah me’od (a very great confusion).

²¹ Moreover the Ivrim (Hebrews) that were with the Pelishtim (Philistines) before that time, which went up with them into the machaneh from the country round about, even they also turned to be with them of Yisroel that were with Sha’ul and Yonatan.

²² Likewise all the Ish Yisroel which had hid themselves in Har Ephrayim, when they heard that the Pelishtim fled, even they also followed hard after them in the milchamah (battle).

²³ So Hashem saved Yisroel that day; and the milchamah continued raging even unto Beit Aven.

²⁴ And the Ish Yisroel were distressed that day; for Sha’ul had bound under oath HaAm, saying, Arur (cursed) be the ish that eateth lechem before erev, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of HaAm tasted lechem.

²⁵ And all they of HaAretz came to the wood; and there was devash on the surface of the sadeh.

²⁶ And when HaAm were come into the wood, hinei, the devash was oozing; but no one put his yad to his mouth; for HaAm feared the shevuah (oath).

²⁷ But Yonatan heard not when aviv bound HaAm with the oath; wherefore he put forth the end of the matteh (staff) that was in his yad, and dipped it in a honeycomb of the devash, and put his yad to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.

²⁸ Then answered an ish from HaAm, and said, Avicha strictly bound HaAm with an oath, saying, Arur (cursed) be the ish that eateth lechem this day. And HaAm were faint with famished exhaustion.

²⁹ Then said Yonatan, Avi hath troubled HaAretz; see, now, how mine eyes hath brightened, because I tasted a little of this devash.

³⁰ How much more, if only HaAm had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For would there not have been now a much greater makkah (slaughter) among the Pelishtim (Philistines)?

³¹ And they drove back the Pelishtim that day from Michmash to Ayalon; and HaAm were very faint.

³² And the people flew upon the plunder, and took tzon, and bakar, and calves and butchered them on the ground; and HaAm did eat them with the dahm.

³³ Then they told Sha’ul, saying, Hinei, HaAm sin against Hashem, in that they eat with the dahm. And he said, Ye have dealt treacherously; today roll an even gedolah (large stone) over here to me.

³⁴ Then Sha’ul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me here every ish his shor (ox), and every ish his seh, and you make shochet slaughter of them here, and eat; and sin not against Hashem in eating with the dahm. And kol HaAm brought every ish his shor with him that lailah, and made shochet slaughter of them there.

³⁵ And Sha’ul built a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem; it was the first time that he built a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem.

³⁶ And Sha’ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtim by lailah, and plunder them until the ohr haboker, and let us not leave an ish of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth tov in thine eyes. Then said the kohen [Achiyah], Let us draw near here unto HaElohim [to inquire of G-d].

³⁷ And Sha’ul asked counsel of Elohim, Shall I go down after the Pelishtim? Wilt Thou deliver them into the yad Yisroel? But He did not answer him on that day.

³⁸ And Sha’ul said, Draw ye near here, all the pinnot (corners, chiefs of] HaAm; and know and see wherein this chattat hath been this day.

³⁹ For, as Hashem the Moshia Yisroel liveth, though it be in Yonatan beni (my son), he shall surely die. But there was none among kol HaAm that answered him.

⁴⁰ Then said he unto kol Yisroel, Be ye on one side, and I and Yonatan beni will be on the other side. And HaAm said unto Sha’ul, Do what seemeth tov in thine eyes.

⁴¹ Therefore Sha’ul said unto Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Give a tamim (perfect lot). And Sha’ul and Yonatan were taken by lot; but HaAm escaped [from being taken by lot].

⁴² And Sha’ul said, Cast lots between me and Yonatan beni (my son). And Yonatan was taken by lot.

⁴³ Then Sha’ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Yonatan told him, and said, I did but taste a little devash with the end of the matteh that was in mine yad, and, hineni, I must die.

⁴⁴ And Sha’ul answered, Elohim do so and more also if thou shalt not surely die, Yonatan.

⁴⁵ And HaAm said unto Sha’ul, Shall Yonatan die, who hath wrought this Yeshuah HaGedolah (Great Salvation, Deliverance, Rescue) in Yisroel? Chalilah (far be it!); as Hashem liveth, there shall not one hair of his rosh fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with Elohim this day. So HaAm rescued Yonatan, that he died not.

⁴⁶ Then Sha’ul stopped following the Pelishtim; and the Pelishtim withdrew to their own makom.

⁴⁷ So Sha’ul took the melachah (kingdom, establishment of sovereignty) over Yisroel, and fought against all his oyevim on every side, against Moav, and against the Bnei Ammon, and against Edom, and against the melachim of Tzovah, and against the Pelishtim; and everywhere he turned himself, he terrorized them.

⁴⁸ And he gathered an army, and struck Amalek, and delivered Yisroel out of the hands of them that plundered them.

⁴⁹ Now the Bnei Sha’ul were Yonatan, and Yishvi, and Malki-Shu’a; and the shmot of his two banot were these; the shem of the bechirah (first born [daughter]), Merav, and the shem of the younger Michal;

⁵⁰ And the shem of eshet Sha’ul was Achino’am Bat Achima’atz; and the shem of the Sar of his Tzeva was Avner Ben Ner and Ner was dod Sha’ul (uncle of Sha’ul).

⁵¹ And Kish was Avi Sha’ul; Ner Avi Avner was ben Aviel.

⁵² And there was milchamah chazakah against the Pelishtim all the days of Sha’ul; and when Sha’ul saw any ish gibbor, or any valiant man, he recruited him.

15 Shmuel also said unto Sha’ul, Hashem sent me limeshachacha (to anoint thee) to be Melech over His people, over Yisroel; now therefore shema (pay heed) thou unto the voice of the Divrei Hashem.

² Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os, I remember that which Amalek did to Yisroel, how he waylaid him on the derech, when he came up from Mitzrayim.

³ Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both ish and isha, olel, and yonek, shor, seh, gamal, and chamor.

⁴ And Sha’ul gathered HaAm together, and numbered them at Tela’im, two hundred elef foot soldiers, and ten elef Ish Yehudah.

⁵ And Sha’ul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

⁶ And Sha’ul said unto the Keni, Go, depart, get you away from among the Amaleki, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed chesed to kol Bnei Yisroel, when they came up out of Mitzrayim. So the Keni moved away from among Amalek.

⁷ And Sha’ul attacked Amalek from Chavilah until where thou comest to Shur, that is alongside Mitzrayim.

⁸ And he took Agag Melech Amalek alive, and destroyed with utter cherem destruction kol haAm with the edge of the cherev.

⁹ But Sha’ul and HaAm spared Agag, and the best of the tzon, and of the bakar, and of the fat bulls, and the fat sheep, and all that was tov, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and worthless, that they destroyed with utter cherem destruction.

¹⁰ Then came the Devar Hashem unto Shmuel, saying,

¹¹ I greatly regret and relent and reconsider that I have set up Sha’ul to be Melech; for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My Devar. And it grieved Shmuel; and he cried out unto Hashem kol halailah.

¹² And when Shmuel rose early to meet Sha’ul in the boker, it was told Shmuel, saying, Sha’ul came to Carmel, and, hinei, he set up a yad (hand, i.e. memorial, monument) for himself. And he turned and went down to Gilgal.

¹³ And Shmuel came to Sha’ul; and Sha’ul said unto him, Baruch atah l’Hashem; I have carried out the Devar Hashem.

¹⁴ And Shmuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the tzon (sheep) in mine ears, and the lowing of the bakar (cattle) which I hear?

¹⁵ And Sha’ul said, They have brought them from Amalek; for HaAm spared the best of the tzon and of the bakar, in order to sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheicha; and the rest we have destroyed in utter cherem desruction.

¹⁶ Then Shmuel said unto Sha’ul, Stop, and I will tell thee what Hashem hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

¹⁷ And Shmuel said, When thou wast katon (little) in thine own eyes, wast thou not made the Rosh Shivtei Yisroel, and Hashem anointed thee Melech over Yisroel?

¹⁸ And Hashem sent thee baderech (on a mission), and said, Go destroy with utter cherem destruction the chatta’im (sinners), Amalek, and make war against them until they be consumed.

¹⁹ Why then didst thou not obey the voice of Hashem, but didst pounce upon the plunder, and didst harah (the evil) in the eyes of Hasham?

²⁰ And Sha’ul said unto Shmuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Hashem, and have gone baderech (on the mission) which Hashem sent me, and have brought back Agag Melech Amalek, and have destroyed Amalek with utter cherem destruction.

²¹ But HaAm took of the plunder the tzon and bakar, the reshit of the cherem to sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheicha at Gilgal.

²² And Shmuel said, Hath Hashem as great chefetz (delight) in olot and zevakhim, as in obeying the voice of Hashem? Hinei, to obey is better than zevach (sacrifice), and to pay heed than the chelev eilim (fat of rams).

²³ For meri (rebellion) is as the chattat (sin) of kesem (witchcraft, soothsaying, divination), and stubbornness is as heathenish iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the Devar Hashem, He hath also rejected thee from being Melech.

²⁴ And Sha’ul said unto Shmuel, Chatati (I have sinned): for I have transgressed the commandment of Hashem, and thy words: because I feared HaAm, and listened to their voice.

²⁵ Therefore, now, pardon my sin, and turn back with me, that I may worship Hashem.

²⁶ And Shmuel said unto Sha’ul, I will not go back with thee: for thou hast rejected the Davar Hashem, and Hashem hath rejected thee from being Melech over Yisroel.

²⁷ And as Shmuel turned about to go away, he [Sha’ul] seized the edge of his me’il (robe, mantle), and he tore (it).

²⁸ And Shmuel said unto him, Hashem hath torn the Mamlechut Yisroel from thee this day, and hath given it to a re’a (neighbor) of thine, that is better than thou.

²⁹ And also the Netzach Yisroel (Eternal One of Israel) will not lie nor relent: for He is not an adam, that He should change His mind.

³⁰ Then he said, Chatati (I have sinned): yet honor me now, before the Ziknei Ami, and before Yisroel, and turn back with me, that I may worship Hashem Eloheicha.

³¹ So Shmuel turned back after Sha’ul; and Sha’ul worshiped Hashem.

³² Then said Shmuel, Bring ye to me Agag Melech Amalek. And Agag came unto him confidently. And Agag thought, Surely the mar hamavet (bitterness of death) is past.

³³ And Shmuel said, As thy cherev hath made nashim childless, so shall immecha be childless among nashim. And Shmuel cut Agag in pieces before Hashem at Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Shmuel went to Ramah; and Sha’ul went up to his bais at Giveat Sha’ul.

³⁵ Until his [Shaul’s] yom mot Shmuel came not again to see him: nevertheless Shmuel mourned for Sha’ul: and Hashem relented that He had made Sha’ul Melech over Yisroel.