[6:3] They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."
[6:4] Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?"
They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. [6:5] Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. [6:6] Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed? [6:7] Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; [6:8] and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go. [6:9] Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."
[6:10] The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; [6:11] and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. [6:12] The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. [6:13] They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. [6:14] The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh. [6:15] The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh. [6:16] When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. [6:17] These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; [6:18] and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. [6:19] He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter. [6:20] The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? [6:21] They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come you down, and bring it up to you.
[7:1] The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh. [7:2] It happened, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh. [7:3] Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you do return to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. [7:4] Then the children of Israel did put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. [7:5] Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahweh." [7:6] They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against Yahweh." Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. [7:7] When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. [7:8] The children of Israel said to Samuel, "Don't cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines." [7:9] Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him. [7:10] As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel. [7:11] The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar. [7:12] Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto has Yahweh helped us. [7:13] So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. [7:14] The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and its border did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites. [7:15] Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. [7:16] He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places. [7:17] His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
[8:1] It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. [8:2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. [8:3] His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. [8:4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah; [8:5] and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. [8:6] But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh. [8:7] Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. [8:8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. [8:9] Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them. [8:10] Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king. [8:11] He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; [8:12] and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. [8:13] He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. [8:14] He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. [8:15] He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. [8:16] He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. [8:17] He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. [8:18] You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day. [8:19] But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No: but we will have a king over us, [8:20] that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. [8:21] Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. [8:22] Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.
[9:1] Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. [9:2] He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. [9:3] The donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys. [9:4] He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn't find them: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren't there: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn't find them. [9:5] When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us. [9:6] He said to him, See now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes surely to pass: now let us go there; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. [9:7] Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? [9:8] The servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. [9:9] (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he who is now called a prophet was before called a Seer.) [9:10] Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. [9:11] As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here? [9:12] They answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he is come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place: [9:13] as soon as you are come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he does bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat who are invited. Now therefore get you up; for at this time you shall find him. [9:14] They went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place. [9:15] Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, [9:16] Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry is come to me. [9:17] When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people. [9:18] Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, Please, where the seer's house is. [9:19] Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today: and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. [9:20] As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don't set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house? [9:21] Saul answered, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? why then speak you to me after this manner? [9:22] Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. [9:23] Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it by you. [9:24] The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, Behold, that which has been reserved! set it before you and eat; because to the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. [9:25] When they were come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. [9:26] They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send you away. Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. [9:27] As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand you still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.
[10:1] Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, Isn't it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? [10:2] When you are departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, The donkeys which you went to seek are found; and behold, your father has left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? [10:3] Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet you there three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: [10:4] and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. [10:5] After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: [10:6] and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. [10:7] Let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you. [10:8] You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do. [10:9] It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. [10:10] When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them. [10:11] It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? [10:12] One of the same place answered, Who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? [10:13] When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. [10:14] Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, Where went you? He said, To seek the donkeys; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel. [10:15] Saul's uncle said, Tell me, Please, what Samuel said to you. [10:16] Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn't tell him. [10:17] Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah; [10:18] and he said to the children of Israel, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you: [10:19] but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, No, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands. [10:20] So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. [10:21] He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. [10:22] Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Is there yet a man to come here? Yahweh answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the baggage. [10:23] They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. [10:24] Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?"
All the people shouted, and said, Long live the king. [10:25] Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. [10:26] Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts God had touched. [10:27] But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
[11:1] Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you. [11:2] Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel. [11:3] The elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to you. [11:4] Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. [11:5] Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What ails the people that they weep? They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. [11:6] The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. [11:7] He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. [11:8] He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. [11:9] They said to the messengers who came, Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance. The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. [11:10] Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you. [11:11] It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. [11:12] The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. [11:13] Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel. [11:14] Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. [11:15] All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.