不认识圣经，就是不认识基督，不认识基督，就是不认识基督所建立的天主教会。
旧约·撒慕尔纪上
共31章:
前编 撒慕尔小史(1－12)
第一章(28)
撒慕尔的父母
1:1
从前在辣玛有个厄弗辣因山地的族弗人，名叫厄耳卡纳，是耶洛罕的儿子，──耶洛罕是厄里胡的儿子，厄里胡是托胡的儿子，托胡是厄弗辣因人族弗的儿子?ぉ?
2
他有两个妻子：一个名叫亚纳，一个名叫培尼纳；培尼纳有孩子，亚纳却没有。
1:3
这人每年从本城上史罗去朝拜祭献万军的上主。那里有厄里的两个儿子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯做上主的司祭。
1:4
有一天，厄耳卡纳献祭后，就把祭品给了自己的妻子培尼纳和她的儿女好几分，
1:5
只给了亚纳一分；他虽喜爱亚纳，无奈上主封闭了她的子宫；
1:6
就因上主封闭了亚纳的子宫，她的情敌便羞辱刺激她，使她愤怒。
1:7
年年都是这样：每次她上上主的圣殿时，总是这样刺激亚纳?ぉぱ悄缮诵耐纯蓿豢铣苑埂?
8
她的丈夫厄耳卡纳对她说：「亚纳，你为什么哭，不肯用饭﹖为什么伤心﹖难道我对你不比十个儿子还好吗﹖」
1:9
在史罗吃喝完了，亚纳就起来走到上主面前；那时司祭厄里正对着上主圣殿门口，坐在椅子上。
1:10
她心灵愁苦，哀求上主，不断痛哭流泪；
1:11
且许愿说：「万军的上主，若你垂顾你婢女的痛苦，记念我，不忘你的婢女，赐你婢女生一个男孩，我就将他一生献于上主，一辈子不给他剃头。」
1:12
亚纳在上主面前祈祷很久，厄里曾注意到她的嘴唇；
1:13
亚纳只是心内诉说，嘴唇微动，却听不到她的声音，厄里就以为她喝醉了，
1:14
就对她说：「你要醉到几时﹖消消你身上的酒气罢!」
1:15
亚纳答说：「我主!你想错了；我是个遭遇不幸的女人，清酒烈酒总不沾唇；我是在上主面前倾吐我的心意。
1:16
望你不要以为你的婢女是个坏人，因为我由于极度的痛苦悲伤，才一直倾诉到现在。」
1:17
厄里回答她说：「你平安的去罢!愿以色列的天主赐给你求他的事。」
1:18
她答说：「愿你的婢女在你眼内蒙恩。」
撒慕尔诞生
这女人就回了旅舍，吃完饭，不再愁容满面。
1:19 次日早，他们起来，朝拜了上主，就回了辣玛本家。厄耳卡纳认识了妻子亚纳，上主也记念了她，
1:20
亚纳就怀了孕，生了一个儿子，给他起名叫撒慕尔，说：「因为是我向上主求得了他。」约过了一年，
1:21
她的丈夫厄耳卡纳和全家上史罗去，向上主奉献年祭，并还所许的愿，
1:22
亚纳却没有上去，因她对丈夫说：「等孩子断了乳，我要带他去，将他奉献给上主，以后他永住在那里。」
1:23
她的丈夫厄耳卡纳对她说：「就照你的意思办罢!等他断了乳再说；惟愿上主实现你的话!」于是他的妻子留在家里，乳养孩子，直到断了乳。
献撒慕尔于上主
1:24
断乳后，她便带着小孩和一头三岁的牛，一「厄法」面和一皮囊酒，来到史罗上主的圣殿；孩子还很小。
1:25
他们祭杀了牛以后，孩子的母亲来到厄里前，
1:26
对他说：「我主，请听：我主，就如你活着那样真实，我就是曾在你旁边祈求上主的那个妇人，
1:27
那时我为得到这孩子祈祷，上主就赏赐了我所恳求的，
1:28
所以我现在把他献于上主，他一生是属于上主的。」亚纳便把他留在上主那里。
第二章(36)
亚纳的颂谢诗
2:1 亚纳祈祷说：「我从心里喜乐于上主，我的头因上主而高仰；我可开口嘲笑我的敌人，因为我喜乐于你的救助。
2:2
没有圣者，相似上主；除了你以外，没有另一位；没有盘石，相似我们的天主。
2:3
你们别再三说诳言，别口出豪语；上主是全知的天主，人的行为由他衡量。
2:4
壮士的弓已被折断，衰弱者反而力量倍增。
2:5
曾享饱饫的，今佣工求食；曾受饥饿的，今无须劳役；不妊的生了七子，多产者反而生育停顿。
2:6
上主使人死，也使人活；使人降入阴府，也将人由阴府提出；
2:7
上主使人穷，也使人富；贬抑人，也举扬人；
2:8
上主由尘埃中提拔卑贱者，从粪土中高举贫穷者，使他与王侯同席，承受光荣座位；大地的支柱原属上主，支柱上奠定了世界。
2:9
他保护虔诚者的脚步，使恶人在黑暗中灭亡，因为人决不能凭己力获胜，
2:10
那与上主敌对的必被粉碎。至高者在天主鸣雷，上主要裁判地极，赐予自己的君王能力，高举受傅者的冠冕。」
2:11
以后厄耳卡纳回了辣玛本家。幼童却留在厄里大司祭前，奉事上主。
厄里儿子的亵圣罪过
2:12 厄里的两个儿子原是无恶不做的人，不怀念上主，
2:13
也不关心司祭对人民的义务；若有人来杀牲献祭，到煮祭肉时，司祭的僮仆便来，手持三齿叉，
2:14
插入鼎里，锅里，甑里或镬里，凡叉上来的，司祭就拿去自用；他们常这样对待所有到史罗来的以色列人。
2:15
甚或在焚化油脂以前，司祭的僮仆来对献祭的人说：「把肉给司祭去烤罢!他不向你要熟肉，他要生肉。」
2:16
如果人答应说：「先得将油脂焚化，然后你可随意拿去。」他必答说：「不，应立刻给我；不然，我就来抢。」
2:17
这两个少年人在上主前犯的罪极重，因为轻视了献于上主的祭品。
撒慕尔的母亲
2:18 撒慕尔幼童穿著细麻的「厄弗得，」在上主面前供职。
2:19
他的母亲每年给他做一件小外氅，当她同丈夫上来献年祭时，就给他带来。
2:20
厄里祝福厄耳卡纳和他的妻子说：「愿上主由这妇人再赏你一个儿子，代替献给上主的这一个!」然后他们就回了本乡。
2:21
主看顾了亚纳她怀孕生了三男二女。撒慕尔幼童在上主前渐渐长大。
厄里劝戒二子
2:22 厄里已经很老。他听说他的两个儿子对众以色列人所做的一切，和他们与社会幕门旁服役的妇女同睡的事，
2:23
就对他们说：「你们为什么作出像我由众百姓那里听来的这些坏事﹖
2:24
我儿，不要这样!我所听见的风声实在不好，你们竟使百姓远离了上主!
2:25
若得罪人，尚有天主审断；人若得罪上主，有谁为他求情呢﹖」但是他们仍不听父亲的话，因为上主有意使他们丧亡。
2:26
撒慕尔幼童渐渐长大，为上主和人所喜爱。
预言厄里家的恶运
2:27 有一位天主的人来到厄里面前对他说：「上主这样说：当你祖先的家人还在埃及法郎家中当奴隶时，我不是再三显现给他们吗﹖
2:28
我不是从以色列众支派中，特选了他们作我的司祭，上我的祭坛焚香献祭，穿「厄弗得」到我面前来，并将以色列子民的火祭祭品全赐给了你的父家吗﹖
2:29
那么，你为什么还要嫉视我所规定的牺牲和素祭呢﹖竟重视你的儿子在我以上，用我的人民以色列所献的最好的一份，养肥了他们﹖
2:30
因此，请听上主以色列天主的断语：我曾许下，你的家和你的父家要在我面前永远往来，但是现在，──上主的断语──决不能如此!只有那光荣我的，我才光荣他；那轻视我的，必受轻视。
2:31
时日快到了，那时我要砍下你的臂膊和你父家的臂膊，使你家里再没有权威的长者。
2:32
以后，你要嫉视我赐与以色列人的一切幸福，可是在你家里永不会再有权威的长者；
2:33
我也不愿将你的人由我的祭坛上尽行消灭，致使你的眼目昏花，心神忧伤；但你家中大多数的人要死在人家的刀下。
2:34
你的两个儿子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯所要遭遇的，为你就是个先兆：他们两人要在同一天死掉。
2:35
我要为我兴起一位忠信的司祭，他要照我的心意行事，我要给他建立一个坚固的家庭，他一生要在我的受傅者前往来。
2:36
那时，凡你家中所存留的人，必要叩拜他，为得到一点钱或一片饼说：求你容我参与任何一种司祭职务，使我可以糊口。」
第三章(21)
撒慕尔蒙启示
3:1 小撒慕尔在厄里面前服事上主；那时，上主的话少有，异象也罕见。
3:2
有一天，厄里睡在自己的房里，他的眼睛渐渐昏花，已看不清了，
3:3
天主的灯尚未熄灭，撒慕尔睡在安放天主约柜的上主的殿内。
3:4
那时，上主召叫说：「撒慕尔!撒慕尔!」他回答说：「我在这里!」
3:5
他就跑到厄里前说道：「你叫了我，我在这里。」厄里说：「我没有叫你，回去睡罢!」他就回去睡了。
3:6
上主又叫撒慕尔；撒慕尔起来，走到厄里那里说道：「你叫了我，我在这里。」厄里对他说：「我儿，我没有叫你，回去睡罢!」
3:7
撒慕尔不知道是上主，因为上主的话尚未启示给他。
3:8
上主第三次又叫了撒慕尔；他起来，又走到厄里那里说道：「你叫了我，我在这里。」厄里于是明白，是上主叫了幼童，
3:9
便对撒慕尔说：「去睡罢!假使有人再叫你，你就回答说：请上主发言，你的仆人在此静听。」撒慕尔就回去，仍睡在原处。
3:10
上主走近，像前几次一样召叫说：「撒慕尔，撒慕尔!」撒慕尔便回答说：「请上主发言!你的仆人在此静听。」
3:11
上主遂对撒慕尔说：「看!我要在以色列行一件事，凡听见的人，他的两耳必要嗡嗡作响。
3:12
到那一天，我必对厄里从头到尾实践我论他的家族所说的一切话。
3:13
你传报给他：我要处罚他的家族直到永远，因为他原知道他的两个儿子凌辱了天主，却未责斥他们。
3:14
因此，我对厄里的家族起誓：无论牺牲或供物，永不能抹去厄里一家的罪过。
撒慕尔被立为先知
3:15 撒慕尔睡到早晨起来，开了上主圣殿的门；但害怕告诉厄里他所见的异象。
3:16
厄里却对撒慕尔说：「撒慕尔，我儿!」他回答说：「我在这里。」
3:17
厄里问说：「上主给你说了什么话，请不要隐瞒我!你若把上主给你说的话，给我隐瞒了一句，愿天主加倍惩罚你。」
3:18
撒慕尔便把那些话全告诉了他，一句也没有隐瞒。厄里说：「他是上主，他看着怎么好，就怎样行罢!」
3:19
撒慕尔渐渐长大；上主与他同在，使他说的一切话，没有一句落空。
3:20
于是全以色列从丹直到贝尔舍巴，都知道撒慕尔被立为上主的先知。
3:21
自从上主在史罗对撒慕尔显现后，继续在史罗显现于他。
第四章(22)
以色列人惨败、约柜被夺
4:1 撒慕尔的话传遍了全以色列。当时厄里已很老了，他的两个儿子的品行在上主面前，比以前更坏了。那时，培肋舍特人集合起来攻打以色列人，以色列人便出来还击他们，在厄本厄则尔旁扎了营，当时培肋舍特人已在阿费克扎了营。
4:2
培肋舍特人就摆列阵势攻打以色列人，战斗十分激烈；以色列人为培肋舍特打败，在平原阵地上被击毙的约有四千人。
4:3
军队回营后，以色列的长老说：「为什么上主今天让我们被培肋舍特人打败﹖我们应从史罗把上主的约柜抬来，让约柜来到我们中间，拯救我们摆脱敌人的压迫。」
4:4
于是军队就派人到史罗去，从那里把坐于革鲁宾上的万军之上主的约柜抬来；厄里的两个儿子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也跟天主的约柜来了。
4:5
当上主的约柜来到营内的时候，全以色列民就大声欢呼，大地也震动了。
4:6
培肋舍特人一听见这样的呼声，就说：「希伯来人在营中为什么这样大声欢呼﹖」后来才知道，是上主的约柜来到了他们的营中。
4:7
培肋舍特人大为震惊，遂说：「希伯来人的神来到了他们的营中!」继而喊说：「我们有祸了!至今从未有过这样的事!
4:8
我们有祸了!谁能从这大能的神手中救出我们呢﹖用各样灾祸在旷野中打击了埃及人的，就是这个神啊!
4:9
培肋舍特人哪﹖你们应加强，要英勇，免得你们做希伯来人的奴才，像他们做过你们的奴才一样。你们要英勇，奋斗作战!」
4:10
培肋舍特人就开始进攻，以色列人中阵亡的步兵有三万；
4:11
天主的约柜也被劫了去，厄里的两个儿子曷弗尼和丕乃哈斯也同时阵亡了。
厄里与丕乃哈斯的妻子猝死
4:12 有个本雅明人从阵地逃出，当天来到了史罗，衣服已撕破，头上满是灰尘。
4:13
他来到时，见厄里在门旁坐在椅子上，向大道观望，因为他为天主的约柜很是放心不下。那人一来到，就在城内布开这凶信，全城因此哀号起来；
4:14
厄里一听见哀号声，就问说：「这样喧嚷，是什么事﹖」那人就赶快前来报告给厄里，──
4:15
那时厄里已是九十八岁的人，眼睛虽然瞪着，却什么也看不见?ぉ?
16
对厄里说：「我是从营中来的，今天刚从战场上逃回来的。」厄里问说：「我儿，事情怎样﹖」
4:17
报信的答说：「以色列人在培肋舍特人面前大败，人民伤亡极大，你的两个儿子也死了，天主的约柜也被劫去了。」
4:18
他一提到天主的约柜，厄里就从椅子上往后一仰，跌在门槛上，跌断了颈项，死了，因为他已年老，且又肥胖?ぉに氖曛米隽艘陨腥说拿癯ぁ?
19
他的儿媳，丕乃哈斯的妻子，已经怀孕，快要临盆；一听说天主的约柜被劫去，他的公公和丈夫已死的消息，突然感到阵痛，就弯下身去生产了。
4:20
她临死时，侍立在旁的妇女向她说：「不必害怕，你生了一个儿子!」她没有答应，也没有留意，
4:21
只给孩子取名叫依加波得，说：「光荣已远离了以色列。」这是指天主的约柜，她的公公和丈夫都已被劫去，
4:22
所以她说：「光荣已远离了以色列，」因为天主的约柜已被劫去。
第五章(12)
约柜加害培肋舍特人
5:1 培肋舍特人劫走了天主的约柜，从厄本厄则尔运到阿市多得，
5:2
把天主的约柜抬到达贡庙内，放在达贡近旁。
5:3
第二天清早，阿市多得人起来，见达贡倾倒了，在上主的约柜面前，俯伏在地；他们把达贡竖起安置在原处。
5:4
但第二天清早人们起来，见达贡又倾倒了，仍在上主的约柜面前，俯伏在地，达贡的头和双手都断在门槛上，只留下了他的鱼身?ぉ?
5
因此，达贡的司祭和进达贡庙的人，都不敢踏阿市多得的庙的门槛，直到今天。
5:6
上主的手重重地压制了阿市多得人，威吓他们，使阿市多得和附近的人都生了毒疮。
5:7
阿市多得人一见这样，就说：「别让以色列天主的约柜留在我们这里，因他的手重重地压制了我们的神达贡。」
5:8
遂打发人召集了培肋舍特人所有的酋长来到他们那里，向他们说：「对以色列天主的约柜我们该怎么办﹖」他们就回答说：「把以色列天主的约柜送到加特去!」他们遂把以色列天主的约柜送到加特去了。
5:9
他们把约柜送去以后，上主的手又压制那座城，使他们发生了很大的恐慌，因为上主打击了城中的人，无论老幼，都患了毒疮。
5:10
于是加特人又把天主的约柜送到厄刻龙；天主的约柜一到了厄刻龙，厄刻龙人就喊说：「人把以色列天主的约柜送到我们这里，是为杀害我们和我们的百姓!」
5:11
遂立刻派人召集培肋舍特所有的酋长来，向他们说，「你们把以色列天主的约柜送走，送回原处，免得杀害我们和我们的百姓。」因为全城的人死的太多了，天主的手重重地压制了那地方。
5:12
凡没有死的人，都患了毒疮，因此城中哀号之声，上达于天。
第六章(21)
约柜运往贝特舍默士
6:1 上主的约柜在培肋舍特地方七个月之久。
6:2
培肋舍特人召集司祭和占卜者说：「我们对上主的约柜该作什么﹖请告诉我们，用什么方法可将它送回原处﹖」
6:3
他们回答说：「你们若将以色列天主的约柜送回，不可空空的将它送回，必须奉上赎罪的礼品：这样你们才能痊愈，也会明了他的手为什么没有离开你们。」
6:4
他们问说：「我们应奉上什么赎罪的礼品﹖」他们回答说：「按照培肋舍特酋长的数目，奉上五个金毒疮像和五个金鼠像，因为你们所有的人和你们的酋长，都遭遇同样的灾祸。
6:5
所以你们应制造你们患的毒疮像，和损坏你们地方的老鼠的像，应归光荣于以色列的天主：这样或许他会对你们，对你们的神和你们的地方放松他的手。
6:6
你们为什么像埃及人和法郎一样心硬呢﹖不是上主玩弄了他们以后，埃及人才放走了他们吗﹖
6:7
现今，赶快制造一辆新车，牵出两头正在哺乳，还没有负过轭的母牛来，套上这辆新车，把小牛牵回棚里去；
6:8
然后把上主的约柜装在车上，把那奉上作为赎罪礼品的金器，都盛在一匣子内，放在约柜旁边，然后让它去。
6:9
但你们应留神：若是约柜取道往自己的地方去，即往贝特舍默士去，那么，这大灾难，即是上主加给我们的；若不然，我们就知道，不是他的手打击了我们，而我们所遭遇的是出于偶然。」
6:10
人们就这样作了；牵出两头正在哺乳的母牛来，套上那辆新车，将牛犊关在棚里，
6:11
把上主的约柜，以及装有金老鼠和毒疮像的匣子，都放在车上。
6:12
那对母牛直直奔向贝特舍默士的路上走去，一边走，一边叫，不偏左也不偏右；培肋舍特的酋长跟在后面，一直到了贝特舍默士的边境。
6:13
那时，贝特舍默士人正在谷中收割麦子，举目一看，见是上主的约柜，就前去欢迎。
6:14
车来到贝特舍默士人约叔亚的庄田，就在那里停住了。那里有一块大石头，人就将车辆的木头劈开，把母牛祭献给上主作全燔祭。
6:15
肋未人先把上主的约柜和旁边盛有金器的匣子搬下来，放在那块大石上。贝特舍默士人当天给上主献了全燔祭，宰杀了许多牺牲。
6:16
培肋舍特的五位酋长见事已成，当天就回了厄刻龙。
6:17
以下是培肋舍特人奉献给上主作为赎罪礼品的金毒疮像：阿市多得一个，迦萨一个，阿市刻隆一个，加特一个，厄刻龙一个。
6:18
金老鼠也是依照培肋舍特五酋长的城市数目，包括有垣墙的城市和所有的村落。那曾安放过上主约柜的大石，直到今日还在贝特舍默士人约叔亚的田内，作为见证。
约柜在克黎雅特耶阿陵
6:19 当贝特舍默士人看见上主的约柜时，耶苛尼雅的子孙没有与他们一起表示欢乐，所以上主击杀了他们中七十人。百姓就难受，因为上主这样严厉打击了百姓。
6:20
于是贝特舍默士人说：「在这神圣的天主上主面前，谁还能站得住﹖从我们这里把它送到谁那里去呢﹖」
6:21
他们遂派使者到克黎雅特耶阿陵的居民那里，对他们说：「培肋舍特人送回了上主的约柜，你们下来，将它抬上去，放在你们那里。」
第七章(17)
以民弃邪归正
7:1 克黎雅特耶阿陵人遂下来，将上主的约柜抬上去，送到住在丘岭上的阿彼纳达布家里，并且祝圣他的儿子厄肋阿匝尔，看守上主的约柜。
7:2
自从约柜停放在克黎雅特耶阿陵的那天起，过了很长的时间，大约二十年之久，以色列全家又归向上主。
7:3
那时撒慕尔对以色列全家说：「如果你们全心归向上主，就该将外邦的神由你们中间铲除，一心归向上主，惟独事奉上主，他必由培肋舍特人手中解救你们。」
7:4
以色列子民遂铲除了巴耳和阿市托勒特，唯独事奉上主。
7:5
于是撒慕尔说：「你们把全以色列聚集在米兹帕，我要为你们恳求上主。」
7:6
他们便集在米兹帕，汲了水来，倒在上主面前，并且在那一天禁食说：「我们犯了罪，得罪了上主!」从此撒慕尔在米兹帕治理以色列子民。
击败培肋舍特人
7:7
培肋舍特人一听说以色列子民聚集在米兹帕，培肋舍特的酋长就上来攻打以色列，以色列子民听说培肋舍特人前来，大为震惊，
7:8
对撒慕尔说：「你不要停止为我们哀求上主，我们的天主，好叫他救我们脱离培肋舍特人的威胁。」
7:9
撒慕尔遂拿了一只还在吃奶的羔羊献给上主，作全燔祭，为以色列呼吁上主，上主应允了他。
7:10
当撒慕尔正在奉献全燔祭时，培肋舍特人前来，要与以色列交战；但上主在那一天使雷声向着培肋舍特人大作，恐吓他们，他们就在以色列面前溃退了。
7:11
以色列人遂从米兹帕出来追击培肋舍特人，击杀他们直到贝特加尔下边。
7:12
以后，撒慕尔取了一块石头，竖立在米兹帕与耶撒纳中间，给那石起名叫厄本厄则尔，说：「直到这时上主救助了我们。」
7:13
培肋舍特人受了这次挫折以后，不敢再来侵犯以色列的边境；撒慕尔活着时，上主的手常压制了培肋舍特人。
7:14
培肋舍特人由以色列夺去的城市，自厄刻龙直到加特，都归还了以色列人；以色列人由培肋舍特人手中收复了自己的领土；在那时以色列和阿摩黎人之间平安无事。
撒慕尔执行民长职
7:15 撒慕尔一生做了以色列的民长。
7:16
他每年去视察贝特耳、基耳加耳和米兹帕，在这些地方治理以色列人。
7:17
以后他回到辣玛，因为他的家在那里，他也在那里治理以色列人，并在那里给上主建了一座祭坛。
第八章(22)
立君王的要求
8:1 撒慕尔年老的时候，立了他的两个儿子作以色列的民长。
8:2
长子名叫约厄耳，次子名叫阿彼雅，同在贝尔舍巴作民长。
8:3
但是他这两个儿子不走他所走的路，却贪图厚利，接受贿赂，歪曲正理。
8:4
以色列众长老便联合起来，往辣玛去见撒慕尔，
8:5
对他说：「看，你已经老了，你的儿子们不走你所走的路。如今请你给我们立一位君王治理我们，如同各国一样。」
8:6
撒慕尔听到他们要求说：「请给我们立一位君王治理我们，」大为不悦，便去祈求上主。
8:7
上主对撒慕尔说：「凡民众向你所说的话，你都要听从，因为他们不是拋弃你，而是拋弃我作他们的君王。
8:8
自从我领他们出离埃及直到今日，凡他们做的，无非是拋弃我而事奉别的神；他们现在也这样来对待你。
8:9
好罢!你就听从他们的要求，但必须清楚警告他们，要他们明了那统治他们的君王所享有的权利。」
君王的权利
8:10 撒慕尔把上主的一切话，转告给那向他要求君王的人民，
8:11
说：「那要统治你们的君王所享有的权利是：他要征用你们的儿子，去充当车夫马夫，在他的车前奔走：
8:12
委派他们做千夫长、百夫长、五十夫长；令他们耕种他的田地，收割他的庄稼，替他制造作战的武器和战车的用具；
8:13
要征用你们的女儿为他配制香料，烹调食物；
8:14
要拿你们最好的庄田、葡萄园和橄榄林，赐给他的臣仆；
8:15
征收你们庄田和葡萄园出产的十分之一，赐给他的宦官和臣仆；
8:16
使用你们的仆婢和你们最好的牛驴，替他作工；
8:17
征收你们的羊群十分之一；至于你们自己，还应作他的奴隶。
8:18
到那一天，你们必要因你们所选的君王发出哀号；但那一天，上主也不理你们了。」
人民坚持所求
8:19 但是，人民不愿听从撒慕尔的话却对他说：「不!我们非要一位君王管理我们不可。
8:20
我们也要像一般异民一样，有我们的君王来治理我们，率领我们出征作战。」
8:21
撒慕尔听见百姓所说的这一切话，就转告给上主听。
8:22
上主对撒慕尔说：「你听从他们的话，给他们一位君王罢!」撒慕尔就吩咐以色列人说：「你们各自暂回本城去。」
第九章(27)
撒乌耳寻驴遇撒慕尔
9:1 本雅明支派有个人名叫克士，他是阿彼耳的儿子，阿彼耳是责洛尔的儿子，责洛尔是贝苛辣特的儿子，贝苛辣特是阿非亚的儿子；这本雅明人是个英勇的战士。
9:2
他有个儿子名叫撒乌耳，魁梧英俊，在以色列人中没有比他更俊美的，比所有的人高出一肩。
9:3
撒乌耳的父亲克士有几匹母驴，走迷了路，克士遂对儿子撒乌耳说：「你带一个仆人，起身去寻找那些驴。」
9:4
他们走过了厄弗辣因山地和沙里地方，却没有找着；又过了沙阿林地方，也没有找到；最后经过耶米尼地方，也不见踪影。
9:5
当他们来到族弗地方时，撒乌耳对跟随自己的仆人说：「我们回去罢!免得我父亲不挂念驴，反而挂虑我们。」
9:6
仆人回答他说：「请看，这城里有一位天主的人，很受敬重；凡他说的，必定应验；现在我们往那里去，或许他会告诉我们应走的路。」
9:7
撒乌耳回答仆人说：「好!我们可以去，但是给那人送什么呢﹖我们袋里的干粮已经用尽，没有礼物可送给天主的人了。我们还有什么呢﹖」
9:8
仆人回答撒乌耳说：「看，我手里还有四分之一「协刻耳」银子，
9:9
你可把它送给天主的人，请他把我们当走的路告诉我们。」
9:10
撒乌耳对他的仆人说：「你说的对，来，我们去罢!」他们就往天主的人所住的城里去了。
9:11
当他们上那城的山坡时，遇见一些少女出来打水，就问她们说：「先见者在这里吗﹖」──过去在以色列，如果有人去求问天主，常说：「来，我们到先见者那里去!」现今所称的「先知，」就是从前称的「先见者。」──
9:12
她们回答说：「是。看，先见者就在你们前面，刚刚进了城，因为今天百姓要在高丘上举行祭献。
9:13
你们进了城，在他上到高丘进食以前，一定会遇见他，因为人民在他来以前，不先吃什么，因他要祝福牺牲，然后宾客才进食。你们现在上去，立刻会遇见他。」
9:14
他们于是上到那城，刚进城门，看，撒慕尔就朝着他们出来，要上高丘去。
撒慕尔优待撒乌耳
9:15 在撒乌耳来的前一日，上主曾启示给撒慕尔说：「
9:16
明日大约这时，我打发一个本雅明地方的人到你这里来，你要给他傅油，立他当我民以色列的首领，他要从培肋舍特人手中拯救我的百姓，因我已看到我百姓的痛苦，他们的哀号已上达于我。」
9:17
撒慕尔一看见撒乌耳，上主就提醒他说：「看，这就是我曾对你提及的那人，他要统治我的百姓。」
9:18
撒乌耳走到撒慕尔跟前，在城门洞中问他说：「请你告诉我，先见者的家在那里﹖」
9:19
撒慕尔回答撒乌耳说：「我就是先见者；请你在我以前上高丘去；你们今天要同我一起吃饭，明天早晨我打发你去，你心中所怀念的事，我会全告诉你。
9:20
至于三天以前你所失的母驴，不必担心，都已找着了。此外，以色列所有的至宝是谁的呢﹖岂不是你和你父亲全家的吗!」
9:21
撒乌耳回答说：「我岂不是一个本雅明人，属于以色列最小的一支派吗﹖我的家族在本雅明家族中，不也是最小的吗﹖你怎能向我说出这样的话﹖」
9:22
以后撒慕尔将撒乌耳和他的仆人领到餐厅内，叫他们坐在宾客的首位上，宾客约有三十人。
9:23
撒慕尔对厨师说：「将我交给你的那份，即对你说：暂且留下的那一份，给我拿来。」
9:24
厨师遂把后腿和肥尾端上来，放在撒乌耳面前。撒慕尔对他说：「看，摆在你面前的，是预先特意保留的一份，请吃罢!因为特意为你保留下的，叫你好同宾客一起吃。」撒乌耳那天就同撒慕尔一起吃了饭。
9:25
他们从高丘下到城里，有人在露台上给撒乌耳铺好了卧榻，
9:26
撒乌耳就睡在那里。天一亮，撒慕尔就叫醒在露台上的撒乌耳，对他说：「起来，让我送你走。」撒乌耳起来，他们二人，即他和撒慕尔，就往城外走；
9:27
当他们下到城边时，撒慕尔对撒乌耳说：「你吩咐仆人，叫他在我们前面先走，你暂且停留一会，我要把天主的话告诉你。」
第十章(26)
傅油与预兆
10:1 撒慕尔拿出油具，把油倒在他头上，口吻他说：「不是上主给你傅油，立你作他百姓以色列的首领吗﹖是你要统治上主的百姓，从四周的仇人手中解救百姓。这是上主给你傅油立你为自己产业首领的先兆：
10:2
今天你离开我以后，在本雅明边境辣黑耳的墓旁，正午你会遇见两个人，他们要对你说：你去找的那些母驴，已找到了。为母驴的事，你父亲早已忘怀，现在他却为你们着急说：为我的儿子我该怎么办﹖
10:3
你从那里再往前走，来到德波辣的橡树旁时，要遇见三个上贝特耳去敬礼天主的人：一人牵着三只小山羊，一人拿着三张饼，一人带着一皮囊酒。
10:4
他们要向你请安，给你两张饼，你要从他们手中接过来。
10:5
此后，你要往天主的基贝亚去，──在那里驻有培肋舍特人的官吏，──你一进城，就会遇见一群正从高丘下来的先知，在他们前面有弹弦的、有打鼓的、有吹笛的、有弹琴的、他们正在出神说妙语。
10:6
这时，上主的神会突然降在你身上，你也要同他们一起出神说妙语；你要变成另一个人。
10:7
当你遇见这些现象时，你应见机行事，因为天主必与你同在。
10:8
你要在我以先下到基耳加去；我要下到你那里去奉献全燔祭，宰杀和平祭牺牲。你要等候七天，直到我到了你那里，告诉你当作的事。」
撒乌耳受先知灵感
10:9 当他转身离开撒慕尔时，天主就改变了他的心，那一切先兆在当天都实现了。
10:10
他从那里来到基贝亚时，果然有一群先知迎面而来，天主的神突然降在他身上，他就在他们中间出神说起妙语来。
10:11
凡先前认识他的人，见他同先知们一起出神说妙语，就彼此说：「克士的儿子遭遇了什么事﹖怎么，连撒乌耳也列在先知之中﹖」
10:12
他们中有人回答说：「他们的父亲是谁﹖」因此有一句俗话说：「怎么，连撒乌耳也列在先知中吗﹖」
10:13
他说完妙语后，就回了家。
10:14
撒乌耳的一个叔父问他和他的仆人说：「你们往那里去了﹖」撒乌耳回答说：「找母驴去了；我们看没找着，就到了撒慕尔那里。」
10:15
撒乌耳的叔父向他说：「请你告诉我，撒慕尔给你说了些什么﹖」
10:16
撒乌耳回答他叔父说：「他告诉我们，母驴的确已经找到了。」但撒慕尔所说有关立君王的话，撒乌耳却没有告诉他。
撒乌耳被选为王
10:17 撒慕尔召集人民来到米兹帕上主面前。
10:18
对以色列子民说：「上主以色列的天主这样说：是我领以色列出离了埃及，从埃及人和一切压迫你们的国家中拯救了你们。
10:19
然而今天你们拋弃了你们的天主，虽然他从你们一切灾难和压迫中解救了你们，你们却说：不，你该给我们立一位君王!现今你们要按照你们的支派和家族到上主面前来。」
10:20
撒慕尔就叫以色列众支派上前来，本雅明支派中了签；
10:21
他叫本雅明支派按照家族上前来，玛特黎家族中了签；他叫玛特黎家族各个男子上前来，克士的儿子撒乌耳中了签，大家便寻找他，却没有找着。
10:22
他们再求问上主说：「这人到这里来了没有﹖」上主回答说：「看，他隐藏在行李中。」
10:23
人们就赶快去将他从那里请出来，他站在百姓当中，高出众人一肩。
10:24
撒慕尔就向民众说：「你们看了上主所拣选的吗﹖在全人民中，没有一人可与他相比。」众百姓就欢呼说：「君王万岁!」
10:25
撒慕尔向民众说明了君王的权利，并写在书卷上，放在上主面前。然后撒慕尔打发民众各自回了家。
10:26
撒乌耳也回基贝亚本家去了；有些为天主所感动的勇士也跟他去了，27 但有些无赖汉却说：「这人怎能拯救我们﹖」就看不起他，也未给他送礼。
第十一章(15)
撒乌耳得胜阿孟人
11:1 大约过了一个月，阿孟人纳哈士上来围困基肋阿得的雅贝士，雅贝士所有的居民对纳哈士说：「你与我们立约，我们就服事你。」
11:2
阿孟人纳哈士回答他们说：「在这条件下，我才与你们立约：就是剜出你们各人的右眼，我要藉此羞辱全以色列。」
11:3
雅贝士的长老回答他说：「请让我们休战七天，我们派人到以色列全境去，如果没有人来救我们，我们就向你投降。
11:4
使者到了撒乌耳的基贝亚，就把这事讲给民众听，民众遂放声大哭。
11:5
那时撒乌耳正跟着牛从田间回来，便问说：「民众有什么事，如此号淘大哭﹖」人们就把雅贝士人的话讲给他听。
11:6
撒乌耳一听说这些话，上主的神便降在他身上，遂勃然大怒，
11:7
立即牵了一对牛来，剖分成块，托使者分送到以色列全境说：「凡不随从撒乌耳和撒慕尔出征的，也必这样对待他的牛!」上主的惊吓降在民众身上，因而他们好象一个人一齐出征。
11:8
撒乌耳在贝则克检阅了他们；以色列人共三十万，犹大人三万。
11:9
撒乌耳对来的使者说：「你们这样对基肋阿得的雅贝士人说：明天太阳正热时，救援就必达到你们那里。」使者便回去，向雅贝士人报告，他们都很喜欢。
11:10
雅贝士人遂对阿孟人说：「明天我们向你们投降，你们看着怎样好，就怎样对待我们罢!
11:11
第二天撒乌耳把民众分作三队，在黎明以前冲入了阿孟人营中，击杀他们一直到日中最热的时候；剩下的人都逃散了，以至没有两人在一起。
撒乌耳登极为王
11:12 民众于是对撒慕尔说：「谁曾说过：撒乌耳岂能作我们的君王﹖把这些人交出来，让我们处死他们!」
11:13
撒乌耳回答说：「今天不可处死任何人，因为今天上主在以色列中施行了救恩。」
11:14
撒慕尔以后对民众说：「来，我们到基耳加耳去，在那里重新建立王国。」
11:15
民众便都去了基耳加耳，在那里于上主面前立撒乌耳为王，并给上主奉献了和平祭；撒乌耳同全体以色列人举行了盛大的盛会。
第十二章(25)
撒慕尔告别的训话
12:1 撒慕尔对全以色列人说：「看，我全听从了你们向我所说的话，立了一位君王管理你们。
12:2
从此以后，有君王领导你们。至于我，我已老了，头发也白了；不过我的儿子还同你们在一起。我从小直到今天，常在你们面前往来。
12:3
看，我在这里，请你们在上主面前，在他受傅者面前答复我：我夺过谁的牛，或夺过谁的驴﹖我压迫过谁，或虐待过谁﹖从谁手里接受过掩人耳目的贿赂﹖若有，我必归还你们。」
12:4
他们答说：「你总没有压迫或虐待过我们，也没有从任何人手里接受过什么。」
12:5
他又对他们说：「上主给你们作证，受傅者今日也作证：你们在我手中没有找出什么。」他们答说：「可以作证。」
12:6
撒慕尔又对百姓说：「作见证的，是兴起梅瑟和亚郎，并领你们祖先从埃及地上来的上主。
12:7
现今你们要前来，我要在上主面前使你们认清，上主向你们和你们祖先所施行的一切恩惠：
12:8
当雅各伯和他的儿子来到埃及时，埃及人压迫他们，你们的祖先就向上主哀号，上主遂派遗梅瑟和亚郎领你们的祖先离开了埃及，使他们住在这个地方。
12:9
但他们忘却了上主他们的天主，他就将他们交在哈祚尔的元帅息色辣手中、培肋舍特人手中和摩阿布王手中，使这些人攻打他们。
12:10
他们就呼求上主说：我们犯了罪，离弃了上主，事奉了巴耳和阿市托勒特诸神；如今求你救我们脱离我们敌人的手，我们愿事奉你。
12:11
上主就派耶鲁巴耳、巴辣克、依弗大和三松，从你们四围敌人的手中拯救了你们，你们才得安居。
12:12
当你们看见阿孟子民的君王纳哈古来攻打你们时，曾对我说：不，我们要有一位君王来管理我们，──虽然上主你们的天主原是你们的君王。
12:13
现今，看，你们所拣选，所要求的君王；看，上主立了一位君王管理你们。
12:14
若是你们敬畏上主，事奉上主，听从他的话，不背叛上主的命令；若是你们和管理你们的君王，随从上主你们的天主，便可生存。
12:15
倘若你们不听从上主的话，背叛上主的命令，上主的手必要与你们和你们的君王作对。
12:16
现今你们前来，看上主在你们眼前要作的这伟大的奇事。
12:17
现今不是收割麦子的季节吗﹖但是我要呼求上主打雷下雨，使你们明白，也看出：你们要求一位君王，是行了上主眼中多么可恶的事。」
12:18
撒慕尔呼吁了上主，上主就在那天打雷下雨；全民众对上主和撒慕尔很是害怕，
12:19
都对撒慕尔说：「你为你的仆人们转求上主你的天主，别使我们死了，因为在我们一切罪恶之上，又加了一个为我们要求君王的罪过。」
12:20
撒慕尔对民众说：「你们不必害怕；你们固然犯了这一切罪过，但决不要远离上主，反而要全心事奉上主。
12:21
你们不要追求不能援助，也不能施救的虚无邪神，因为他们只是「虚无」而已。
12:22
上主为了自己的大名，决不拋弃自己的百姓，因为上主喜欢你们作他的百姓。
12:23
我也决不愿得罪上主，停止为你们祈祷，或停止教训你们行善道，走正路。
12:24
你们只该敬畏上主，全心忠诚事奉上主，因为你们看见了，他为你们作的，是何等伟大的事。
12:25
假使你们仍固执于恶，你们和你们的君王都必要丧亡。」
中编 撒乌耳君王史(撒上13-撒下1)
第十三章(23)
以色列叛变攻打培肋舍特
13:1 撒乌耳三十岁登极，作以色列王四十年。
13:2
撒乌耳从以色列人中挑选了三千人：两千在米革玛斯和贝特耳山地与撒乌耳在一起；一千在本雅明的革巴随着约纳堂；剩下的人，撒乌耳遗散他们各回本帐幕。
13:3
约纳堂击杀了驻扎在基贝亚的培肋舍特人的官吏，培肋舍特人遂知道希伯人已经叛变。撒乌耳在全国吹了警号，
13:4
全以色列人都听说：撒乌耳击杀了培肋舍特人的一个官吏，所以以色列为培肋舍特人所仇恨；于是人民便跟随撒乌耳聚集在基耳加耳。
13:5
培肋舍特人已调齐来攻打以色列人；他们有战车三千，骑兵六千，民兵多得如同海边的沙，都上来在贝特阿文东方的米革玛斯扎了营。
13:6
以色列人一见大难临头，敌人压境，就有人藏在山洞里，土窟内，岩石下，地窖内和旱井里，
13:7
另有许多人渡过约但河往加得和基肋阿得去了；但撒乌耳却还在基耳加耳，跟随他的人都战栗害怕。
撒乌耳献祭受摈斥
13:8 撒乌耳照撒慕尔约定的日期等了七天，但是撒慕尔却没有到基耳加耳来，因此军民离开撒乌耳四散逃跑了。
13:9
撒乌耳于是吩咐说：「把全燔祭品与和平祭品送到我这里来!」他遂献了全燔祭。
13:10
他刚献完全燔祭，撒慕尔来了，撒乌耳便去迎接他，向他致敬。
13:11
撒慕尔问道：「你作了什么事﹖」撒乌耳答说：「我看见军民离开我四散逃跑了，你又没有照定期来，同时培肋舍特人已集合在米革玛斯，
13:12
所以我想现在培肋舍特人就要下到基耳加耳来攻打我，我还没向上主求援，所以我迫不得已，奉献了全燔祭。」
13:13
撒慕尔对撒乌耳说：「你作的真糊涂!假使你遵守了上主你的天主吩咐的命令，上主必巩固你在以色列的王位直到永远。
13:14
但现在你的王位已立不住了；上主已另找了一位随他心意的人，立他为百姓的首领，因为你没有遵守上主吩咐你的命令。」
13:15
撒慕尔就起身离开基耳加耳走了。剩下的人跟随撒乌耳从基耳加耳上到了本雅明的革巴，与那里的军队会合；撒乌耳统计了随从他的部队，约有六百人。
双方备战
13:16 撒乌耳和他的儿子约纳堂，并一切随从他们的人驻扎在本雅明的革巴；同时培肋舍特人已在米革玛斯安了营。
13:17
那时从培肋舍特营中有三个突击队出发：一队取道敖斐辣，开往叔阿耳地方；
13:18
一队开往贝特曷龙；另一队开往革巴，此地俯瞰往旷野去的袋狼山谷。
以色列人没有武器
13:19 那时，在以色列全境内没有铁匠，原来培肋舍特人说过：「免得希伯来人制造刀枪。」
13:20
因此，以色列人为磨快犁、锄、斧、镰，都要下到培肋舍特人那里。
13:21
磨快犁和锄的价钱是三分之二「协刻耳，」磨快镰刀或装制刺针是三分之一「协刻耳。」
13:22
所以在米革玛斯到了开战的那一天，随从撒乌耳和约纳堂的人手中都没有刀枪，只是撒乌耳和他的儿子约纳堂有刀枪。
13:23
那时培肋舍特人的前哨向米革玛斯关口推进。
第十四章(52)
约纳堂偷袭敌营
14:1 有一天，撒乌耳的儿子约纳堂对他执戟的侍卫说：「来，我们到对面，到培肋舍特人的前哨那里去。」但他没有通知他父亲。
14:2
当时撒乌耳正在革巴边界，坐在禾场旁的石榴树下，随从他的部队约有六百人。
14:3
阿希突布的儿子阿希雅带着「厄弗得。」──阿希突布是丕乃哈斯的儿子，依加波得的兄弟，丕乃哈斯是在史罗作上主司祭的厄里的儿子?ぉと硕疾恢涝寄商米吡恕?
4
约纳堂打算由隘口过到培肋舍特人的前哨那里去，在隘口两面各有一座石峰：一名叫波责兹，一名叫色乃；
14:5
一座朝北，与米革玛斯相对，一座朝南，与革巴相对。
14:6
约纳堂于是对他执戟的侍卫说：「来，我们往这些未受割损者的前哨去，也许上主会帮助我们；上主要叫人得胜，并不在手人数多少。
14:7
那给他执戟的人答说：「你尽可随意行事，我只跟着你，随你心意而行。」
14:8
约纳堂说：「来，我们到那里去，让他们看见我们。
14:9
假使他们对我们说：住下!等我们到你们那里去。我们就站在我们所在的地方，不再上他们那里去；
14:10
如果他们说：你们上我们这里来罢!我们就上去，因为上主已把他们交在我们手中了：这为我们是个先兆。」
14:11
两人就突然出现在培肋舍特人的前哨处，培肋舍特人说：「看，这些希伯来人从他们隐藏的山洞中出来了。」
14:12
前哨的哨兵就对约纳堂和给他执戟的人说：「你们上到我们这里来罢!我们有事要告诉你们。」约纳堂就对给他执戟的人说：「你跟我上来，因为上主已将他们交在以色列人手中了。」
14:13
约纳堂遂用手用脚往上爬，给他执戟的跟在他后面。培肋舍特人忽在约纳堂前转身要走，他就向前击杀他们，他的执戟者也随着击杀。
14:14
约纳堂和他的执戟者第一次杀死了约有二十人，陈尸于半亩田间。
14:15
当时在营中和阵地上都起了恐慌，全军──前哨与突击队都大为震惊；地也起了震动，到处笼罩着无限的恐怖。
培肋舍特人失败
14:16 撒乌耳的哨兵从本雅明的革巴眺望，看见敌营大乱；
14:17
撒乌耳就对随从他的人说：「检查一下，看我们中有谁去了。」他们检查后，见约纳堂和给他执戟的人不在了。
14:18
撒乌耳队对阿希雅说：「拿天主的「厄弗得」来!」因为那时正是他在以色列子民前带着天主的「厄弗得。」
14:19
撒乌耳还同司祭说话时，培肋舍特人营中的混乱愈来愈大，撒乌耳就对司祭说：「收回你的手去!」
14:20
撒乌耳和跟随他的军民遂集合起来，冲入战场；看，培肋舍特人竟自相残杀，陷入混乱。
14:21
以前服事培肋舍特人，与他们齐来参战的希伯来人，忽然反正来协助撒乌耳和约纳堂一起的以色列人。
14:22
那藏在厄弗辣因山地的以色列人，听说培肋舍特人溃败了，也都出来参战，乘势追赶。
14:23
这样上主在那一天拯救了以色列人；战争一直蔓延到贝特曷龙。【跟随撒乌耳的人约有一万，战事蔓延到厄弗辣因整个山地。】
约纳堂误犯禁令
14:24 以色列人那天很是疲乏，因为撒乌耳在那天做了一件糊涂事，要军民发誓说：「谁直到晚上，在我向敌人复仇以前，吃了什么东西，是可咒骂的。」所以全军民都没有尝过食物。
14:25
那地方到处有蜂巢，地面上到处有蜜。
14:26
军民到了蜂巢旁，见有蜜流出，但却没有人敢用手取一点放在嘴里，因为军民都怕违犯所起的誓。
14:27
可是约纳堂没有听见他父亲要军民起的誓，所以把他手中所持的棍尖，插入蜂巢内，用手送到自己的嘴里，他的眼立即明亮了。
14:28
军民中有一个向他说：「你父亲要军民起誓说：今天谁尝了食物，他是可咒骂的?ぉに淙痪窈苁瞧７Α！?
29
约纳堂答说：「我父亲使国家受了害；你们看，尝了一点蜜，我的眼睛是多么明亮!
14:30
的确，假使今天人能吃饱由敌人夺来的东西，培肋舍特人吃的败仗，岂不更大吗﹖」
士兵吃带血的肉
14:31 那一天他们击杀培肋舍特人，从米革玛斯直到阿雅隆，军民都很疲乏。
14:32
所以人民就急忙抢掠财物，夺取牛羊、牛犊，随地宰杀，吃了带血的肉。
14:33
有人告诉撒乌耳说：「看，人民吃了带血的肉，得罪了上主。」撒乌耳一听这消息便说：「你们把一块大石头滚到我这边来。」
14:34
又说：「你们散在百姓中，对他们说：你们各人把自己得的牛或羊，牵到我这里来，在这里宰杀分食，不要吃带血的肉，得罪上主。」于是人们当夜将自己得的牛羊牵来，在那里祭杀了。
14:35
撒乌耳给上主建筑了一座祭坛，这是他给上主建立的第一座祭坛。
士兵救约纳堂不死
14:36 以后撒乌耳说：「我们今夜下去追击培肋舍特人，劫掠他们直到天明，不给他们留下一人。」军民回答说：「你看着怎样好，就怎样作罢!」司祭却说：「我们先得去天主那里。」
14:37
撒乌耳遂求问天主说：「我可下去追击培肋舍特人吗﹖你将他们交在以色列手中吗﹖」但是天主那天没有回答他。
14:38
撒乌耳说：「军民的将领，你们上前来，查看一下，今天是谁犯了罪﹖
14:39
我指拯救以色列的上主起誓，即是罪在我的儿子约纳堂，他也该死。」军民中没有一人敢回答。
14:40
于是他对全以色列说：「你们站在一边，我与我儿子约纳堂站在一边。」全军民对撒乌耳说：「你看怎样好，就怎样作罢!」
14:41
撒乌耳说：「上主，以色列的天主!为什么今天你不答复你的仆人﹖若是这罪过在我或我儿子约纳堂身上，上主，以色列的天主，求你赐给『乌陵；』若是罪过在你百姓以色列身上，求你赐给『突明』。」撒乌耳和约纳堂中了，军民清白无过。
14:42
撒乌耳下命说：「为我和我的儿子约纳堂拈阄。」约纳堂中了。
14:43
撒乌耳于是对约纳堂说：「告诉我，你作了什么﹖」约纳堂就告诉他说：「我不过用手持的棍尖，蘸了一点蜂蜜吃；我在这里，我该死。」
14:44
撒乌耳回答说：「约纳堂，你必须死，不然，愿天主罚我该死。」
14:45
军民却对撒乌耳说：「约纳堂在以色列中得了这样伟大的胜利，岂该死吗﹖万万不能!我们指着上主起誓：他头上的一根头发，也不应落在地上，因为他今天是倚赖天主行事。」这样军民救了约纳堂不死，
14:46
撒乌耳遂上去，不再追赶培肋舍特人；培肋舍特人也回了本地。
撒乌耳国王的概况
14:47 撒乌耳取得了以色列的王权后，便向四周所有的敌人进攻：他攻打了摩阿布、阿孟子民、厄东、贝特勒曷、祚巴的君王和培肋舍特人。他不论走到那里，常获得胜利。
14:48
他很英勇，击败了阿玛肋克，拯救以色列人脱离来抢掠的人。
14:49
撒乌耳的儿子是：约纳堂、依市伟和玛耳基叔亚；他有两个女儿：长女名叫默辣布，次女名叫米加耳。
14:50
撒乌耳的妻子名叫阿希诺罕，是阿希玛兹的女儿。他的元帅名叫阿贝乃尔，是撒乌耳的叔父乃尔的儿子。
14:51
撒乌耳的父亲克士和阿贝乃尔的父亲乃尔是阿彼耳的儿子。
14:52
撒乌耳一生同培肋舍特人常发生激烈战争，撒乌耳见到任何勇敢善战的人，就叫他来跟随自己。
第十五章(34)
对阿玛肋克人的圣战
15:1 有一天，撒慕尔对撒乌耳说：「上主曾打发我给你傅油，作他人民以色列的君王，如今你应听上主的话!
15:2
万军的上主这样说：我要惩罚阿玛肋克对以色列所行的事，因为当以色列从埃及上来时，拦截了去路。
15:3
如今你去攻打阿玛肋克，毁灭他们和他们所有的一切，丝毫不可顾惜，要将男女、孩童、婴儿、牛羊、骆驼和驴，一律杀掉。」
15:4
撒乌耳调集了军人，在特冷检阅了他们，计步兵二十万，犹大人一万。
15:5
撒乌耳来到阿玛肋克城时，在山谷里设下了埋伏。
15:6
撒乌耳对刻尼人说：「你们起来快走，离开阿玛肋克人，免得我把你们同他们一起消灭，因为以色列子民由埃及上来时，你们善待了他们。」刻尼人便离开阿玛肋克人走了。
15:7
撒乌耳击杀哈玛肋克人，从哈威拉一直杀到埃及东面的叔尔，
15:8
活捉了阿玛肋克王阿加格，用刀杀尽了其余的人民。
15:9
但撒乌耳和军民却怜惜阿加格和最好的牛羊，肥美的家畜和羔羊；凡是美好的，他们都不愿毁灭，只把一切不值钱，不要的牲畜毁灭了。
撒乌耳背命受斥责
15:10 那时有上主的话传于撒慕尔说：「
15:11
我后悔立了撒乌耳为王，因为他背离了我，没有遵从我的命令。」撒慕尔感到不安，整夜哀求上主。
15:12
撒慕尔清晨起来去见撒乌耳；有人告诉他说：「撒乌耳去了加尔默耳，在那里立了纪念碑，然后回来经过这里，又去了基耳加耳。」
15:13
撒慕尔来到撒乌耳那里，撒乌耳就对他说：「愿天主祝福你!我履行了上主的命令。」
15:14
撒慕尔就问说：「怎么我耳中听见有羊叫，有牛吗﹖」
15:15
撒乌耳回答说：「那是从阿玛肋克带回来的，因为人民爱惜那些最好的牛羊，好献给上主你的天主；至于其余的，我们都毁灭了。」
15:16
撒慕尔对撒乌耳说：「住口!让我告诉你，上主昨夜对我说过的话。」撒乌耳答说：「请说罢!」
15:17
撒慕尔说：「虽然你自以为是最微小的，你岂不是已成了以色列众支派的首领﹖上主不是曾给你傅油，立你作以色列的君王吗﹖
15:18
上主派你去打仗，曾吩咐你说：去剿灭那些犯罪的阿玛肋克人，攻打他们，直至将他们完全消灭。
15:19
为什么你没有顺听上主的命令，只顾急忙抢掠财物，行了上主不喜欢的事﹖」
15:20
撒乌耳回答撒慕尔说：「我的确听从了上主的命令，走了上主指给我的路，擒获了阿玛肋克王阿加格，毁灭了阿玛肋克人。
15:21
但是军民由当毁灭的胜利品中，选出了最好的牛羊，要在基耳加耳祭献上主，你的天主。」
15:22
撒慕尔回答说：「上主岂能喜欢全燔祭和牺牲，胜过听从上主的命令﹖听命胜于祭献，服从胜过绵羊的肥油脂。
15:23
背命等于行卜，顽抗与敬拜偶像无异。因为你拒绝了上主的命令，上主也拒绝了你作王。」
15:24
撒乌耳对撒慕尔说：「我犯了罪，违背了上主的命令和你的话，因我害怕人民，才听从了他们的呼声。
15:25
现在，请你宽赦我的罪过，同我一起回去；让我朝拜上主。」
15:26
撒慕尔却对撒乌耳说：「我不同你回去；既然你拒绝了上主的命令，上主也拒绝你，不要你作以色列王。」
15:27
撒慕尔转身就走，撒乌耳用力抓住他外氅的衣边，撕下了一块。
15:28
撒慕尔于是对他说：「上主今日从你身上撕下了你的王位，给了一个比你更好的人。
15:29
并且以色列的光荣绝不发虚言，也不会懊悔，因为他不像人，可以懊悔。」
15:30
撒乌耳遂说：「我固然犯了罪，但如今请你在我民族的长老和以色列前，仍尊重我，同我一起回去，好让我朝拜上主，你的天主。」
15:31
撒慕尔便随同撒乌耳一起回去，撒乌耳朝拜了上主。
撒慕尔杀阿加格王
15:32 以后撒慕尔说：「将阿玛肋克王阿加格给我解来!」阿加格到了他那里，很是高兴，阿加格心想：「死亡的苦的确过去了。」
15:33
撒慕尔对他说：「你的剑怎样使众多妇女丧子，你的母亲在妇女中也要怎样丧子。」撒慕尔就在基耳加耳上主面前杀了阿加格。
15:34
以后撒慕尔去了辣玛，撒乌耳也回了撒乌耳的基贝亚本家。
15:35
撒慕尔至死再没有见撒乌耳。撒慕尔为了撒乌耳很是伤心，因为上主后悔立了撒乌耳作以色列的君王。
第十六章(23)
达味受傅
16:1 上主对撒慕尔说：「我既然废弃了撒乌耳，不要他作以色列的君王，你为他要悲伤到几时呢﹖把你的角盛满油，我派你到白冷人叶瑟那里去，因为在他的儿子中，我已为我选定了一位君王」。
16:2
撒慕尔回答说：「我怎能去﹖若撒乌耳听说了，必要杀我」。上主回答说：「你手里牵一头小母牛说：我为向上主祭献而来。
16:3
你应请叶瑟参与祭献，我要告诉你当作的事，你要为我所指给你的人傅油」。
16:4
撒慕尔遂依照上主吩咐他的作了。及至到了白冷，城内的长老都战憟前来迎接他说：「你驾临这里平安吗﹖」
16:5
他回答说：「平安，我是为祭献上主而来的，你们应圣洁自己，来同我一同献祭」。他圣洁了叶瑟和他的儿子，请他们来参与祭献。
16:6
他们一来到，他见了厄里雅布，心里想：这一定是立在上主前的受傅者。
16:7
但上主对撒慕尔说：「你不要注意他的容貌和他高大的身材，我拒绝要他，因为天主的看法与人不同：人看外貌，上主却看人心。
16:8
叶瑟叫阿彼纳达布来，领他到撒慕尔面前；但是他说：「这也不是不是上主所拣选的」。
16:9
叶瑟就叫沙玛来，他又说：「这也不是上主所拣选的」。
16:10
叶瑟就叫他的七个儿子都到撒慕尔面前来，撒慕尔对叶瑟说：「上主没有拣选这些人」。
16:11
撒慕尔于是问叶瑟说：「孩子们全到了吗﹖」他回答说：「还有一个最小的，他正在放羊」。撒慕尔叶瑟说：「快派人带他来，因为他不来，我们决不入席」。
16:12
于是派人把他带来，他是一个有血色，眉清目秀，外貌英的少年。上主说：「起来，给他傅油，就是这一位」。
16:13
撒慕尔拿起油角来，在他兄弟们中给他傅了油。从那天起，上主的神便降临于达味。事后，撒慕尔起身回了辣玛。
达味被召入营
16:14 上主的神离弃了撒乌耳，便有恶神从上主那里扰乱他。
16:15
撒乌耳的臣仆对他说：「看，由天主那里来的恶神来扰乱你。
16:16
只要我主吩咐一声，你跟前的臣仆便会去找一个善于弹琴的人来，当恶神由天主那里降在你身上时，叫他弹奏，你必感到舒服」。
16:17
撒乌耳就对他的臣仆说：「好，你们给我找一个弹于弹奏的人，引来见我」。
16:18
有个仆人立刻提议，说：「我见过白冷人叶瑟的一个儿子会弹奏，这人又骁勇善战，擅于辞令，身材英俊，上主又与他同在」。
16:19
撒乌耳遂派使者到叶瑟那里说：「将你『那放羊』的儿子达味送到这里来!」
16:20
叶瑟便取了十个饼，一皮囊酒，一只小山羊，叫他的儿子达味送给撒乌耳。
16:21
达味于是来到撒乌耳前，侍立在他左右；撒乌耳很爱他，叫他作自己的持戟侍卫。
16:22
撒乌耳于是派人到叶瑟那里说：「让达味侍立在我左右，因为他得了我的欢心」。
16:23
每当恶神由天主降到撒乌耳身上时，达味就拿起琴来弹奏，撒乌耳就觉得爽快舒服，恶神也就离开了他。
第十七章(58)
哥肋雅挑战
17:1 培肋舍特人调集了军队，准备作战，集合在犹大，在索苛与阿则卡之间的厄斐斯达明扎了营。
17:2
撒乌耳和以色列人齐集起来，在厄拉谷扎了营，摆阵准备迎击培肋舍特人。
17:3
培肋舍特人站在这边一座山上，以色列人站在那边一座山上，中间隔着山谷。
17:4
从培肋舍特人阵地中走出一个挑战的人，名叫哥肋雅，是加特人，身高六肘又一柞，
17:5
头带铜盔，身穿铠衣，铠衣的铜重五千「协刻尔」，
17:6
腿裹铜叶，肩插铜枪。
17:7
矛杆像织布机的大轴，矛头重六百「协刻尔」；有个持盾的人给他开道。
17:8
他站在以色列人的阵地前，喊说：「你们为什么出来摆阵作战﹖我不是培肋舍特人吗﹖你们不是撒乌耳的奴才吗﹖你们挑选一人，下来同我对敌!
17:9
假使他能同我决斗，杀了我，我们就作你们的奴隶；但是，如果我得胜，杀了他，你们就应服事我们，作我们的奴隶」。
17:10
那培肋舍特人还说：「今天我向以色列骂阵，你们给我派个人来，让我们彼此决斗」。
17:11
撒乌耳和全以色列听见那培肋舍特说的这些话，都非常惊慌害怕。
达味来到营内
17:12 达味是犹大白冷的一个厄弗辣大人的儿子，那人名叫叶瑟，他有八个儿子。此人在撒乌耳时，已经老了。
17:13
叶瑟的三个大儿已跟撒乌耳出征作战；从军的三个儿子：长子叫厄里雅布，次子名叫阿彼纳达布，三子名叫沙玛。
17:14
达味最小，三个年长的已跟撒乌耳出征。
17:15
达味有时服侍撒乌耳，有时离开，回白冷放父亲的羊。
17:16
那培肋舍特人早晨晚上常出来挑战，一连四十天之久。
17:17
叶瑟对他的儿子达味说：「你给你哥哥们带去这一「厄法」炒麦和十个饼，快往营里给你哥哥们送去。
17:18
将这十块奶饼送给千夫长．然后看望你的哥哥们是否平安，并把他们的薪俸带回来。
17:19
他们与撒乌耳和全以色列人都在厄拉谷，同培肋舍特人作战」。
17:20
达味清早起来，把羊群托给一个看羊的人，就照他父亲叶瑟吩咐的起身去了。他来到营中时，军队正出来摆阵，喊着冲锋的口号。
17:21
以色列人和培肋舍特人列阵相对。
17:22
达味把自己的行囊交给一个看守辎重兵的手内，跑入阵内，向他的哥哥们问安。
17:23
当他和他们谈话时，名叫哥肋雅的挑战者，──加特的培肋舍特人──从培肋舍特人的阵里上来，说了以上所述的话，达味也听见了。
17:24
所有的以色列人一看见那人，都非常害怕，便由他面前逃避了。
17:25
那时有个以色列人宣布说：「你们看见了上来的这人吗﹖这人上来是辱骂以色列。若有人把他杀死，君王要赐给他许多财富，将自己是女儿嫁给他为妻，并使他的父家在以色列内豁免缴税」。
17:26
达味问站在他旁边的人说：「杀死这培肋舍特人，给以色列雪耻的人得什么赏﹖这未受割损培肋舍特人是谁﹖他竟敢辱骂永生天主的军旅!」
17:27
人就把上边那些话告诉他说：「杀死这人的，要得这样这样的报酬」。
17:28
他的大哥厄里雅布一听见达味对那些人所说的话，便对达味大发愤怒说：「你为什么下来﹖你在旷野中放的那几只羊，托给了谁﹖我知道你骄傲，心中不怀好意；你下来只是要看作战」。
17:29
达味回答说：「我究竟作的什么不对﹖连句话也不能说吗﹖」
17:30
达味就离开那里，到了另一处，又问了同样的事，人回答的话也和先前一样。
达味自荐与巨人交战
17:31 有人听见了达味说的话，就去报告给撒乌耳；撒乌耳就命他前来。
17:32
达味对撒乌耳说：「请我主不必为那人而沮丧，你仆人要去同这培肋舍特人决斗」。
17:33
撒乌耳对达味说：「你不能去对抗这培肋舍特人，同他决斗，因为你还年轻，而他自幼便是习于战斗的人」。
17:34
达味回答撒乌耳说：「你的仆人是为他父亲牧羊的人，几时有狮子或狗熊闯来，由羊群中夺去一只羊，
17:35
我就追上去，打死它，从它口中救出那只来；假使狮子起来扑我，我就抓住它的须，将它打死。
17:36
你的仆人连狮子带狗熊都打死了，这未受割损的培肋舍特人也不过像其中的一个，因为他竟敢辱骂永生天主的军旅」。
17:37
达味又接着说：「由狮子和狗熊的爪牙中拯救我的上主，也必从这培肋舍特人的手中拯救我」。撒乌耳对达味说：「去吧!望上主与你同在!」
17:38
撒乌耳给达味穿上自己的武装，给他头上带上铜盔，身上穿上铠甲，
17:39
又在铠甲上偑上自己的刀。达味试走了两步，因他没有穿惯，遂对撒乌耳说：「穿戴这些东西，不能行动，因为先前总没有穿过」。所以他又将盔甲从身上脱下。
达味杀哥肋雅
17:40 达味手里拿着自己的棍子，在河里拣了五块很光滑的石头，放在牧童随身所带的袋子内，即装石囊内，手内拿着投石器，向那培肋舍特人走去。
17:41
那培肋舍特人也大摇大摆走近了达味，给他持盾的走在他开路。
17:42
那培肋舍特人瞪眼一看，见了达味，遂看不起他，因达味还很年轻，面色红润，眉清目秀。
17:43
那培肋舍特人对达味说：「莫非我是只狗，你竟拿棍子来对付我﹖」达味回答说：「你比一只狗还不如!」那培肋舍特人就指着自己的神诅咒达味，
17:44
且对达味说：「你到我这里来，我要把你的肉，给空中的飞鸟和田野的走兽吃」。
17:45
达味回答那培肋舍特说：「你仗着刀枪箭戟来对付我，但我是仗着你所凌辱的万军的上主，以色列的天主的圣名来对付你。
17:46
今天上主定把你交在我手中，我必打死你割下你的头来；今天我要把你的尸体和培肋舍特军人的尸体，给空中的飞鸟和田野的走兽吃：这样：全地都要知道在以色列有天主。
17:47
在埸的众人也要知道，上主不赖刀枪赐人胜利，战争胜负只属于上主，他已把你们交在我们手中了」。
17:48
正当那培肋舍特人起身，大摇大摆向达味走来时，达味赶快由阵中跑出来，迎那培肋舍特人；
17:49
同时伸手，由囊中取出一块石头，套在投石器上打过去，正打在那培肋舍特人的额上，石头穿入额内，那人就跌倒在地上。
17:50
如此，达味用投石器和石头，得胜了那培肋舍特人，打中了他，将他杀死，虽然手无寸铁。
17:51
达味遂跑过去，站在培肋舍特人身上，拿起他的刀，从鞘内拔出，杀了他，砍下他的头。所有培肋舍特人看见他们的英雄死了，就四散奔逃。
17:52
以色列人和犹大人就起来吶喊，追击培肋舍特人直到加特关，直到厄刻龙城门。沿沙阿辣因的路上，直到加特和厄刻龙，遍地是培肋舍特人的尸首。
17:53
以色列人追杀培肋舍特人回来，又抢劫了他们的营幕。
17:54
以后，达味取了那培肋舍特人的头，送到耶路撒冷；至于那人的武器，却放在会幕内。
撒乌耳查询达味身世
17:55 当撒乌耳看见达味去和那培肋舍特人迎战时，就问统帅阿贝乃尔说：「阿贝乃尔，这少年人是谁的儿子﹖」阿贝乃尔回答说：「大王万岁，我不知道」。
17:56
君王说：「你查一下，这少年人是谁的儿子﹖」
17:57
达味杀死那培肋舍特人回来时，阿贝乃尔带他去见撒乌耳，他手中还拿着那培肋舍特人的头。
17:58
撒乌耳问他说：「少年人你是谁的儿子﹖」达味答说：「我是你仆白冷人叶瑟的儿子」。
第十八章(30)
约纳堂与达味为友
18:1 达味同撒乌耳说完了话，约纳堂的心和达味的心很相契；约纳堂爱他如爱自己一样。
18:2
那天，撒乌耳把达味留下，不让他回父家去。
18:3
约纳堂同达味结为盟友，爱他如爱自己一样。
18:4
约纳堂脱下自己穿的外氅，连军装，带刀剑，甚至弓和腰带，都给了达味。
达味初遭嫉视
18:5 撒乌耳派达味出去无论作什么事，没有不成功的；故此撒乌耳派他作军队的将领；军民和撒乌耳的臣仆都非常喜爱他。
18:6
当达味杀死那培肋舍特人后，班师回来时，妇女们从城中出来，唱歌跳舞，打鼓弹琴，兴高采烈地前来欢迎撒乌耳君王。
18:7
妇女们边唱边跳说：「撒乌耳杀了一千，达味杀了一万」。
18:8
撒乌耳因此很是愤怒，这话使他很不高兴，遂说：「给了达味一万，只给了我一千；他所少的只有王位了!」
18:9
从那一天起，撒乌耳常嫉视达味。
18:10
第二天，恶神由天主那里降到撒乌耳身上；使他在屋中发狂。达味一如往日手中弹着琴，撒乌耳手中却拿着一根长枪，
18:11
撒乌耳举起枪来，想把达味钉在墙上；达味已由他面前逃脱了两次。
18:12
撒乌耳害怕达味，因为上主与达味同在，而离开了撒乌耳。
18:13
因此，撒乌耳叫他离开自己，派他作千夫长，达味便在军民前往来出入。
18:14
达味在所行的一切事上，无不顺利，因为天主与他同在。
18:15
撒乌耳见他办事顺利，就更疑惧他。
18:16
但全以色列和犹大人却爱达味，因为他在他们前往来出入。
达味的婚事
18:17 撒乌耳对达味说：「看；我要把我的长女默辣布嫁给你为妻，只要你为我勇敢服务，为上主作战」?ぉと鑫诙闹邢耄何也磺资趾λ门嗬呱崽厝思雍λ?
18 达味回答撒乌耳说：「我是谁，我父在以色列又算得什么，我怎配作君王的女婿﹖」
18:19
但是撒乌耳的女儿默辣布正要嫁给达味的时候，却嫁给了默曷拉人阿德黎耳为妻。
18:20
当时撒乌耳的女儿米加耳很爱达味；有人告诉了撒乌耳，他看这事好，
18:21
心想：「我把她嫁给达味，叫她成为他的罗网，藉培肋舍特人害他」。所以撒乌耳再次对达味说：「今天你要作我的女婿了!」
18:22
撒乌耳吩咐他的臣仆说：「你们暗暗地告诉达味说：看，君王多么喜爱你，如今你要作君王的女婿了!」
18:23
撒乌耳的臣仆将这些话告诉了达味；达味反答说：「你们以为作君王的女婿是件小事吗﹖我只不过是个贫穷贱卑贱的人」。
18:24
撒乌耳的臣仆回报王说：「达味如此如此说了」。
18:25
撒乌耳答说：「你们要这样对达味说：君王不要什么聘礼，只要一百培肋舍特人的包皮，为报复君王的仇敌」。撒乌耳有意使达味落在培肋舍特人手中。
18:26
他的臣仆将这些话转告给达味，达味看这事为作君王的女婿也对，所限的日期尚未过去，
18:27
达味就和他的人起身去杀死了一百培肋舍特人，将他们的包皮带回，足数交给君王，为作君王的女婿；撒乌耳就将女儿米加耳嫁给他为妻。
18:28
撒乌耳看出了上主与达味同在，全以色列也都爱他，
18:29
从此更疑惧达味，终身与他为敌。
18:30
培肋舍特人的首领仍不断出征；但每遇他们出征，达味所行的常比撒乌耳所有的臣仆成就更大，为此他更受人景仰。
第十九章(24)
约纳堂代达味求情
19:1 撒乌耳曾对儿子约纳堂和臣仆提过，他愿杀达味；但撒乌耳的儿子约纳堂很爱达味，
19:2
就警告达味说：「我父亲想杀害你，现今请你明晨多加小心，躲藏在一个隐密的地方。
19:3
我去陪我到你所在的田间，向我父亲向你说情，看情形怎样，然后告诉你」。
19:4
于是约纳堂向他父亲提及达味的长处，对他说：「君王不要得罪自己的仆人达味，因为他没有得罪你，并且他所行的，都是对你很有利的事。
19:5
他冒着性命的危险，去杀了那培肋舍特人；上主藉他使以色列获得了这样大的胜利，你亲自看见了，也很喜欢；为什么你要犯罪，流无辜者的血，无缘无故杀害达味﹖」
19:6
撒乌耳就听了约纳堂的话，并且发誓说：「上主永在，他必不死!」
19:7
约纳堂便叫回达味，告诉他这一切话，并且领他到撒乌耳前；就如和先前一样，侍立在君王左右。
米加耳救达味
19:8 再次爆发了战争，达味又出征攻打培肋舍特人，打得他们大败，他们都从他面前逃散了。
19:9
恶神由上主那里又降在撒乌耳身上；有一天，君王在家中坐着，手中拿枪，同时达味正在弹琴。
19:10
撒乌耳想用枪把达味钉在墙上，但达味立刻由撒乌耳面前躲开，君王把枪钉在墙上，达味就逃跑了，没有丧命。
19:11
那一夜，撒乌耳派差役去看守达味的家，要在早晨杀死他。他的妻子米加耳警告他说：「今夜你不逃命，明日你就没有命了」。
19:12
米加耳把达味从窗口缒下去，他便逃跑了，救了命。
19:13
米加耳随即把神像放在床上，用毛毯把头盖上，又盖上一件衣服。
19:14
当撒乌耳派差役去捉拿达味时，米加耳说：「达味病了」。
19:15
撒乌耳再派差役去看达味说：「将达味连床带到这里来，我要杀死他」。
19:16
差役进去，见是「神像」躺在床上，有张毛毯盖着头。
19:17
因此，撒乌耳对米加耳说：「你为什么这样欺骗我﹖放走了我的仇人，叫他逃命」。米加耳回答撒乌耳说：「他对我说：放我走，不然我要杀你!」
撒乌耳逮捕达味未成
19:18 达味死里逃生，到了辣玛，去见撒慕尔，向他报告了撒乌耳对他所行的一切；然后他便和撒慕尔去了纳约特，住在那里。
19:19
有人告诉撒乌耳说：「看，达味住在辣玛的纳约特」。
19:20
撒乌耳又派差役去捉拿达味，但是他们看见一大群先知正在出神说妙语，撒慕尔站在他们面前作领导；这些天主的神也降在撒乌耳的差役身上，他们也出神说起妙语来。
19:21
有人将此事告诉了撒乌耳，他又打发别的差役去，他们也出神说开了妙语。撒乌耳第三次又打发差役去，他们也出神说开了妙语。
19:22
撒乌耳大发愤怒，便亲自去了辣玛；当他到了色雇的大井那里，就问说：「撒慕尔和达味在哪里﹖」有人答说：「在辣玛的纳约特」。
19:23
他就从那里起身往辣玛纳约特去；那时天主的神也降到他身上，所以他一边走，一边说妙语，一直到了辣玛纳约特。
19:24
并且他还脱去衣服，在撒慕尔面前出神说起妙语来，赤裸裸地一天一夜躺在地上：因此有句俗语说：「不是撒乌耳也列在先知中吗﹖」
第二十章(42)
达味向约纳堂求助
20:1 达味由辣玛纳约特逃走，去见约纳堂说：「我作了什么，有什么过错，哪里得了你父亲，他竟要害我的性命﹖」
20:2
约纳堂回答他说：「决没有这回事，你决死不了。看，我父亲无论作什么大事小事，没有不告诉我的；为什么我父亲偏要对我隐瞒这事呢﹖决不会的!」
20:3
达味却对他说：「你父亲明知我在你眼里得宠，所以他想：不要让约纳堂知道这事，免得他悲伤。总之，我指着永生的上主敢在你面前发誓：我与死之间只差一步!」
20:4
约纳堂对达味说：「你愿意我为你作什么﹖」
20:5
达味回答约纳堂说：「看，明天是月朔，我原该和君王同席吃饭，但你让我走，藏在田野间，直到第三天晚上。
20:6
如果你父亲发觉我不在，你应说：达味恳求我，让他逃回白冷本城，因为在那里全族举行年祭。
20:7
他若说：好!你的仆人就平安无事；他若勃然大怒，你就该知道：他已决意行恶。
20:8
望你仁慈对待你仆人!因你使你因上主的名与你订了盟约；假若我有罪恶，你可杀我，为何偏要将我交给你父亲呢﹖」
20:9
约纳堂答说：「千万别这样想!如果我确实知道，我父亲决意要加害你，岂有不告诉你的吗﹖」
20:10
达味就问约纳堂说：「若你父亲严厉答复你，谁来通知我﹖」
20:11
约纳堂对达味说：「来，我们往田间去」。二人就往田间去了。
20:12
约纳堂对达味说：「上主，以色列的天主作证：明天或后天这时候，我探得了我父亲的意思，对达味有利与否，我必派人来告诉你。
20:13
倘若我父亲愿意加害你，我若不通知你，不放你走，使你平安离去，愿上主这样这样加倍罚我约纳堂!愿上主与你同在，有如曾与我父亲同在一样!
20:14
若我那时尚在人世，愿你对我表示上主的仁慈；设若我死了，
20:15
愿你不要由我家永远撤消你的仁慈!连当上主由地面上一一铲除达味的敌人时；
20:16
若约纳堂的名字被达味家族消灭了，愿上主藉达味的仇人的手追究此案!」
20:17
约纳堂由于爱达味，再向他起了誓，因为他爱达味如爱自己的性命。
20:18
约纳堂又对他说：「明日是月朔，因为你的座位空着，人必注意你不在，
20:19
到第三天，人必更注意你不在；那么，你要到你曾出事那日藏身的地方去，坐在那石堆旁边。
20:20
到第三天，我要向石堆射箭，仿佛射靶。
20:21
看，我必打发一童仆去找箭，假如我对童仆说：看，箭在你后面，拾回来吧!你就可以出来，我指永生的上主起誓：你必平安无事。
20:22
倘若我对童仆说：看，箭在你前面。你就走吧!因为上主打发你走。
20:23
至于我和你现今所说的这话，有上主在我和你中间，永远作证」。
撒乌耳表明杀意
20:24 于是达味就去藏在田野间；到了月朔，君王入席吃饭。
20:25
君王照例靠着墙坐在自己的位上，约纳堂坐在他对面，阿贝乃尔坐在撒乌耳旁边，达味的地方空着。
20:26
撒乌耳那天没有说什么，因为他想事情出于偶然，或许他染了不洁，还没有自洁。
20:27
次日，即初二日，达味的座位仍空着，撒乌耳就对儿子约纳堂说：「为什么叶瑟的儿子昨日没有来赴宴，今日又没有来﹖」
20:28
约纳堂答复撒乌耳说：「达味恳切求我许他往白冷去。
20:29
他说：求你让我去，因为在城里我们要举行族祭，我的兄弟定要我去；所以，假若我在你眼中获宠，求你让我去，容我得见我的兄弟；为此，他没有来赴君王的筵席」。
20:30
撒乌耳对约纳堂勃然大怒，对他说：「娼妇的儿子!难道我不知道你同叶瑟的儿子一伙，甚至羞辱你自己，又羞辱你母亲的私处吗﹖
20:31
你要知道，叶瑟的儿子活在世上一天，你连你的王位都不得稳当!如今你差人去，把他给我抓来，因为他是该死的人」。
20:32
约纳堂回答他父亲撒乌耳说：「为什么他该死﹖他作了什么事﹖」
20:33
撒乌耳就举起枪来要刺杀他，约纳堂便明白他父亲已决定要杀达味。
20:34
约纳堂就起来，气愤愤地离开了筵席；初二那天，也没有吃饭，因为他为达味担忧，又因为他父亲辱骂了自己。
约纳堂与达味泣别
20:35 次日清早，约纳堂按照他与达味的约会，往田间去了；有个童仆跟随着他。
20:36
他对那童仆说：「跑去，找我所放的箭!」童仆往前跑时，他又向前射了一箭。
20:37
当僮仆来到约纳堂的箭所射到的地方时，约纳堂就在僮仆后面喊说：「箭不是在你前面吗﹖」
20:38
约纳堂又在僮仆后面喊说：「赶快跑去，不要站住!」约纳堂的僮仆就拾了箭，给主人拿来。
20:39
那僮仆却不知道是什么意思，只有约纳堂和达味知道。
20:40
然后约纳堂把自己的武器交给跟随他的仆僮，向他说：「带回城去吧!」
20:41
僮仆走后，达味就从石堆旁起来，俯伏在地，拜了三拜；以后他们彼此相吻，二人相抱对泣，达味哭得更甚o
20:42
最后，约纳堂对达味说：「你平安去吧!照我们两人以上主的名所起的誓：愿上主永远在我与你之间，在我的后代与你的后代之间!」
第二十一章(16)
达味在诺布求饼
21:1 达味就动身走了，约纳堂也回到城里﹖
21:2
达味去诺布，到了阿希默肋客司祭那里；阿希默肋客战战兢兢出来迎接达味，问他说：「为什么你一个人来，没有人随从你﹖」
21:3
达味回答司祭阿希默肋客说：「君王今天吩咐我一件要事，曾对我说：我派你，吩咐你去作的事，别叫任何人知道。我已经和我的僮仆约定了在某处见面。
21:4
现今，你手中若有五个饼，请给我，或给我别的什么东西」。
21:5
司祭回答达味说：「我手中没有普通饼，只有圣饼；但是你的僮仆们戒了女色没有﹖」
21:6
达味回答司祭说：「当然，我们戒绝了女色；我出征时，僮仆们常是身洁的；这次上路虽为了俗务，但今天他们仍是身洁的」。
21:7
于是司祭就将圣饼给了他，因为那天在那里没有别的饼，只有供饼；即由上主面前撤下来，为另换上新的供饼。
21:8
那一天，在那里正有撒乌耳的一个臣仆留在上主面前，名叫多厄格，厄东人，是撒乌耳的侍卫长。
21:9
达味又对阿希默肋客说：「你手边有没有一支枪或一把刀﹖我的刀和我的武器，没有带在手边，因为君王的事很紧急」。
21:10
司祭答说：「有你在厄拉谷中所杀的那培肋舍特人哥肋雅的刀。看，用外衣包着，放在「厄弗得」后面；假使你愿意拿去，就拿去吧!因为在这里没有别的」。达味答说：「没有像这把刀更好的了!
21:就请你给我吧!」司祭就给了他。
达味在加特佯狂
21:11 那一天，达味起身，逃避了撒乌耳的面，到了加特王阿基士前。
21:12
阿基士的臣仆对王说：「这不是国王达味吗﹖在歌舞中所歌颂的：撒乌耳杀了一千，达味杀了一万，不就是他吗﹖」
21:13
达味细想这些话，在加特王阿基士前感到十分恐惧。
21:14
于是便在他们前装作傻子，在他们中佯作疯子，乱敲门户，胡须上流着唾沬。
21:15
阿基士对臣仆说：「你们看，这是个疯子，为什么送他到我这里来﹖
21:16
难道我缺乏疯子，你们竟领他到我这里来，向我发疯？这样的人岂能进入我的宫室﹖」
第二十二章(23)
达味避居阿杜蓝
22:1 达味离开那里，逃到了阿杜蓝山洞；他的兄弟和父亲全家听说这事，都来到他那里。
22:2
凡受迫害、负债。心中忧苦的人，都投奔到他那里，他便成了他们的首领；此时随从他的约有四百人。
22:3
达味从那里来到摩阿布的米兹帕，对摩阿布王说：「求你让我父母来你们这里，直到我明白天主对我有什么计划时为止」。
22:4
达味把他们留在摩阿布王那里：达味在山寨里住了多久，他们在他那里也住了多久。
22:5
加得先知对达味说：「你不要住在这山寨里，你要到犹大地方去!」达味就去了，来到赫勒特树林。
诺布的司祭遭屠杀
22:6 一日，撒乌耳正坐在基贝亚高处的一棵柽柳下，手里拿着枪，他的臣仆都左右侍立，听说达味和跟随他的人已联合起来，
22:7
遂对侍立他左右的臣仆说：「本雅明的子孙，你们听：难道叶瑟的儿子也要赐给你们每人庄田和葡萄园，或把你们都立为千夫长或百夫长，
22:8
好使你们都同谋来陷害我﹖我的儿子和叶瑟的儿子结盟，谁也没有告诉我；我的儿子煽动我的臣仆来反对我，仇视我，像今日一样，你们中没有一个人怜恤我，来通知我!」
22:9
作撒乌耳臣仆之长的厄东人多厄格就答说：「我看见叶瑟的儿子到过诺布，去见阿希突布的儿子阿希默肋客。
22:10
他为达味求问了上主，给了他食物，也把培肋舍特人哥肋雅的刀给了他」。
22:11
君王遂派人去叫阿希突布的儿子，大司祭阿希默肋客和他父亲全家，即诺布所有的司祭；他们就都来到君王面前，
22:12
撒乌耳说：「阿希突布的儿子，你听!」他答说：「是，我主!」
22:13
撒乌耳对他说：「你为什么和叶瑟的儿子同谋陷害我，给他食物和刀剑，为他求问天主，使他起来反对我，仇视我，像今日一样﹖」
22:14
阿希默肋客答复君王说：「在你的臣仆中，有谁如达味那样忠诚可靠呢﹖他是大王的女婿，又是护卫长，在你朝廷中是最受重视的人。
22:15
难道我是今天才开始为他求问天主吗﹖决不是!请大王不要加害自己的仆人和我父全家，因为你仆人一点也不知道这事。
22:16
王说：「阿希默肋客，你和你父亲全家都该死!」
22:17
王遂吩咐立在他左右的侍卫说：「你们过去，杀死上主的司祭!因为他们与达味携手，知道他逃跑，却不来告诉我」。但是君王的臣仆不敢下手杀上主的司祭。
22:18
王遂对多厄格说：「你过去杀死司祭!」厄东人多厄格就过去杀死了司祭。那一天他杀死了八十五位身穿细麻「厄弗得」的人。
22:19
至于那座诺布司祭城，无论男女、幼童或乳儿，甚至连那里的牛、驴、羊都用利剑杀尽。
厄贝雅塔尔投奔达味
22:20 阿希突布之子阿希默肋客的一个儿子，名叫厄贝雅塔尔的，脱险跑到了达味那里。
22:21
厄贝雅塔尔告诉达味，撒乌耳杀了上主的司祭。
22:22
达味对厄贝雅塔尔说：「那一天我已知道，因为厄东人多厄格在那里，他必要向撒乌耳报告；你父全家的性命，我全负责。
22:23
你住在我这里，不要害怕；谁想谋害你，就是想谋害我；你同我一起必得安全」。
第二十三章(28)
达味往救刻依拉
23:1 有人告诉达味说：「看，培肋舍特人在攻打刻依拉，抢掠禾场」。
23:2
达味就求问上主说：「我是否该去攻打这些培肋舍特人﹖」上主回答达味说：「去攻打培肋舍特人，解救刻依拉!」
23:3
随从达味的人对他说：「看，我们在犹大这里，已惴惴不安；如果到刻依拉去攻打培肋舍特军队，更将如何﹖」
23:4
达味又求问了上主，上主回答他说：「动身下到刻依拉去，因为我已将培肋舍特人交在你手中了!」
23:5
达味就和跟随他的人到刻依拉，攻打培肋舍特人，夺得了他们的牲口，打得他们惨败，营救了刻依拉的居民。
23:6
那时阿希默肋客的儿子厄贝雅塔尔逃到了达味那里，也下到了刻依拉，手中带着「厄弗得」
23:7
有人报告撒乌耳说：「达味到了刻依拉」。撒乌耳便说：「天主真将他交在我手中了，因为他将自己封锁在一座有门有闩的城里」。
23:8
撒乌耳就调集了人民出征，下到刻依拉，要包围达味和他的部队。
23:9
达味一知道撒乌耳想陷害他，就给司祭厄贝雅塔尔说：「拿「厄弗得」来!」
23:10
然后达味说：「上主，以色列的天主!你仆人听说撒乌耳正在筹划到刻依拉来，为了我的缘故，要毁灭这座城。
23:11
刻依拉的居民会将我交在他们手中吗﹖撒乌耳是否会像你仆人所听到的下来﹖请上主，以色列的天主，通知你的仆人!」上主回答说：「他要下来!」
23:12
达味又问说：「刻依拉的居民。会把我和随从我的人，交在撒乌耳手中吗﹖」上主答说：「他们会把你们交出」。
23:13
达味就动身率领士兵，约有六百人，离开了刻依拉，到处漂流。有人告诉撒乌耳说：「达味从刻依拉逃走了」。撒乌耳遂停止出动。
约纳堂访达味
23:14 达味住在旷野的深山里，有时住在齐弗旷野的山中。撒乌耳每日找他，天主没有将达味交在他手中。
23:15
达味很是害怕，因为撒乌耳出来，不断搜索他，当时达味住在齐弗旷野的曷勒士。
23:16
撒乌耳的儿子约纳堂动身，到了曷勒士，去见达味，他以天主的名鼓励达味说：
23:17
「不必害怕!我父撒乌耳的手决拿不住你!你必要作以色列王，我要在你以下居第二位，连我父撒乌耳也知道这事」。
23:18
他们二人在上主面前订立盟约。以后达味仍留在曷勒士，约纳堂回了家。
达味避居玛红旷野
23:19 有些齐弗人上了基贝亚见撒乌耳，说：「达味不是在我们当中，在曷勒士隐藏着吗﹖
23:20
大王!现在你随意下到我们那里，我们必把他交在大王手中」。
23:21
撒乌耳答说：「望上主降福你们，因为你们同情了我。
23:22
你们再去查看清楚，看他的脚步急速往哪里去，因为有人给我说，他非常狡猾。
23:23
所以你们去观察清楚，他藏身的一切秘密地方，确定后，回来见我，我必同你们一起去，只要他在这地方，我必在犹大各乡村中搜捕他」。
23:24
他们就在撒乌耳以先动身往齐弗去了；达味和他的人那时住在玛红旷野，即在旷野南方的荒原中。
23:25
撒乌耳率领士兵去寻找达味。有人将这事告诉了达味，他就下到那矗立玛红旷野的山崖间；撒乌耳一听说，便到玛红旷野去追赶达味。
23:26
撒乌耳带领士兵走在山这面，达味带领他的士兵走在山那面；达味正在急速逃避撒乌耳时，撒乌耳率领着他的士兵追踪达味和他的士兵，几乎要把他们捉住，
23:27
就在这时，有一个使者来见撒乌耳说：「快回去，因为培肋舍特人已侵入边境!」
23:28
撒乌耳遂立即收兵，不再追赶达味，而去迎击培肋舍特人；因此，人给那地方起名叫「隔离岩」。
第二十四章(23)
达味放撒乌耳
24:1 达味从那里上去，住在恩革狄的山寨中。
24:2
撒乌耳追击培肋舍特人回来，有人告诉他说：「达味现今藏在恩革狄旷野」。
24:3
撒乌耳就由全以色列民中，选拔了三千壮丁，到「野山羊岩」间去，搜捕达味和随从他的人。
24:4
撒乌耳走到路旁的羊圈前，那里有一个山洞，他就进去便溺，那时，达味和他的人正藏在山洞深处。
24:5
达味的人对他说：「今天是上主对你所说的那一天：看，我要将你的敌人交在你手中，任凭你处置他」。达味就起来，悄悄割下一块撒乌耳所披外氅的衣边。
24:6
事后，达味为了割去撒乌耳外氅上的衣边，心中感觉不安。
24:7
就对自己的人说：「为了上主，我决不能这样作。我对我主，对上主的受傅者，决不能伸手加害，因为他是上主的受傅者」。
24:8
达味说这话，是为阻止他的人起来杀害撒乌耳。以后，撒乌耳起来，走出山洞，上了原路。
达味向君王表白
24:9 达味在他后面也起来走出山洞，在撒乌耳后面喊说：「我主，大王!」撒乌耳回头向后看，见达味俯首至地，叩拜他。
24:10
达味对撒乌耳说：「你为什么听信人言，说：达味设计害你﹖
24:11
今天你亲眼见到，上主如何在山洞里把你交在我手中；但是，我不愿杀你，我怜恤了你，我说：我不应伸手加害我主，因为他是上主的受傅者。
24:12
我父，请看一看，你外氅的一块衣边在我手内!我只割下你外氅的衣边，没有杀你，从此你可清楚知道：在我手中并没有邪恶，也没有罪过。我原没有得罪你，你却千方百计地想要我的命。
24:13
愿上主在我与你之间施行审判!只愿上主替我报复你，我的手却不愿加害你。
24:14
就如古老的格言说：『邪恶出于恶人。』可是我的手决不加害你。
24:15
以色列的君王出来追捕谁呢﹖岂不是追捕一只死狗，一只跳蚤!
24:16
望上主做判官，在我与你之间施行裁判!望他受理，替我伸冤，救我脱离你的手」。
撒乌耳称颂达味
24:17 达味对撒乌耳说完这些话，撒乌耳就说：「我儿达味，这是你的声音吗﹖」
24:18
撒乌耳便放声大哭，然后对达味说：「你比我正义．因为你以善待我，我竟以恶报你!
24:19
你今日对我行了一件极大的善事，因为上主原把我交在你手中，你却没有杀我。
24:20
人若遇见了自己的仇人，岂能让他平安回去﹖愿上主报答你今日对我所行的善事!
24:21
现今我知道你必要作王，以色列的王国在你手中必愈趋稳定。
24:22
如今求你指着上主对我起誓：不要消灭我的后代子孙，也不要由我父家涂去我的名字」。
24:23
达味于是对撒乌耳发了誓。撒乌耳转身回家，达味和跟随他的人仍回了山寨。
第二十五章(44)
纳巴耳拒绝达味的要求
25:1 撒乌耳死后，全以色列人集会，举丧哀悼他，把他葬在他的故乡辣玛。以后，达味起身，下到玛红旷野。
25:2
在玛红有个人，他的产业都在加尔默耳，是个很富的人，有绵羊三千，山羊一千。那时他正在加尔默耳剪羊毛。
25:3
这人名叫纳巴耳，他的妻子名叫阿彼盖耳；妻子聪慧美丽，丈夫却是粗暴，行为恶劣，是加肋布族人。
25:4
达味在旷野里听说纳巴耳正在剪羊毛，
25:5
就打发十个少年人去，向他们说：「你们上加尔默耳，去见纳巴耳，代我向他请安，
25:6
对他这样说：你好!望你平安，望你全家平安，也望你所有的一切平安!
25:7
现今我听说你正剪羊毛；你的牧童和我们在一起时，我们没有难为过他们，他们住在加尔默耳的时候，从来没有失落过什么。
:8
你可问你的仆人，他们必会告诉你。为此，希望这些少年人在你眼前蒙恩，因为我们正逢节日来到你这里，请你把手中能给的东西，赐给你的仆人和你儿子达味」。
25:9
达味的少年人就到了纳巴耳那里，代达味把上述的话都给纳巴耳说了，等待答复。
25:10
纳巴耳却回答达味的少年人说：「达味是谁﹖叶瑟的儿子是什么人﹖今天逃避主人的奴隶太多了!
25:11
难道要我把我的饼和水，为剪毛的人所预备的肉，拿来给那些我不知道是从哪里来的人吗﹖」
25:12
达味的少年人就原路回去，把这些话都给达味回报了。
25:13
达味就吩咐他的人说：「每人佩上刀!」各人就佩上刀达味也佩上刀；约有四百人，跟达味上去，留下二百人看守辎重。
纳巴耳的妻迎接达味
25:14 有个纳巴耳的仆人告诉纳巴耳的妻子阿彼盖耳说：「达味从旷野派了使者来向我们主人请安，他竟侮辱了他们。
25:15
那些人原来待我们很好，总没有扰乱过我们；当我们在田野间同他们在一起时，总没有失落过什么。
25:16
我们同他们一起放羊的时期内，不分昼夜，他们常作我们的护卫。
25:17
现今，请你思量一下，看你应作什么，因为达味已决定要加害我们的主人和他的全家，而主人又脾气暴燥，无法同他交谈」。
25:18
阿彼盖耳急忙拿了二百个饼，两皮囊酒，五只宰好的羊，五「色阿」炒过的麦子，一百串干葡萄，二百无花果糕饼，放在几匹驴上，
25:19
对仆人说：「你们走在我前面，我跟着你们去」。她并没有将这事告诉她丈夫纳巴耳。
25:20
她骑着驴，由山岭后面下来，同时达味带着他的人也向着她走来，与她相遇。
25:21
达味正思量说：「我白白地在旷野中保护了这人的一切，使他所有的一点未受损失，他竟对我以恶报德。
25:22
若我把这人的一切和所有的男人还存留到天亮，就望上主这样加倍惩罚我达味!」
25:23
阿彼盖耳一看见达味，急速由驴上跳下，俯伏在达味前，屈膝下拜，
25:24
跪在达味足前说：「我主!这过错全归于我，让你的婢女向你进一言，求你垂听你婢女的话。
25:25
请我主别将这人的事放在心上!他脾气急燥，是个糊涂人，他名叫「纳巴耳」，真名实相符，他的确昏愚。至于我，你婢女却没有见我主所派来的少年。
25:26
我主，我现今指着永生的上主和你起誓：是上主防止了你，不使你流人的血，也不使你亲手报仇。从此，愿你的仇敌和想加害我主的人，都像纳巴耳一样!
25:27
现今，请把你婢女给我主带来的礼物，赏给随从我主的仆人。
25:28
请你原谅你婢女的过错!的确，上主要给我主建立一坚固的王朝，因为我主打的是上主的仗，并且，你一生也没有什么过错。
25:29
纵然，有人起来迫害你，谋害你的性命，但我主的生命是保存在上主，你的天主的生命锦囊中；至于你敌人的性命，上主却用投石器将他们拋掉。
25:30
当上主对我主作了他所说的一切好事，立你作以色列的元首时，
25:31
我主不将不会因流了无辜者的血，或因亲手雪恨，而感到心中不安，良心有愧。当上主恩待我主时，望你不要忘了你的婢女！」
25:32
达味向阿彼盖耳说：「上主，以色列的天主，是可称颂的!感谢他今天派你来迎接我。
25:33
你的聪慧是可赞美的，你也是可赞美的，因为你阻止了我倾流人血，亲手复仇。
25:34
我指着那阻止我加害你的上主，以色列的永生天主起誓：假使你没有急速来迎接我，明天天亮，一个男子也不会给纳巴耳留下。」
25:35
达味从她手中接过她所带来一切，向她说：「现在，你可平安回到你家里去。看，我听从了你的劝告，顾全了你的面子」。
达味娶阿彼盖耳
25:36 阿彼盖耳回到纳巴耳那里，他正在家中设了象君王的盛宴。纳巴耳心中非常快活，吃得大醉，直到早晨天亮，阿彼盖耳一点也没有将这事告诉他。
25:37
第二天早晨，纳巴耳酒醒了，他的妻子便将发生的事告诉了他；他一听这话，吓得魂不附体，呆如顽石。
25:38
大约过了十天，上主打击了纳巴耳，他就死了。
25:39
达味听说纳巴耳死了，就说道：「上主应受赞美，因为他给我伸了冤，洗净了我由纳巴耳所受凌辱，防止了他的仆人行恶；上主把纳巴耳的罪恶归在他自己头上。」以后，达味派人对阿彼盖耳说要娶她为妻。
25:40
达味的仆人到了加尔默耳，来见阿彼盖耳，对她说：「达味派我们到你这里来，为迎娶你做他的妻子」。
25:41
她就起来，俯伏在地，下拜说：「你的婢女情愿作奴隶，给我主的仆人洗脚。」
25:42
阿彼盖耳遂急速起来，骑上驴，带了她的五个婢女作陪，跟随达味的使者去，作了他的妻子。
25:43
那时达味已娶了依次勒耳人阿希诺罕为妻；她们二人同作达味的妻子。
25:44
那时，撒乌耳已把他的女儿，达味的妻子米加耳，嫁给了加林人拉依士的儿子帕耳提。
第二十六章(25)
达味二次放撒乌耳
26:1 齐弗人来到基贝亚见撒乌耳说：「达味藏在旷野边缘哈基拉山中。
26:2
撒乌耳遂动身下到齐弗旷野，同他去的有三千以色列精兵，在齐弗旷野搜捕达味。
26:3
撒乌耳在旷野边缘哈基拉山上，靠路旁扎了营。当时达味住在旷野里，他得知撒乌耳来到旷野搜捕自己，
26:4
遂派出侦探，因而得知撒乌耳确已来到。
26:5
达味遂起身来到撒乌耳扎营的地方，察看撒乌耳和他的统帅乃尔的儿子阿贝乃尔睡觉的地方：撒乌耳睡在行营中心，他的部队驻扎在他的四周。
26:6
达味就问赫特人阿希默肋客和责鲁雅的儿子约阿布的兄弟阿彼瑟说：「谁同我下到撒乌耳的营中去﹖」阿彼瑟答说：「我同你下去。」。
26:7
达味和阿彼瑟便在夜间深入敌营，见撒乌耳睡卧在行营的中心，他的枪插在头旁地上，阿贝乃尔和部队环绕他睡在四周。
26:8
阿彼瑟对达味说：「今天天主将你的仇人交在你手里了!如今让我用他的枪，把他钉在地上，只一下，不需要给他第二下。」。
26:9
达味却对阿彼瑟说：「不可杀他!因为谁敢伸手加害上主的受傅者，而能无罪呢﹖」
26:10
达味又说：「我指着永生的上主起誓：只有上主可打击他，或到了他的日子；终于死去，或下到战场阵亡。
26:11
在上主前，我决不愿伸手加害上主的受傅者。现今，你快拿去他头旁的枪和水壶，我们就离去」。
26:12
达味遂从撒乌耳头旁拿了枪和水壶，二人就走了。谁也没有看见，谁也没有理会，谁也没有醒来，都沉睡了，因为上主使他们沉入睡梦中。
达味与撒乌耳谈话
26:13 达味走到对面，远远站在山头上，他们彼此相隔很远，
26:14
达味于是向军队和乃尔的儿子阿贝乃尔喊说：「阿贝乃尔!你不答应吗﹖」阿贝乃尔答说：「你是谁﹖竟敢吵醒君王!」
26:15
达味对阿贝乃尔说：「你不是个好汉吗﹖以色列中有谁能与你相比﹖民间来了一个要杀害你的主上君王的，你为什么没有好好护守你的主上君王﹖
26:16
这事你实在做的实在不对!我指着永生的上主起誓：你们都该死，因为你们没有好好护守你们的主子，上主的受傅者。现今，你去看一看君王的枪在那里﹖头旁的水壶又在哪里﹖」
26:17
撒乌耳认出是达味的声音，就说：「我儿达味，这不是你的声音吗﹖」达味答说：「我主大王，是我的声音。」。
26:18
遂接着说：「我主为什么迫害他的仆人﹖我究竟作了什么恶事﹖
26:19
如今请我主大王听他仆人一句话：如果是上主感动你来害我，愿他收纳这个祭献；但是；若是人煽惑你，他们在上主面前是该诅咒的，因为他们今日将我驱逐，不容我分享上主的产业，无异是说：你去，事奉外邦的神罢!
26:20
现今，愿我的血不流在离上主很远的地方，因为以色列的君王出来猎取我的性命，就如人在山上猎取鹧鸪!」
26:21
撒乌耳说：「我儿达味，我犯了罪，你回去罢!我再不加害你了!因为你今天实在珍惜了我的性命。哎!我太昏愚，实在错了!」
26:22
达味答说：「这里有大王的枪，叫一个仆人来拿去。
26:23
愿上主报答各人的正义和忠诚!因为今天上主把你交在我手里，我却不愿加害上主的受傅者。
26:24
请看!我今天怎样看重了你的性命，也愿上主怎样看重我的性命，从一切忧患中拯救我!」
26:25
撒乌耳对达味说：「我儿达味，你实在是可赞美的，你必有所作为，也必有成就。」然后达味走了，撒乌耳也回了家。
第二十七章(12)
达味投奔阿基士
27:1 达味心里想：「终有一天我会落在撒乌耳手中，倒不如逃到培肋舍特地方去，使撒乌耳绝望，再不在全以色列境内寻找我，我方能摆脱他的毒手。」
27:2
达味遂带了他那六百人，动身往加特王玛敖客的儿子阿基士那里去。
27:3
达味和他的两个妻子：依次勒耳人阿希诺罕与曾作加尔默耳人纳巴耳妻子的阿彼盖耳，他的部队，以及他们的眷属，同阿基士一起住在加特。
27:4
有人告诉撒乌耳，达味逃到加特去了，撒乌耳就再不去搜寻他。
27:5
达味向阿基士说：「假使我在你眼中获得宠幸，请在乡间城镇里给我一块地方，叫我住在那里；为什么你的仆人要同你一起住在京城内呢﹖」
27:6
那一天，阿基士就将漆刻拉格赐给他；因此漆刻拉格直到今日还属犹大王。
27:7
达味住在培肋舍特人地方，共计一年零四个月。
达味征讨邻邦
27:8 达味带着他的人上去，袭击了革叔尔人、基尔齐人和阿玛肋克人。这些民族所住的地方，是从特郎经叔尔直到埃及地。
27:9
当达味攻击那地方时，没有让那里的男女生存，只把牛、羊、驴、骆驼和衣服抢来，带回交给阿基士。
27:10
每当阿基士问说：「今天你们袭击了什么地方﹖」时，达味总是答说：「袭击了犹大的南方，耶辣默耳人的南方，刻尼人的南方。」
27:11
达味没有让那里的男女活着带回加特来，因为达味想：「怕他们对我们作不利的宣传说：达味这样对待了我们。」这是他住在培肋舍特地方整个时期内的作风。
27:12
阿基士相信了达味，心中想：「他在自己民族以色列人中，已留下臭名，他要永久作我的奴隶了」。
第二十八章(25)
培肋舍特人进攻
28:1 那时培肋舍特人调集军队要进攻以色列人，阿基士对达味说：「你该知道你和你的人应协助我作战。」
28:2
达味回答阿基士说：「好!你就要知道你的仆人要作什么」。阿基士对达味说：「那么，我就立你常作我的护卫。」
28:3
那时，撒慕尔已死，全以色列人举丧哀悼他．把他葬在他的故乡辣玛。撒乌耳也早已将招魂的和行巫术的人驱逐出境。
28:4
培肋舍特人调齐以后，来到叔能扎营；撒乌耳也调集全以色列在基耳波亚扎营。
求问招魂的女巫
28:5 撒乌耳看见培肋舍特人的军营就害怕起来，心中非常恐慌，
28:6
遂去求问上主，但上主没有借梦境，也没有借「乌陵」，也没有借先知答复他。
28:7
撒乌耳便对臣仆说：「你们给我找个招魂的女巫，我愿到她那里去求问」。他的臣仆回答他说：「现今在恩多尔有个招魂的女巫。」
28:8
撒乌耳就改装易服，带了两个人作伴，夜间来见那女人，对她说：「求你用招魂的法术给我占卜，将向你所指出的人给我招上来。」
28:9
那女人回答说：「啊!你知道撒慕尔作了什么，他已经将国内招魂和行巫术的人铲除，为什么你来设陷阱害我的性命，叫我死呢﹖。
28:10
撒乌耳就指着上主对她发誓说：「上主永在!为这事你决不会受害」。
28:11
那女人问说：「要我给你招谁上来﹖」他答说：「你给我招撒慕耳上来？
28:12
那女人一看见撒慕尔就大喊一声，对撒乌耳说：「你为什么哄骗我﹖你就是撒乌耳!」
28:13
王对她说：「不要怕!你究竟看见了什么﹖」那女人回答撒乌耳说：「我看见神由地中上来。」
28:14
撒乌耳问说：「什么形状﹖」她答说：「上来了一位老人，身披外氅」。撒乌耳便知道这是撒慕尔，遂俯首至地下拜。
28:15
撒慕尔对撒乌耳说：「为什么你扰乱我，叫我上来﹖」撒乌耳答说：「我很是苦痛。培肋舍特人攻击我，上主已远离我，又不藉先知，也不藉梦境答复我，所以我招你上来，指教我该作什么。」
28:16
撒慕尔说：「上主既已离开了你，协助你的近人你为什么还来问我﹖
28:17
上主对你实践了他藉我所说的话：上主已由你手中夺去了王权，赐给了你的近人达味；
28:18
因为你没有听从上主的话，没有执行他对阿玛肋克所怀的盛怒，为此，上主今天这样对待了你。
28:19
上主还要把以色列和你一起交在培肋舍特人手中；明日你和你的儿子要同我在一起；并且，上主也要把以色列军队交在培肋舍特人手中」。
28:20
撒乌耳一听撒慕尔的话，非常恐惧，忽然跌倒在地；又因他一日一夜没有吃喝，一点力气也没有了。
28:21
那女人就走到撒乌耳跟前，看见他很是惊慌，就对他说：「看，你的婢女听了你的话，不顾性命，听从了你给我说的话。
28:22
现今你也该听从你婢女的话：我给你拿点食物来，你吃了，好有力气走路」。
28:23
他却拒绝说：「我不吃」。但是他的臣仆和那女人都勉强他，他才听从了他们的话，从地上起来，坐在床上。
28:24
那女人在家里有头肥牛，急忙宰了，又把面调好，烤成无酵饼，
28:25
摆在撒乌耳和他臣仆面前；他们吃了以后，当夜就起身走了。
第二十九章(11)
将领不信任达味
29:1 培肋舍特人将军队全调集在阿费克，同时以色列人在依次勒耳附近的泉旁扎营。
29:2
培肋舍特的酋长，有领一百人的，也有领一千人的，列阵在前，达味带领自己的人同阿基士列阵在后。
29:3
培肋舍特人的将领说：「这些希伯来人作什么﹖」阿基士回答培肋舍特人的将领说：「他不是以色列王撒乌耳的臣仆达味吗﹖他已同我在一起有一二年了，从他归顺我那一天起，直到今日，在他身上从未发现什么过错」。
29:4
培肋舍特将领向他大发愤怒说：「把这人打发回去，叫他回到你给他指定的地方去，不要让他同我们一起下去打仗，免得他在战争中作出卖我们的奸细，他不借用我们这些人的头，怎能获得他主人的欢心﹖
29:5
人在舞蹈时歌咏说：「『撒乌耳杀了一千，达味杀了一万』，不就是这达味吗﹖」
阿基士打发达味回去
29:6 阿基士就将达味召来，向他说：「愿永生的上主作证：你是可靠的人，你同我在军中出入，我很满意，因为自你投奔我那一天起，直到今日我在你身上并没有发现什么可指摘之事；但是酋长们不喜欢你。
29:7
现今你回去，平安去罢!免得培肋舍特人的酋长们厌恶」。
29:8
达味回答阿基士说：「我作了什么不对﹖或者自从我来服事你那天起，直到今日，你在你仆人身上发现了什么不对，竟不肯让我同我大王的敌人交战﹖」
29:9
阿基士回答达味说：「我知道你在我眼中，好象一位天主的使者，但培肋舍特的将领说：不许他同我们一起作战!
29:10
明早起来，你同你一起来的你主人的仆人，都往我给你指定的地方去，心中不要抱怨，我是喜欢你的，所以明天，天一亮，你们就动身回去吧!」
29:11
于是达味和他的人清早就起身，回培肋舍特地方去了。培肋舍特人上了依次勒耳。
第三十章(31)
漆刻拉格被洗劫
30:1 当达味和他的人第三天来到漆刻拉格时，阿玛肋克人已侵入乃革布和漆刻拉格，将漆刻拉格洗劫，放火烧了，
30:2
将城中的妇女，以及所有的老幼，都掳了去；但没有杀人，只将他们掳走，回返原路。
30:3
达味和他的人来到城旁，见城已被火烧毁，他们的妻子儿女尽被掳去，
30:4
遂放声大哭，直哭得声嘶力竭。
30:5
达味的两个妻子：依次勒耳人阿希诺罕和曾作加尔默耳人纳巴耳妻子的阿彼盖耳也被掳去了。
30:6
达味陷入窘境，因为人民各为自己的儿女非常痛心，都说要用石头打死他；但是达味更加坚固依靠上主，他的天主。
达味追回一切
30:7 达味对阿希默肋客的儿子厄贝雅塔尔司祭说：「请你将「厄弗得」给我拿来!」厄贝雅塔尔就将厄弗得」给达味拿了来。
30:8
达味求问上主说：「我该追赶这些土匪吗﹖我追得上吗﹖」上主答说：「你去追赶，必能追上，能救回一切。」
30:9
达味和随从他的六百人于是立即出发，到了贝索尔河。
30:10
达味带着四百人仍向前追赶，其余二百人因为过于疲倦，不能过贝索尔河，就住下了。
30:11
有人在田间遇见了一个埃及人，把他领到达味前，给他饭吃，给他水喝，
30:12
又给他一个无花果饼，两串干葡萄；他吃了后，精神就恢复了，因为他已三天三夜没有吃饭喝水了。
30:13
达味问他说：「你是谁的人，你是哪里的﹖」他答说：「我是个埃及少年，为一个阿玛肋克人做奴隶，因为我害病，我主人拋弃我已三天了。
30:14
我们侵击了革肋提人的南部，犹大的南部和加肋布的南部，放火烧了漆刻拉格」。
30:15
达味问他说：「你能领我下到这群土匪那里去吗﹖」他答说：「你要指着天主给我起誓：不杀我，也不将我交在我主人手里，那么，我就领你下到这群土匪那里去。」达味对他起了誓，
30:16
他便领他下去了。看，土匪都散在各处，正在吃喝，庆祝他们从培肋舍特和犹大地方抢来的大批胜利品。
30:17
达味从天亮直到晚上，击杀他们，消灭他们，除四百骑骆驼逃走的士兵外，一个也没有逃脱。
30:18
凡阿玛肋克人所掳去的，达味都救了回来，也救回了他的两个妻子。
30:19
凡被掳去的，不论老幼，不论子女，不论什么财物，一个也不缺，达味全都夺了回来。
30:20
他们夺回了所有牛羊，牵到达味前说：「这是达味的战利品。」
达味善待后方的士兵
30:21 达味回到那二百人那里，他们因为走路疲乏，不能跟着去，达味就叫他们停留在贝索尔河旁，──这些人就前来欢迎达味和跟随他的军人，达味和军人也上前去向他们请安。
30:22
同达味前去的人中，有些不良分子和无赖之徒高声嚷说：「他们既然没有与我们同去，我们所救回来的财物，什么也不要分给他们，只让他们各自带自己的妻子和儿女回去。
30:23
达味就说：「兄弟们，上主既然这样恩待我们，保卫我们，把这群前来攻击我们的土匪，交在我们手里，你们决不能这样做。
30:24
在这件事上，谁能依从你们呢﹖那下去打仗的得多少；那留下看守辎重的，也得多少；大家应当平分!」
30:25
从那天起，达味给以色列立定了这项至今有效的规矩和法律
BOOK ENDS. Seraphim, April 2009.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
1
I. SAMUEL
A. THE CHILDHOOD OF
SAMUEL
The pilgrimage to
Shiloh
1:1 There was a man of
Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the highlands of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son
of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
1:2 He had two wives, one
called Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.
1:3 Every year this man used
to go up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh Sabaoth[*a] in
Shiloh.[*b] The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of
Yahweh.
1:4 One day Elkanah offered
sacrifice. He used to give portions to Peninnah and to all her sons and
daughters;
1:5 to Hannah, however, he
would give only one portion, although he loved her more, since Yahweh had made
her barren.
1:6 Her rival would taunt her
to annoy her, because Yahweh had made her barren.
1:7 And this went on year
after year; every time they went up to the temple of Yahweh she used to taunt
her. And so Hannah wept and would not eat.
1:8 Then Elkanah her husband
said to her, 'Hannah, why are you crying and why are you not eating? Why so
sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?'
The prayer of
Hannah
1:9 Now after they had eaten
in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before Yahweh, while Eli the priest
was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.
1:10 In the bitterness of her
soul she prayed to Yahweh with many tears
1:11 and made a vow, saying,
'Yahweh Sabaoth! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and
bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a manchild, I will
give him to Yahweh for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his
head'.
1:12 While she prayed before
Yahweh which she did for some time, Eli was watching her mouth,
1:13 for she was speaking
under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard. He
therefore supposed that she was drunk
1:14 and said to her, 'How
long are you going to be in this drunken state? Rid yourself of your wine.'
1:15 'No, my lord,' Hannah
replied 'I am a woman in great trouble; I have taken neither wine nor strong
drink - I was pouring out my soul before Yahweh.
1:16 Do not take your
maidservant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the
depth of my grief and my resentment.'
1:17 Then Eli answered her:
'Go in peace,' he said 'and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of
him'. And she said,
1:18 'May your maidservant
find favour in your sight'; and with that the woman went away; she returned to
the hall and ate and was dejected no longer.
The birth and
consecration of Samuel
1:19 They rose early in the
morning and worshipped before Yahweh and then set out and returned to their
home in Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife and Yahweh was
mindful of her.
1:20 She conceived and gave
birth to a son, and called him Samuel 'since' she said 'I asked Yahweh for
him.' When a year had gone by,
1:21 the husband Elkanah went
up again with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to Yahweh and to
fulfil his vow.
1:22 Hannah, however, did not
go up, having said to her husband, 'Not before the child is weaned. Then I will
bring him and present him before Yahweh and he shall stay there for ever.'
1:23 Elkanah her husband then
said to her, 'Do what you think fit; wait until you have weaned him. May Yahweh
bring about what you have said.' So the woman stayed behind and nursed her
child until his weaning.
1:24 When she had weaned him,
she took him up with her together with a three-year old bull, an ephah of flour
and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of Yahweh at Shiloh; and
the child was with them.
1:25 They slaughtered the bull
and the child's mother came to Eli.
1:26 She said, 'If you please,
my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you,
praying to Yahweh.
1:27 This is the child I
prayed for, and Yahweh granted me what I asked him.
1:28 Now I make him over to
Yahweh for the whole of his life. He is made over to Yahweh.'
There she left him, for
Yahweh.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
2
The song of Hannah
2:1 Then Hannah said this
prayer: 'My heart exults in Yahweh, my horn is exalted in my God, my mouth
derides my foes, for I rejoice in your power of saving.
2:2 There is none as holy as
Yahweh, (indeed, there is no one but you) no rock like our God.
2:3 Do not speak and speak
with haughty words, let not arrogance come from your mouth. For Yahweh is an
all-knowing God and his is the weighing of deeds.
2:4 The bow of the mighty is
broken but the feeble have girded themselves with strength.
2:5 The sated hire themselves
out for bread but the famished cease from labour; the barren woman bears
sevenfold, but the mother of many is desolate.
2:6 Yahweh gives death and
life, brings down to Sheol and draws up;
2:7 Yahweh makes poor and
rich, he humbles and also exalts.
2:8 He raises the poor from
the dust, he lifts the needy from the dunghill to give them a place with
princes, and to assign them a seat of honour; for to Yahweh the props of the
earth belong, on these he has poised the world.
2:9 He safeguards the steps of
his faithful but the wicked vanish in darkness (for it is not by strength that
man triumphs).
2:10 The enemies of Yahweh are
shattered, the Most High thunders in the heavens. Yahweh judges the ends of the
earth, he endows his king with power, he exalts the horn of his Anointed.'
2:11 Then she left for Ramah,
but the boy stayed to minister to Yahweh in the presence of Eli the priest.
The sons of Eli
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were
scoundrels; they cared nothing for Yahweh
2:13 nor for the rights of the
priests as regards the people. Whenever a man offered a sacrifice, the priest's
servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was
being cooked;
2:14 he would thrust this into
cauldron or pan, or dish or pot, and the priest claimed for his own whatever
the fork brought up. That was how they behaved with all the Israelites who came
there to Shiloh.
2:15 The priest's servant
would even come up before the fat had been burnt and say to the man who was
making the sacrifice, 'Give the priest meat for him to roast. He will not take
boiled meat from you, but raw.' Then if the man replied,
2:16 'Let them first burn the
fat and then take for yourself whatever you wish', he would retort, 'No! You
must give it to me now or I will take it by force'.
2:17 This sin of the young men
was very great in the sight of Yahweh, because they treated the offering made
to Yahweh with contempt.
Samuel at Shiloh
2:18 Samuel was in the service
of Yahweh; the boy wore a linen loincloth round him.
2:19 His mother used to make
him a little tunic which she brought him each year when she came up with her
husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
2:20 Then Eli would bless
Elkanah and his wife and say, 'May Yahweh grant you an heir by this woman in
place of the one she has made over to Yahweh.' And then they would go home.
2:21 Yahweh visited Hannah;
she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the boy
Samuel grew up in the presence of Yahweh.
More about the sons
of Eli
2:22 Though now very old, Eli
came to hear of everything that his sons were doing to all Israel.
2:23 And he said to them, 'Why
do you do these things I hear from all the people?
2:24 No, my sons! The reports
I hear are not good. . .
2:25 If man sins against man,
God will be the arbiter, but if he sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for
him?' But they did not listen to their father's words, for Yahweh was
determined to bring them to their deaths.
2:26 Meanwhile the boy Samuel
went on growing in stature and in favour both with Yahweh and with men.
Future punishment
is announced
2:27 A man of God came to Eli
and said to him, 'Yahweh says this, "Did I not reveal myself to your
father's[*a] House when they were in Egypt, slaves of the household of Pharaoh.
2:28 I chose them out of all
the tribes of Israel to be my priests, to go up to my altar, to burn incense,
to carry the ephod;[*b] and to your father's House I granted all the burnt
offerings of the sons of Israel.
2:29 Why do you look with
envious eyes on the sacrifice and the offering I have ordered, honouring your
sons more than me, by letting them grow fat on the best part of all the
offerings of my people Israel?
2:30 Whereas - it is Yahweh
the God of Israel who speaks - I had said that your House and your father's
House would walk in my presence for ever, now, however, - it is Yahweh who
speaks - far be this from me. For those who honour me I honour in my turn, and
those who despise me are esteemed as nothing.
2:31 So, the days are coming
when I will break your strength and the strength of your father's House, till
there is not one old man left in your House.
2:32 Like an envious enemy you
will look on all the good that I shall do to Israel, but there shall be not one
old man left in your House for ever.
2:33 One of you I will keep at
my altar for his eyes to perish and his soul to wither, but the bulk of your
House shall perish by the sword of men.
2:34 What happens to your two
sons Hophni and Phinehas shall be a sign for you: on the one day both shall
die.
2:35 I will raise up a
faithful priest for myself; he shall do whatever I plan and whatever I desire.
I will build him an enduring House and he will walk in the presence of my
Anointed for ever.
2:36 And all that survive of
your House will come and beg him on their knees for a silver piece or a loaf of
bread and say: Please give me some priestly task, so that I can have a scrap of
bread to eat."'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
3
God calls Samuel
3:1 Now the boy Samuel was
ministering to Yahweh in the presence of Eli; it was rare for Yahweh to speak
in those days; visions were uncommon.
3:2 One day, it happened that
Eli was lying down in his room. His eyes were beginning to grow dim; he could
no longer see.
3:3 The lamp of God had not
yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of Yahweh where the ark of
God was,
3:4 when Yahweh called,
'Samuel! Samuel!' He answered, 'Here I am'.
3:5 Then he ran to Eli and
said, 'Here I am, since you called me'. Eli said, 'I did not call. Go back and
lie down.' So he went and lay down.
3:6 Once again Yahweh called,
'Samuel! Samuel!' Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you
called me'. He replied, 'I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down'.
3:7 Samuel had as yet no
knowledge of Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him.
3:8 Once again Yahweh called,
the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, since you
called me'. Eli then understood that it was Yahweh who was calling the boy,
3:9 and he said to Samuel, 'Go
and lie down, and if someone calls say, "Speak, Yahweh, your servant is
listening"'. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 Yahweh then came and
stood by, calling as he had done before, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Samuel answered,
'Speak, Yahweh, your servant is listening'.
3:11 Then Yahweh said to
Samuel, 'I am about to do such a thing in Israel as will make the ears of all
who hear it ring.
3:12 On that day, I will carry
out against Eli everything I have spoken about his House, from beginning to
end.
3:13 You are to tell him that
I condemn his House for ever because he has known that his sons have been
cursing God, yet he has not corrected them.
3:14 Therefore - I swear it to
the House of Eli - neither sacrifice nor offering shall ever expiate the guilt
of the House of Eli.'
3:15 Then Samuel lay still
until the morning, when he opened the doors of Yahweh's temple. He was afraid
to tell the vision to Eli,
3:16 but Eli called him and
said, 'Samuel, my son'. 'Here I am' he answered.
3:17 'What message did he give
you?' Eli asked; 'Do not hide it from me. May God do this to you, and more, if
you keep back anything of what he said to you.'
3:18 Samuel then told him
everything, keeping nothing back from him. Eli said, 'He is Yahweh; let him do
what he thinks good'.
3:19 Samuel grew up and Yahweh
was with him and let no word of his fall to the ground.
3:20 All Israel from Dan to
Beersheba came to know that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of Yahweh.
3:21 Yahweh continued to
appear in Shiloh, for he revealed himself to Samuel,
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
4
4:1 and the word of Samuel
went out to all Israel. By then, Eli was very old and his sons still persisted
in their wicked behaviour towards Yahweh.
B. THE ARK IN PHILISTINE
HANDS
The defeat of the
Israelites and capture of the ark
It happened at that time that
the Philistines mustered to fight Israel and Israel went out to meet them in
battle, encamping near Ebenezer while the Philistines were encamped at Aphek.
4:2 The Philistines drew up
their battle line against Israel, the battle was hotly engaged, and Israel was
defeated by the Philistines and about four thousand of their army were killed
on the field.
4:3 The troops returned to the
camp and the elders of Israel said, 'Why has Yahweh allowed us to be defeated
today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of our God from Shiloh so that
it may come among us and rescue us from the power of our enemies.'
4:4 So the troops sent to
Shiloh and brought away the ark of Yahweh Sabaoth, he who is seated on the
cherubs; the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark.
4:5 When the ark of Yahweh
arrived in the camp, all Israel gave a great shout so that the earth resounded.
4:6 When the Philistines heard
the noise of the shouting, they said, 'What can this great shouting in the
Hebrew camp mean?' And they realised that the ark of Yahweh had come into the
camp.
4:7 At this the Philistines
were afraid; and they said, 'God has come to the camp'. 'Alas!' they cried 'This
has never happened before.
4:8 Alas! Who will save us
from the power of this mighty God? It was he who struck down Egypt with every
kind of plague!
4:9 But take courage and be
men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been
slaves to you. Be men and fight.'
4:10 So the Philistines joined
battle and Israel was defeated, each man fleeing to his tent. The slaughter was
great indeed, and there fell of the Israelites thirty thousand foot soldiers.
4:11 The ark of God was captured
too, and the two sons of Eli died, Hophni and Phinehas.
The death of Eli
4:12 A Benjaminite ran from
the battle line, reaching Shiloh that same day, his clothes torn and dust on
his head.
4:13 When he arrived, Eli was
there, sitting on his seat beside the gate watching the road, for his heart
trembled for the ark of God. This man, then, came to the town bringing the
news, whereupon cries filled the town.
4:14 Eli heard the uproar and
asked, 'What does this great outcry mean?' The man made haste and told Eli. -
4:15 Eli was ninety-eight
years old; his gaze was fixed; he was blind. -
4:16 The man said to Eli, 'I
have come from the camp. I escaped from the ranks today'. 'My son,' said Eli
'what has happened?'
4:17 The messenger replied,
'Israel has fled before the Philistines; the army has been utterly routed. What
is worse, your two sons are dead and the ark of God has been captured.'
4:18 When he mentioned the ark
of God, Eli fell backward off his seat by the gate; his neck was broken and he
died, for he was old and heavy. He had ruled Israel for forty years.
The death of the
wife of Phinehas
4:19 Now his daughter-in-law,
the wife of Phinehas, was with child and near her time. When she heard the news
that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband
were dead she crouched down and gave birth, for her labour pains came on.
4:20 When she was at the point
of death, the women standing round her said, 'Do not be afraid; you have given
birth to a son'. But she did not answer and took no notice.
4:21 She named the boy
Ichabod,[*a] saying, 'The glory has gone from Israel', thinking of her
father-in-law and husband and of the capture of the ark of God.
4:22 She said, 'The glory has
gone from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured'.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
5
The ark brings
disaster to the Philistines
5:1 When the Philistines had
captured the ark of God they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
5:2 Taking the ark of God, the
Philistines put it in the temple of Dagon, setting it down beside Dagon.
5:3 Next morning the people of
Ashdod went to the temple of Dagon and there lay Dagon face down on the ground
before the ark of Yahweh. They picked Dagon up and put him back in his place.
5:4 But early next morning
there lay Dagon face down again on the ground before the ark of Yahweh, and
Dagon's head and two hands were lying severed on the threshold; only the trunk
of Dagon was left in its place.
5:5 This is why the priests of
Dagon and indeed all who enter Dagon's temple do not step on the threshold of
Dagon in Ashdod to the present day.
5:6 The hand of Yahweh weighed
heavily on the people of Ashdod and struck terror into them, afflicting them
with tumours, in Ashdod and its territory.
5:7 When the men of Ashdod saw
what was happening they said, 'The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here
with us, for his hand lies heavy on us and on Dagon our god.'
5:8 So they summoned all the
Philistine chiefs to them, and said, 'What shall we do with the ark of the God
of Israel?' They decided, 'The ark of the God of Israel must go away to Gath'.
So they took the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.
5:9 But after they had taken
it there, the hand of Yahweh lay heavy on that town and a great panic broke
out; the people of the town, from youngest to oldest, were struck with tumours
that he brought out on them.
5:10 They then sent the ark of
God to Ekron, but when it came to Ekron the Ekronites shouted, 'They have
brought us the ark of the God of Israel to bring death to us and our people'.
5:11 They summoned all the
Philistine chiefs and said, 'Send the ark of the God of Israel away; let it go
back to where it belongs and not bring death to us and our people' - for there
was mortal panic throughout the town; the hand of God was very heavy there.
5:12 The people who did not
die were struck with tumours and the wailing from the town went up to heaven.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
6
The return of the
ark
6:1 The ark of Yahweh was in
Philistine territory for seven months.
6:2 Then the Philistines
called for their priests and diviners and asked, 'What shall we do with the ark
of Yahweh? Tell us how to send it back to where it belongs.'
6:3 They replied, 'If you do
send the ark of the God of Israel away, you must not send it away empty; you
must pay him a guilt-offering. Then you will be healed and you will know why
his hand would not turn away from you.'
6:4 They then asked, 'What
guilt-offering ought we to pay him?' They answered, 'In proportion to the
number of the Philistine chiefs, five golden tumours and models of your rats,
for the plague was the same for you all as for your chiefs.
6:5 So you must make models of
your tumours and models of the rats that ravage your country, and you must pay
honour to the God of Israel. Then perhaps he will lighten his hand on you and your
gods and your country.
6:6 Why should you be as
stubborn as Egypt and Pharaoh were? After he had brought evil on them, did they
not let them leave?
6:7 Now, then, take and fit
out a new cart, and two milch cows that have never borne the yoke. Then harness
the cows to the cart and take their calves back to the byre.
6:8 Then take the ark of
Yahweh, place it on the cart, and put the golden objects which you are paying
him as guilt-offering in a box beside it; then let it go its own way.
6:9 Watch it; if it goes up
the road to its own territory, to Beth-shemesh, then it was he who did us this
great harm; but if not, then we will know it was not his hand that struck us,
but that this happened to us by chance.'
6:10 The people did this. They
took two milch cows and harnessed them to the cart and shut up their calves in
the byre.
6:11 Then they placed the ark
of Yahweh on the cart, with the box and the golden rats and the models of their
tumours.
6:12 The cows made straight
for Beth-shemesh keeping to the one road, lowing as they went and turning
neither to right nor to left. The Philistine chiefs followed them as far as the
boundaries of Beth-shemesh.
The ark at
Beth-shemesh
6:13 The people of
Beth-shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the plain when, raising their
eyes, they saw the ark and went joyfully to meet it.
6:14 When the cart came to the
field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh it stopped. There was a large stone[*a] there,
and they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a holocaust to
Yahweh.
6:15 The Levites had taken
down the ark of Yahweh and the box containing the golden objects beside it, and
placed all this upon the large stone. The men of Beth-shemesh offered
holocausts that day and offered sacrifices to Yahweh.
6:16 When the five Philistine
chiefs had seen this, they went back to Ekron the same day.
6:17 These were the golden
tumours the Philistines paid as guilt-offering to Yahweh: one for Ashdod, one
for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;
6:18 as also the golden rats
to the number of all the Philistine towns of the five chiefs, from fortified
towns to open villages. The large stone on which they placed the ark of Yahweh
is a witness to the present day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.
6:19 Of the people of
Beth-shemesh the sons of Jeconiah had not rejoiced when they saw the ark of
Yahweh, and he struck down seventy of them. The people mourned because Yahweh
had struck them so fiercely.
The ark at
Kiriath-jearim
6:20 The men of Beth-shemesh
then said, 'Who can stand his ground before Yahweh this holy God; to whom shall
we let him go up, away from us?'
6:21 So they sent messengers
to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim saying, 'The Philistines have sent back
the ark of Yahweh; come down and take it up to your town'.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
7
7:1 The men of Kiriath-jearim
came and, taking up the ark of Yahweh, brought it to the house of Abinadab on
the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of Yahweh.
Samuel, judge and
liberator
7:2 From the day the ark
settled in Kiriath-jearim a long time passed, twenty years, and the whole House
of Israel longed for Yahweh.
7:3 Then Samuel said to the
whole House of Israel, 'If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, put
aside the foreign gods you now have, and the Astartes too, and set your heart
on Yahweh and serve him alone; and he will deliver you from the hand of the
Philistines'.
7:4 And the Israelites put
aside the Baals and Astartes and served Yahweh alone.
7:5 Then Samuel said, 'Muster
all Israel at Mizpah and I will plead with Yahweh for you'.
7:6 So they mustered at Mizpah
and drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted that day and
declared, 'We have sinned against Yahweh'. And it was at Mizpah that Samuel was
judge over the Israelites.
7:7 The Philistines came to
hear that the children of Israel had mustered at Mizpah and the Philistine
chiefs marched against Israel. The Israelites heard of this and grew afraid of
the Philistines.
7:8 They said to Samuel, 'Do
not cease calling on Yahweh our God to save us from the power of the
Philistines'.
7:9 Then Samuel took a sucking
lamb and offered it as a holocaust to Yahweh, and he called on Yahweh on behalf
of Israel and Yahweh answered his prayer.
7:10 While Samuel was offering
the holocaust the Philistines approached to give Israel battle, but Yahweh
thundered with a great noise that day against the Philistines and threw them
into a panic, and so they were routed before Israel.
7:11 The men of Israel then
went out from Mizpah in pursuit of the Philistines and struck them down as far
as below Beth-car.
7:12 Then Samuel took a stone
and erected it between Mizpah and Jeshanah and gave it the name Ebenezer,[*a]
saying, 'Thus far has Yahweh aided us'.
7:13 So the Philistines were
humbled and no longer came into Israelite territory; the hand of Yahweh lay on
the Philistines all Samuel's lifetime.
7:14 The towns the Philistines
had taken from Israel were given back to them, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel
freed their territory from the power of the Philistines. There was peace, too,
between Israel and the Amorites.
7:15 Samuel was judge over
Israel as long as he lived.
7:16 Each year he went on
circuit through Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in all these
places.
7:17 He would then return to
Ramah, for his home was there; there too he judged Israel. And there he built
an altar to Yahweh.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
8
II. SAMUEL AND SAUL
A. THE INSTITUTION
OF THE MONARCHY[*a]
The people ask for
a king
8:1 When Samuel grew old, he
appointed his two sons as judges over Israel.
8:2 The name of the first-born
was Joel, that of the younger Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.
8:3 But his sons did not
follow his ways; they wanted money, taking bribes and perverting justice.
8:4 Then all the elders of
Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
8:5 'Look,' they said to him
'you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So give us a king to rule
over us, like the other nations.'
8:6 It displeased Samuel that
they should say, 'Let us have a king to rule us', so he prayed to Yahweh.
8:7 But Yahweh said to Samuel,
'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you
they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.
8:8 All they have done to me
from the day I brought them out of Egypt until now - they deserted me and
served other gods - they are doing now to you.
8:9 Well then, obey their
voice; only, you must warn them solemnly and instruct them in the rights of the
king who is to reign over them.'
The disadvantages
of the monarchy
8:10 All that Yahweh had said
Samuel repeated to the people who were asking him for a king
8:11 He said, 'These will be
the rights of the king who is to reign over you. He will take your sons and
assign them to his chariotry and cavalry, and they will run in front of his
chariot.
8:12 He will use them as
leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty; he will make them plough his
ploughland and harvest his harvest and make his weapons of war and the gear for
his chariots.
8:13 He will also take your
daughters as perfumers, cooks and bakers.
8:14 He will take the best of
your fields, of your vineyards and olive groves and give them to his officials.
8:15 He will tithe your crops
and vineyards to provide for his eunuchs and his officials.
8:16 He will take the best of
your manservants and maidservants, of your cattle and your donkeys, and make
them work for him.
8:17 He will tithe your
flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
8:18 When that day comes, you
will cry out on account of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but on that
day God will not answer you.'
8:19 The people refused to
listen to the words of Samuel. They said, 'No! We want a king,
8:20 so that we in our turn
can be like the other nations; our king shall rule us and be our leader and
fight our battles.'
8:21 Samuel listened to all
that the people had to say and repeated it in the ears of Yahweh.
8:22 Yahweh then said to
Samuel, 'Obey their voice and give them a king'. Samuel then said to the men of
Israel, 'Go back, each to your own town'.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
9
Saul and his
father's she-donkeys
9:1 Among the men of Benjamin
there was a man named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of
Aphiah; a Benjaminite and a man of rank.
9:2 He had a son named Saul, a
handsome man in the prime of life. Of all the Israelites there was no one more
handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than the rest of the
people.
9:3 Now some of the
she-donkeys of Saul's father Kish had strayed, so Kish said to Saul, 'My son,
take one of the servants with you and be off; go and look for the she-donkeys'.
9:4 They passed through the
highlands of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but did not find
them; they passed through the land of Shaalim, they were not there; they passed
through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.
9:5 When they came to the land
of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, 'Come, let us go back or my
father will stop worrying over the she-donkeys and start being anxious about
us'.
9:6 He answered, 'Look, there
is a man of God in this town, a man held in honour; everything he says comes
true. Let us go there, then; perhaps he will be able to guide us on the journey
we have undertaken.'
9:7 Saul replied to the
servant, 'But if we do go, what can we take to the man? The bread in our sacks
has gone, and we have no present to offer the man of God. What can we give
him?'
9:8 Again the servant answered
Saul, 'Look,' he said 'I have a quarter of a silver shekel here; I will give it
to the man of God and he shall tell us our road.'
9:10 Then Saul said to his
servant, 'Well said! Come, let us go.' And they went off to the town where the
man of God was.
Saul meets Samuel
9:11 As they were going up the
slope to the town they came on some girls going out to draw water, and said to
them, 'Is the seer there ?' -
9:9 Formerly in Israel when a
man used to go to consult God he would say, 'Come, let us go to the seer', for
a man who is now called a 'prophet' was formerly called a 'seer' -
9:12 The girls replied, 'Yes,
the seer is ahead of you. He has just come into the town, for the people are
having a sacrifice today on the high place.
9:13 You will meet him as soon
as you enter the town before he goes up to the high place for the meal. The
people will not eat until he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; then the
people invited eat afterwards. Go up now and you will soon find him.'
9:14 So they went up to the
town, and as they were going through the gate Samuel came out in their
direction on his way to the high place.
9:15 Now Yahweh had given
Samuel a revelation the day before Saul came, saying,
9:16 'About this time tomorrow
I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin; you are to anoint him as
prince over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the power of the
Philistines; for I have seen the distress of my people and their crying has
come to me'.
9:17 When Samuel saw Saul,
Yahweh told him, 'That is the man of whom I told you; he shall rule my people'.
9:18 Saul accosted Samuel in
the gateway and said, 'Tell me, please, where the seer's house is?'
9:19 Samuel replied to Saul,
'I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place. You are to eat with me
today. In the morning I shall take leave of you and tell you all that is in
your heart.
9:20 As regards the
she-donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been
found already. Besides, for whom is all the wealth of Israel destined, if not
for you and all your father's House?'
9:21 Saul then replied, 'Am I
not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel's tribes? And is not my family
the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such
words to me?'
9:22 Samuel then took Saul and
his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of
those invited; there were about thirty of them.
9:23 Samuel said to the cook,
'Serve the portion I gave you, which I told you to put on one side'.
9:24 The cook then took up the
leg and the tail and set it in front of Saul, saying, 'There! The part that has
been kept is set before you. Eat!'. So, Saul ate that day with Samuel.
9:25 From the high place they
came down to the town. On the housetop they spread out coverlets for Saul and
he lay down.
The consecration of
Saul
9:26 At the break of day
Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, 'Get up; I must take leave of you'. Saul
got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went out into the street.
9:27 They had walked as far as
the end of the town when Samuel said to Saul, 'Tell the servant to go on ahead
of us, but you stand still for a moment and I shall make known to you the word
of God'.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
10
10:1 Samuel took a phial of
oil and poured it on Saul's head; then he kissed him, saying, 'Has not Yahweh
anointed you prince over his people Israel? You are the man who must rule
Yahweh's people, and who must save them from the power of the enemies surrounding
them. This shall be the sign for you that Yahweh has appointed you prince of
his heritage:
10:2 when you leave me now,
you will meet two men near the tomb of Rachel, on the frontiers of Benjamin . .
. and they will say to you, "The she-donkeys you went in search of have
been found and your father has lost interest in the donkeys and is worrying
about you, thinking, What am I to do about my son?"
10:3 Going further from there
you will come to the Oak of Tabor where three men will meet you, going up to
God at Bethel; one will be carrying three kids, one three loaves of bread and
the third a skin of wine.
10:4 They will greet you and
give you two loaves of bread which you must accept from them.
10:5 After this you will go to
Gibeah of God (where the Philistine pillar is) and as you come to the town you
will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, headed by harp,
tambourine, flute and lyre; they will be in an ecstasy.
10:6 Then the spirit of Yahweh
will seize on you, and you will go into an ecstasy with them, and be changed
into another man.
10:7 When these signs are
fulfilled for you, act as occasion serves, for God is with you.
10:8 You must go down before
me to Gilgal; I will join you there to offer holocausts and communion
sacrifices. You are to wait seven days for me to come to you, and then I will
show you what you are to do.'
The return of Saul
10:9 As soon as Saul had
turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart and all these signs were
accomplished that same day.
10:10 From there they came to
Gibeah, and there was a group of prophets coming to meet him; the spirit of God
seized on him and he fell into ecstasy in their midst.
10:11 When all who knew him
previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people said to each
other, 'What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul one of the prophets too?'
10:12 One of the group
retorted, 'And who is their father?' And this is the origin of the proverb: Is
Saul one of the prophets too?
10:13 When Saul's ecstasy had
passed he went back into the house
10:14 and his uncle asked him
and his servant, 'Where have you been?' He replied, 'In search of the
she-donkeys; and when we saw we could not find them, we went to Samuel.'
10:15 Saul's uncle then said,
'Tell me, now, what did Samuel say to you?'
10:16 Saul said to his uncle,
'He only told us that the donkeys were already found', but he said nothing to
him about the kingship of which Samuel had spoken.
Saul is chosen king
by lot
10:17 Samuel called the people
together to Yahweh at Mizpah
10:18 and said to the
Israelites, 'Yahweh the God of Israel has spoken and says, "I brought
Israel out of Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and of
all the kingdoms that were oppressing you".
10:19 But today you have
rejected your God, he who saved you from all your calamities and desperate
straits; and you have said, "No, you must set a king over us". Well
then, take your positions before Yahweh according to your tribes and clans.'
10:20 Samuel then made all the
tribes of Israel come forward, and the lot fell to the tribe of Benjamin.
10:21 He then made the tribe
of Benjamin come forward clan by clan, and the lot fell to the clan of Matri;
he then made the clan of Matri come forward man by man, and the lot fell to
Saul son of Kish. They looked for him but he was not to be found.
10:22 Once again they
consulted Yahweh, 'Has the man come here?' 'There he is,' Yahweh answered
'hidden among the baggage'.
10:23 So they ran and brought
him out and, as he stood among the people, he was head and shoulders taller
than them all.
10:24 Then Samuel said to all
the people, 'Have you seen the man Yahweh has chosen? Of all the people there
is none to equal him.' And all the people acclaimed him, shouting, 'Long live
the king!'
10:25 Samuel explained the
royal constitution to the people and inscribed it in a book which he placed
before Yahweh. He then dismissed all the people, each to his own home.
10:26 Saul too went home to
Gibeah and with him went the mighty men whose hearts God has touched.
10:27 But there were some
scoundrels who said, 'How can this fellow save us?' They despised him, and
offered him no present.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
11
Victory over the
Ammonites
About a month later,
11:1 Nahash the Ammonite
marched up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to
Nahash, 'Make a treaty with us and we will be your subjects'.
11:2 But Nahash the Ammonite
said to them, 'I will make a treaty with you on this condition, that I put out all
your right eyes; I shall inflict this disgrace on the whole of Israel'.
11:3 The elders of Jabesh said
to him, 'Give us seven days' grace while we send messengers throughout the
territory of Israel, and if no one comes to our help, we will go over to you'.
11:4 The messengers came to
Gibeah of Saul, and reported this to the people, and all the people began to
lament and weep.
11:5 Now Saul was just then
coming in from the fields behind his oxen, and he said, 'What is wrong? Why are
the people weeping?' They explained to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
11:6 And the spirit of Yahweh
seized on Saul when he heard these words, and his fury was stirred to fierce
flame.
11:7 He took a yoke of oxen
and cut them in pieces which he sent by messengers throughout the territory of
Israel with these words: 'If anyone will not march with Saul, this shall be
done with his oxen!' At this, a dread of Yahweh fell on the people and they
marched out as one man.
11:8 He inspected them at
Bezek; there were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand of
Judah.
11:9 He then said to the
messengers who had come, 'This is what you must say to the men of
Jabesh-gilead, "Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot help will reach
you"'. The messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh who were
overjoyed;
11:10 they said to Nahash,
'Tomorrow we will go over to you and you can do what you like to us'.
11:11 The next day, Saul
disposed the army in three companies; they burst into the middle of the camp in
the last watch of the night and struck down the Ammonites until high noon. The
survivors were so scattered that not two of them were left together.
Saul is proclaimed
king
11:12 The people then said to
Samuel, 'Who said, "Is Saul to reign over us?" Hand the men over for
us to put them to death.'
11:13 'No one is to be put to
death today' Saul replied 'for today Yahweh has brought victory to Israel.'
11:14 Then Samuel said to the
people, 'Come, let us go to Gilgal and reaffirm the monarchy there'.
11:15 So all the people went
to Gilgal and there they proclaimed Saul king before Yahweh at Gilgal. They
offered communion sacrifices there before Yahweh; and Saul and all the men of
Israel rejoiced greatly.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
12
Samuel gives way to
Saul
12:1 Samuel said to all
Israel, 'I have faithfully done all you asked of me, and I have appointed a
king over you.
12:2 In future it is the king
who will lead you. As for me, I am old and grey, and my sons are here among
you. I have led you from my youth until today.
12:3 Here I am. Testify
against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose
donkey have I taken? Have I ever wronged or oppressed anyone? Have I ever taken
a bribe from anyone? If so I will here and now requite you.'
12:4 'You have neither wronged
nor oppressed us' they said 'nor accepted a bribe from anyone.' 5 He said to
them, 'Yahweh is witness against you and his anointed is witness today that you
have found nothing in my hands?' 'He is witness' they replied.
12:6 Samuel then said to the
people, 'Yahweh is witness, he who raised up Moses and Aaron and who brought
your ancestors out of the land of Egypt.
12:7 So now stand here while I
argue with you before Yahweh and remind you of all the saving works he
performed for you and for your ancestors.
12:8 When Jacob came to Egypt
the Egyptians oppressed them, and your ancestors cried to Yahweh who sent Moses
and Aaron; they brought your ancestors out of Egypt and gave them a settled
home here.
12:9 Then they forgot Yahweh their
God and he sold them into the power of Sisera, general of the army of Hazor, as
also into the power of the Philistines and of the king of Moab who fought
against them.
12:10 They cried to Yahweh,
"We have sinned, for we have deserted Yahweh; we have served the Baals and
the Astartes. Rescue us now from the power of our enemies, and we will serve
you".
12:11 Then Yahweh sent
Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from the power of the
enemies surrounding you, and you lived in security.
12:12 'But when you saw
Nahash, king of the Ammonites, come to attack you, you said to me, "No, a
king must rule over us" - although Yahweh your God himself is your king.
12:13 Here then is the king
you have chosen; Yahweh has set a king over you.
12:14 If you reverence and
serve Yahweh and obey his voice and do not rebel against his order, and if both
you and the king who rules over you follow Yahweh your God, all will be well.
12:15 But if you do not obey
the voice of Yahweh, if you rebel against his order, his band will be against
you and against your king.
12:16 Stand here, then, and
watch the great wonder Yahweh will do before your eyes.
12:17 It is now wheat harvest,
is it not?[*a] I will call on Yahweh and he shall send thunder and rain.
Consider then and see what a very wicked thing you have done in the sight of
Yahweh by asking to have a king.'
12:18 Samuel then called on
Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain the same day, and all the people held
Yahweh and Samuel in great awe.
12:19 They all said to Samuel,
'Plead for your servants with Yahweh your God that we may not die, for we have
added to all our sins this evil of asking to have a king'.
12:20 Samuel said to the
people, 'Do not be afraid; you have indeed done all this evil, yet do not turn
aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your hearts.
12:21 Do not turn aside after
empty idols which, being empty, are useless and cannot save,
12:22 since for the sake of
his great name Yahweh will not desert his people, for it has pleased Yahweh to
make you his people.
12:23 For my part, far be it
from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to plead for you or to
instruct you in the good and right way.
12:24 Only reverence and serve
Yahweh faithfully with all your heart, for you see the great wonder he has done
among you.
12:25 But if you persist in
wickedness, you and your king will perish.'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
13
B. THE BEGINNING OF
SAUL'S REIGN
Revolt against the
Philistines
13:1 . . .
13:2 Saul chose three thousand
men from Israel; there were two thousand with Saul at Michmash and in the
highlands of Bethel, and a thousand with Jonathan at Geba of Benjamin; the rest
of the people Saul sent home, each man to his own tent.
13:3 Jonathan smashed the
Philistine pillar which was at Gibeah and the Philistines learned that the
Hebrews had risen in revolt. Saul had the trumpet sounded throughout the
country,
13:4 and the whole of Israel
heard the news: Saul has smashed the Philistine pillar, and now Israel has
incurred the enmity of the Philistines. So all the people rallied behind Saul
at Gilgal.
13:5 The Philistines mustered
to do battle with Israel, three thousand chariots, six thousand horse and a
force as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They came up and pitched camp at
Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven.[*a]
13:6 When the men of Israel
saw that their situation was desperate, since they were hard pressed, they hid
in caves, in holes, in crevices, in vaults, in wells.
13:7 Many too, crossed over
the Jordan fords onto the territory of Gad and Gilead.
Samuel breaks with
Saul
Saul was still at Gilgal and
all the people who followed him were trembling.
13:8 He waited for seven days,
the period Samuel had fixed, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal and the army,
deserting Saul, was dispersed.
13:9 So Saul said, 'Bring me
the holocaust and the communion sacrifices'; and he offered the holocaust.
13:10 Just as he was
completing the offering of the holocaust Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet
him and greet him,
13:11 but Samuel said, 'What
have you done?' Saul replied, 'I saw the army deserting me and dispersing, and
you had not come at the time fixed, while the Philistines were mustering at
Michmash.
13:12 So I thought: Now the
Philistines are going to fall on me at Gilgal and I have not implored the
favour of Yahweh. So I felt obliged to act and I offered the holocaust myself.'
13:13 Samuel answered Saul,
'You have acted like a fool. If you had carried out the order Yahweh your God
commanded you, Yahweh would have confirmed your sovereignty over Israel for
ever.
13:14 But now your sovereignty
will not last; Yahweh has searched out a man for himself after his own
heart[*b] and designated him leader of his people, since you have not carried
out what Yahweh ordered you.'
13:15 Samuel then rose and
left Gilgal to continue his journey. Those of the people who remained followed
Saul as he went to join the warriors, and went from Gilgal to Geba of Benjamin.
Saul inspected the force that was with him; there were about six hundred men.
Preparations for
war
13:16 Saul, his son Jonathan,
and the force that was with them took up their quarters in Geba of Benjamin
while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
13:17 The raiding contingent
came out from the Philistine camp in three companies: one made for Ophrah in
the land of Shual;
13:18 another for Beth-horon;
and the third for the height overhanging the Valley of the Hyenas, towards the
wilderness.
13:19 There was not a single
smith in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had reasoned: We
must prevent the Hebrews from forging swords or spears.
13:20 Hence all the Israelites
were in the habit of going down to the Philistines to sharpen every
ploughshare, axe, mattock or goad.
13:21 The price was two-thirds
of a shekel for ploughshares and axes, and one-third for sharpening mattocks
and straightening goads.
13:22 So it was that on the
day of the battle of Michmash no one in the whole army with Saul and Jonathan
had either sword or spear in his hand, except, however, Saul and his son
Jonathan.
13:23 A Philistine outpost
left for the Pass of Michmash.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
14
Jonathan attacks
the outpost
14:1 One day, Jonathan son of
Saul said to his armour-bearer, 'Come on, let us go across to the Philistine
outpost in the pass'. But he did not warn his father.
14:2 Saul was on the outskirts
of Geba, sitting under the pomegranate tree that stands near the threshing
floor; the force with him numbered about six hundred men.
14:3 Ahijah son of Ahitub,
brother of Ichabod son of Phineas, son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh,
was wearing the ephod. The force did not know that Jonathan had left.
14:4 In the pass that Jonathan
was trying to cross to reach the Philistine outpost there is a rocky spur on
one side and a rocky spur on the other; one is called Bozez, the other Seneh.
14:5 The first spur stands to
the North facing Michmash, the other to the South facing Geba.
14:6 Jonathan said to his
armour bearer, 'Come on , let us go across to the outpost of these
uncircumcised men; perhaps Yahweh will do something for us, for nothing can
prevent Yahweh from giving us victory, whether there are many or few of them'
14:7 His armour bearer said to
him, 'Do just as your heart tells you; as for me, my heart is with you'.
14:8 Jonathan then said,
'Look, we will go across to these people and let ourselves be seen.
14:9 If they say "Do not
move till we come to you" we shall stay where we are and not go up to
them.
14:10 But if they say,
"Come up to us" we will go up, for that will be the sign for us that
Yahweh has given them into our power.'
14:11 When they both let
themselves be seen by the Philistine post, the Philistines said, 'Look, the
Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding'.
14:12 The men of the post then
hailed Jonathan and his armour-bearer. 'Come up to us,' they said 'we have
something to tell you.' Jonathan then said to his armour-bearer, 'Follow me up;
Yahweh has given them into the power of Israel'.
14:13 Jonathan climbed up,
hands and feet, with his armour-bearer behind him. The Philistines fell before
Jonathan, and his armour-bearer, coming behind, finished them off.
14:14 This first blow that
Jonathan and his armour-bearer struck accounted for about twenty men...
Battle is engaged
14:15 There was panic in the
camp and in the countryside; all the men in the outpost, and the raiding
contingent too, were terrified; the earth shook; it was a very panic of God.
14:16 Saul's lookout men in
Geba of Benjamin could see the camp scattering in all directions.
14:17 Saul then said to the
force that was with him, 'Call the roll and see who has left us'. So they
called the roll, and Jonathan and his armour-bearer were missing.
14:18 Saul then said to
Ahijah, 'Bring the ephod'; for it was he who carried the ephod in the presence
of Israel.[*a]
14:19 But while Saul was
speaking to the priest, the turmoil in the Philistine camp grew worse and
worse; and Saul said to the priest, 'Withdraw your hand'.
14:20 Then Saul and the whole
force with him formed up and advanced to where the fighting was, where men were
all drawing their swords on each other in wild confusion.
14:21 The Hebrews who had
earlier taken service with the Philistines and had accompanied them into camp,
themselves defected to the Israelites with Saul and Jonathan.
14:22 All the Israelites in
hiding in the highlands of Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines were on the
run, chased after them and joined in the fight.
14:23 That day Yahweh gave
Israel the victory, and the battle spread beyond Beth-boron.
Jonathan defies
Saul's orders
14:24 Saul had imposed a great
fast that day, laying the people under an oath, 'Cursed be the man who eats
food before evening, before I have had my revenge on my enemies!' So no one so
much as tasted food.
14:25 Now there was a
honeycomb lying on the ground;
14:26 but when the people came
up to the honeycomb, though the swarm had gone no one put a hand to his mouth
for fear of the oath.
14:27 But Jonathan, not having
heard his father lay the oath on the people, put out the end of the stick he
was holding, thrust it into the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth; then
his eyes brightened.
14:28 But one of the men spoke
up. 'Your father' he said 'has bound the people with a strict oath to the
effect that anyone who eats food today will be accursed.'
14:29 Jonathan replied, 'My
father has done the nation a disservice. See how much brighter my eyes are now
that I have eaten this mouthful of honey.
14:30 By the same token, if
the people had eaten their fill of the booty they took from the enemy today,
would not the defeat of the Philistines have been all the greater?'
The people commit a
ritual fault
14:31 They struck at the
Philistines that day from Michmash as far as Aijalon until the people were
utterly weary.
14:32 They flung themselves on
the booty and, taking sheep, oxen and calves, slaughtered them there on the
ground and ate them with the blood.
14:33 News of this came to
Saul. 'Look,' they said 'the people are sinning against Yahweh, eating with the
blood.' At which he replied to those who brought the news, 'Roll me a large
stone here'.[*b]
14:34 Then he said, 'Scatter
through the people and say to them, "Let each man bring me his ox or his
sheep; slaughter them here and eat, not sinning against Yahweh by eating with
the blood"'. All the people then brought what each one had that night, and
they slaughtered them there.
14:35 Saul built an altar to
Yahweh; it was the first altar he had built to Yahweh.
The guilt of
Jonathan is discovered, but he is saved by the people
14:36 Saul said, 'Let us go
down under cover of darkness and pursue and plunder the Philistines until dawn;
we shall not leave one of them alive'. 'Do whatever you think right' they replied.
But the priest said, 'Let us approach God here'.
14:37 Saul consulted God,
'Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's
power?' But he gave him no reply that day.
14:38 Then Saul said, 'Come
forward, all you leaders of the people; consider carefully where today's sin
may lie;
14:39 for as Yahweh lives who
gives victory to Israel, even if it be in Jonathan my son, he shall be put to
death'. And not one of all the people answered him.
14:40 Then to all Israel he
said, 'Stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on the other'.
And the people replied to Saul, 'Do as you think right'.
14:41 Then Saul said, 'Yahweh,
God of Israel, why did you not answer your servant to-day? If the fault lies on
me or on my son Jonathan, O Yahweh, God of Israel, give Urim: if the fault lies
on your people Israel, give Thummim.'[*c] Jonathan and Saul were indicated and
the people went free.
14:42 Saul said, 'Cast the lot
between me and my son Jonathan'; and Jonathan was indicated.
14:43 Saul then said to
Jonathan, 'Tell me what you have done'. Jonathan said, 'I only ate a mouthful
of honey off the end of the stick I was holding. Here I am. I am ready to die.'
14:44 Saul said, 'May God do
this to me and more if you do not die, Jonathan'.
14:45 But the people said to
Saul, 'Must Jonathan die after winning this great victory for Israel? Never let
it be so! As Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground,
for his deeds today have been done with the help of God.' And so the people
ransomed Jonathan and he was not put to death.
14:46 Saul decided not to
pursue the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.
Summary of Saul's
reign
14:47 Saul consolidated his rule
over Israel and fought against all his enemies everywhere: against Moab, the
Ammonites, Edom, Beth-rehob, the king of Zobah, the Philistines; wherever he
turned he was victorious.
14:48 He did great deeds of
valour; he defeated the Amalekites and delivered Israel from the power of their
plunderers.
14:49 The sons of Saul were:
Jonathan, Ishvi[*d] and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: the
elder, Merab, and the younger, Michal.
14:50 The name of Saul's wife
was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of his army commander was Abner son
of Ner; he was Saul's uncle.
14:51 Kish the father of Saul,
and Ner the father of Abner were the sons of Abiel.
14:52 There was fierce war
against the Philistines throughout Saul's lifetime. Any strong man or man of
valour that caught Saul's eye he recruited into his service.[*e]
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
15
The holy war
against the Amalekites
15:1 Samuel said to Saul, 'I
am the man whom Yahweh sent to anoint you king over his people, over Israel, so
now listen to the words of Yahweh.
15:2 Thus speaks Yahweh
Sabaoth, "I will repay what Amalek did to Israel when they opposed them on
the road by which they came up out of Egypt.
15:3 Now, go and strike down
Amalek; put him under the ban with all that he possesses. Do not spare him, but
kill man and woman, babe and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey".'
15:4 Saul summoned the people
and reviewed them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers (and ten
thousand men of Judah).
15:5 Saul went to the city of
Amalek and lay in ambush in the river bed.
15:6 Saul said to the Kenites,
'Go, leave your homes among the Amalekites or I may destroy you with them, for
you were friendly to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt'. So
the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
15:7 Saul then defeated the
Amalekites, starting from Havilah in the direction of Shur, which is to the
east of Egypt.
15:8 He took Agag king of the
Amalekites alive and, executing the ban, put all the people to the sword.
15:9 But Saul and the army
spared Agag with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fatlings and lambs and
all that was good. They did not want to put those under the ban; they only put
under the ban what was poor and worthless.
Saul is rejected by
Yahweh
15:10 The word of Yahweh came
to Samuel,
15:11 'I regret having made
Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not carried out my orders'.
Then Samuel was deeply moved, and all night long he cried out to Yahweh.
15:12 In the morning Samuel
went to meet Saul; word was brought him that Saul had gone to Carmel to raise
himself a monument, and had passed on again and gone down to Gilgal.
15:13 When Samuel reached
Saul, Saul said to him, 'Blessed may you be by Yahweh! I have carried out
Yahweh's orders'.
15:14 But Samuel replied,
'Then what is the meaning of this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing
of oxen I hear?'
15:15 Saul said, 'They have
brought them from Amalek because the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen
to sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God; the rest we put under the ban'.
15:16 Then Samuel said to
Saul, 'Stop! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.' Saul said,
'Tell me'.
15:17 Samuel continued, 'Small
as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel?
Yahweh has anointed you king over Israel.
15:18 Yahweh sent you on a
mission and said to you, "Go, put these sinners, the Amalekites, under the
ban and make war on them until they are exterminated".
15:19 Why then did you not
obey the voice of Yahweh? Why did you fall on the booty and do what is
displeasing to Yahweh?'
15:20 Saul replied to Samuel,
'But I did obey the voice of Yahweh. I went on the mission which Yahweh gave
me; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put the Amalekites under the
ban.
15:21 From the booty the
people took the best sheep and oxen of what was under the ban to sacrifice them
to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.'
15:22 But Samuel replied: 'Is
the pleasure of Yahweh in holocausts and sacrifices or in obedience to the
voice of Yahweh? Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice, submissiveness better
than the fat of rams.
15:23 Rebellion is a sin of
sorcery, presumption a crime of teraphim.[*a] 'Since you have rejected the word
of Yahweh, he has rejected you as king.'
Saul vainly asks
for pardon
15:24 Then Saul said to
Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I have transgressed the order of Yahweh and your
directions, being afraid of the people and doing what they said.
15:25 Now, I pray you, forgive
my sin; come back with me and I will worship Yahweh.
15:26 But Samuel answered
Saul, 'I will not come back with you, for you have rejected the word of Yahweh
and he has rejected you as king of Israel'.
15:27 As Samuel turned to go
away, Saul caught at the hem of his garment and it tore,
15:28 and Samuel said to him,
'Today Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you and given it to a
neighbour of yours who is better than you'.
15:29 (And yet the glory of
Israel will not lie or go back on his word, for he is not a man to go back on
his word.)
15:30 'I have sinned,' Saul
said 'but please still show me respect in front of the elders of my people and
in front of Israel, and come back with me, so that I can worship Yahweh your
God.'
15:31 Samuel followed Saul
back and Saul worshipped Yahweh.
Agag's death and
Samuel's departure
15:32 Then Samuel said, 'Bring
me Agag the king of the Amalekites', and Agag came to him reluctantly. 'Truly,
death is a bitter thing' he said.
15:33 Samuel said: 'As your
sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be made childless among
women.' Then Samuel butchered Agag before Yahweh at Gilgal.
15:34 Samuel left for Ramah,
and Saul went up home to Gibeah of Saul.
15:35 Samuel did not see Saul
again to the day of his death;[*b] Samuel was very sorry for Saul, but Yahweh
regretted having made Saul king of Israel.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
16
III. SAUL AND DAVID
A. DAVID AT COURT
David is anointed
16:1 Yahweh said to Samuel,
'How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of
Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.'
16:2 Samuel replied, 'How can
I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me.' Then Yahweh said, 'Take a heifer
with you and say, "I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh".
16:3 Invite Jesse to the
sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to
me the one I point out to you.'
16:4 Samuel did what Yahweh
ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet
him and asked, 'Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us?'
16:5 'Yes,' he replied 'I have
come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Purify yourselves and come with me to the
sacrifice.' He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
16:6 When they arrived, he
caught sight of Eliab and thought, 'Surely Yahweh's anointed one stands there
before him',
16:7 but Yahweh said to
Samuel, 'Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected
him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but Yahweh looks at
the heart'.
16:8 Jesse then called
Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this one
either'.
16:9 Jesse then presented
Shammah, but Samuel said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this one either'. 10 Jesse
presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, 'Yahweh has not
chosen these'.
16:11 He then asked Jesse,
'Are these all the sons you have?' He answered, 'There is still one left, the
youngest; he is out looking after the sheep'. Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send
for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes'.
16:12 Jesse had him sent for,
a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. Yahweh said,
'Come, anoint him, for this is the one'.
16:13 At this, Samuel took the
horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit
of Yahweh seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel,
he rose and went to Ramah.
David takes service
with Saul[*a]
16:14 Now the spirit of Yahweh
had left Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh filled him with terror.
16:15 Saul's servants said to
him, 'Look, an evil spirit of God is the cause of your terror.
16:16 Let our lord give the
order, and your servants who wait on you will look for a skilled harpist; when
the evil spirit of God troubles you, the harpist will play and you will
recover.' 17 Saul said to his servants, 'Find me a man who plays well and bring
him to me'.
16:18 One of the soldiers then
spoke up. 'I have seen one of the sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite' he said; 'he
is a skilled player, a brave man and a fighter, prudent in speech, a man of
presence, and Yahweh is with him.'
16:19 At this, Saul sent
messengers to Jesse, saying, 'Send me David your son who is with the sheep'.
16:20 Jesse took five loaves,
a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21 And so
David came to Saul and entered his service; Saul loved him greatly and David
became his armour-bearer.
16:22 Then Saul sent to Jesse
saying, 'Let David enter my service; he has won my favour'.
16:23 And whenever the spirit
from God troubled Saul, David took the harp and played; then Saul grew calm,
and recovered, and the evil spirit left him.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
17
Goliath defies the
Israelite army
17:1 The Philistines mustered
their troops for war; they assembled at Socoh, which is a town of Judah, and
pitched camp between Socob and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
17:2 Saul and the Israelites
also mustered, pitching camp in the Valley of the Terebinth, and drew up their
battle line to meet the Philistines.
17:3 These took their stand on
the hills one side and the Israelites on the hills the other side, with the
valley between them.
17:4 One of their
shock-troopers stepped out from the Philistine ranks; his name was Goliath,
from Gath; he was six cubits and one span tall.
17:5 On his head was a bronze
helmet and he wore a breastplate of scale-armour; the breastplate weighed five
thousand shekels of bronze.
17:6 He had bronze greaves on
his legs and a bronze javelin across his shoulders.
17:7 The shaft of his spear
was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels
of iron. A shield-bearer walked in front of him.
17:8 He took his stand in
front of the ranks of Israel and shouted, 'Why come out and range yourselves
for battle? Am I not a Philistine and are you not the slaves of Saul? Choose a
man and let him come down to me.
17:9 If he wins in a fight
with me and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him,
you shall become our slaves and be servants to us.'
17:10 The Philistine then
said, 'I challenge the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man and we will fight
in single combat.'
17:11 When Saul and all Israel
heard these words of the Philistine they were dismayed and terrified.
David arrives in
the camp
17:12 David was the son of an
Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah whose name was Jesse; Jesse had eight sons
and, by Saul's time, he was old and well on in years.
17:13 The three eldest sons of
Jesse followed Saul to the war. The names of the three sons who went to the war
were: the first-born Eliab, the second Abinadab and the third Shammah.
17:14 David was the youngest;
the three eldest followed Saul.
17:15 (David alternated between
serving Saul and looking after his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
17:16 Morning and evening for
forty days the Philistine advanced and took his stand.)
17:17 Jesse said to David his
son, 'Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves, and
hurry to your brothers' camp.
17:18 And take these ten
cheeses to their commanding officer; ask after your brothers' health and bring
some token from them;
17:19 they are with Saul and
all the Israelites in the Valley of the Terebinth fighting the Philistines.'
17:20 David rose early in the
morning and, leaving the sheep with someone to guard them, took up his load and
went off as Jesse had ordered him; he came to the encampment just as the troops
were leaving to take up battle stations, shouting the war cry.
17:21 Israel and the
Philistines drew up their lines facing one another.
17:22 David left the bundle in
charge of the baggage guard, ran to the battle line and went to ask his
brothers how they were.
17:23 While he was talking to
them, the shock-trooper (his name was Goliath, the Philistine from Gath) came
up from the Philistine ranks and made his usual speech, and David heard it.
17:24 As soon as the
Israelites saw this man, they all ran away from him and were terrified.
17:25 The Israelites said,
'Have you seen this man coming up now? He is coming to challenge Israel. The
king will lavish riches on the man who kills him and give him his daughter in
marriage and grant his father's House the freedom of Israel.'
17:26 Then David asked the men
who were standing near him, 'What reward will the man have who kills this
Philistine and removes the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised
Philistine who dares insult the armies of the living God?'
17:27 The people replied as
before, 'That is how the man will be rewarded who kills him'.
17:28 Now Eliab his elder
brother heard him talking to the men and his anger flared up against David.
'Why have you come down here?' he said. 'Whom have you left in charge of those
few sheep out there in the wilderness? I know your insolence and your wicked
heart; you have come to watch the battle.'
17:29 David retorted, 'What
have I done? Must I not even speak?'
17:30 And he turned away from
him to address another and asked the same question; and the people answered as
before.
17:31 But David's words were
noted and reported to Saul, who sent for him.
David volunteers to
accept the challenge
17:32 David said to Saul, 'Let
no one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight this
Philistine'.
17:33 But Saul answered David,
'You cannot go and fight the Philistine, you are only a boy and he has been a
warrior from his youth'.
17:34 David said to Saul,
'Your servant used to look after the sheep for his father and whenever a lion
or a bear came out and took a sheep from the flock,
17:35 I used to follow him up
and strike him down and rescue it from his mouth; if he turned on me I seized
him by the hair at his jaw and struck him down and killed him.
17:36 Your servant has killed
both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of
them, for he has dared to insult the armies of the living God.
17:37 Yahweh who rescued me
from the claws of lion and bear' David said 'will rescue me from the power of
this Philistine.' Then Saul said to David, 'Go, and Yahweh be with you!'
17:38 Saul made David put on
his own armour and put a bronze helmet on his head and gave him a breastplate
to wear,
17:39 and over David's armour
he buckled his own sword; but not being used to these things David found he
could not walk. 'I cannot walk with these,' he said to Saul 'I am not used to
them.' So they took them off again.
David and Goliath
17:40 He took his staff in his
hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd's
bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the
Philistine.
17:41 The Philistine, his
shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David;
17:42 and the Philistine
looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only
a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing.
17:43 The Philistine said to
him, 'Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?' And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods.
17:44 The Philistine said to
David, 'Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and
the beasts of the field'.
17:45 But David answered the
Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come
against you in the name of Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of the armies of Israel that
you have dared to insult.
17:46 Today Yahweh will
deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and
this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army
to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth
may know that there is a God in Israel,
17:47 and that all this
assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that Yahweh gives the
victory, for Yahweh is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.'
17:48 No sooner had the
Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle
and ran to meet the Philistine.
17:49 Putting his hand in his
bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the
forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the
ground.
17:50 Thus David triumphed
over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and
killed him. David had no sword in his hand.
17:51 Then David ran and,
standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard,
and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that
their champion was dead and took to flight.
17:52 The men of Israel and of
Judah started forward, shouting their war cry, and pursued the Philistines as
far as the approaches of Gath and the gates of Ekron. The Philistine wounded
lay all along the road from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.
17:53 From their determined
pursuit of the Philistines the Israelites returned and plundered their camp.
17:54 And David took the
Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem; the man's armour he kept in his
own tent.
David the conqueror
of Goliath is presented to Saul
17:55 When Saul saw David
going to engage the Philistine he said to Abner, his army commander, 'Abner,
whose son is that boy?' 'On your life, O king,' Abner replied 'I do not know.'
17:56 So the king said, 'Find
out whose son the lad is'.
17:57 When David came back
after killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with
the Philistine's head in his hand.
17:58 Saul asked him, 'Whose
son are you, young man?' David replied, 'The son of your servant Jesse of
Bethlehem'.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
18
18:1 After David had finished
talking to Saul, Jonathan's soul became closely bound to David's and Jonathan
came to love him as his own soul.
18:2 Saul kept him by him from
that day forward and would not let him go back to his father's house.
18:3 Jonathan made a pact with
David to love him as his own soul;
18:4 he took off the cloak he
was wearing and gave it to David, and his armour too, even his sword, his bow
and his belt.
18:5 Whenever David went out,
on whatever mission Saul sent him, he was successful, and Saul put him in command
of the fighting men; he stood well in the people's eyes and in the eyes of
Saul's officers too.
The first stirrings
of jealousy in Saul
18:6 On their way back, as
David was returning after killing the Philistine, the women came out to meet
King Saul from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing to the sound of
tambourine and lyre and cries of joy;
18:7 and as they danced the
women sang: 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.'
18:8 Saul was very angry; the
incident was not to his liking. 'They have given David the tens of thousands,'
he said 'but me only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.'
18:9 And Saul turned a jealous
eye on David from that day forward.
18:10 On the following day an
evil spirit from God seized on Saul and he fell into a fit of frenzy while he
was in his house. David was playing the harp as on other days and Saul had his
spear in his hand.
18:11 Saul brandished the
spear; 'I am going to pin David to the wall' he said. But David twice evaded him.
18:12 Saul feared David, for
Yahweh was with him but had turned away from Saul.
18:13 So Saul dismissed him
from his presence, making him commander of a thousand; he marched at the head
of the people.
18:14 In all his enterprises
David was successful, and Yahweh was with him.
18:15 And seeing how well he
succeeded, Saul was frightened of him.
18:16 But all Israel and Judah
loved David, because he was their leader in all their exploits.
David's marriage
18:17 Saul said to David,
'Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you in marriage; but you
must serve me bravely and fight the battles of Yahweh' - for Saul had made up
his mind, 'Let it be not my hand that strikes him down, but the hand of the
Philistines!'
18:18 David replied to Saul,
'Who am I and what is my ancestry and my father's family in Israel, that I
should be the king's son-in-law?'
18:19 But when the time came
for Merab the daughter of Saul to be given to David, she was given in marriage
to Adriel of Meholah.
18:20 Now Michal the daughter
of Saul fell in love with David. When Saul heard this he was pleased.
18:21 He thought, 'Yes, I will
give her to him, but she will prove a snare for him and the hand of the
Philistines will strike him'. (Twice Saul said to David, 'Now you shall be my
son-in-law'.)
18:22 Saul then gave this
command to his servants, 'Talk secretly to David and say, "Look, the king
is pleased with you and all his servants love you; it is time you became the
king's son-in-law"'.
18:23 The king's servants
repeated these words in David's ear, and David replied, 'Does it strike you as
an easy thing for me to become the king's son-in-law, poor and of humble
position as I am?'
18:24 Saul's servants then
reported back what David had said.
18:25 Saul replied, 'Tell
David this, "The king desires no settlement except a hundred foreskins of
the Philistines, for vengeance on the king's enemies"'. Saul was planning
that David should fall by the hand of the Philistines.
18:26 His servants brought
this message to David and he was delighted at the thought of becoming the
king's son-in-law. The time had not yet expired
18:27 when David rose and set
off, he and his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. David brought
back their foreskins and counted them out before the king so that he could be
the king's son-in-law. Saul then gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
18:28 Saul now realised that
Yahweh was with David, and that all the House of Israel loved him;
18:29 then Saul feared David
all the more and became David's lasting enemy.
18:30 The leaders of the
Philistines went out to battle, but every time they went out to battle David
was more successful than all Saul's officers, and his name was held in great
honour.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
19
Jonathan intervenes
on behalf of David
19:1 Saul told Jonathan his
son and all his servants of his intention to kill David. Now Jonathan, Saul's
son, held David in great affection;
19:2 and so Jonathan warned
David; 'My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you,' he said 'so be on
your guard tomorrow morning; hide away in some secret place.
19:3 Then I will go out and
keep my father company in the fields where you are hiding, and will talk to my
father about you; I will find out what the situation is and let you know.'
19:4 So Jonathan spoke well of
David to Saul his father; he said, 'Let not the king sin against his servant
David, for he has not sinned against you, and what he has done has been greatly
to your advantage.
19:5 He took his life in his
hands when he killed the Philistine, and Yahweh brought about a great victory
for all Israel. You saw it yourself and rejoiced; why then sin against innocent
blood in killing David without cause?'
19:6 Saul was impressed by
Jonathan's words and took an oath, 'As Yahweh lives, I will not kill him'.
19:7 Jonathan called David and
told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought him to Saul, and David
attended on him as before.
B. THE FLIGHT OF
DAVID
Saul's attempt on
David's life
19:8 War broke out again and
David went out to fight against the Philistines; he inflicted a great defeat on
them and they fled before him.
19:9 An evil spirit from
Yahweh came on Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his
hand; David was playing the harp.
19:10 Saul tried to pin David
to the wall with his spear, but he avoided Saul's thrust and the spear stuck in
the wall. David fled and made good his escape.
David is saved by
Michal
That same night
19:11 Saul sent agents to
watch David's house, intending to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's
wife, warned him, 'If you do not escape tonight, you will be a dead man
tomorrow'.
19:12 Then Michal let David
down through the window, and he made off and took to flight and so escaped.
19:13 Michal then took the
teraphim, laid it on the bed, put a tress of goats' hair on its head and
covered it with a garment.
19:14 When Saul sent the
agents to arrest David, she said, 'He is ill'.
19:15 Saul, however, sent the
agents back to see David, saying, 'Bring him to me on his bed for me to kill
him',
19:16 So they went in, and
there on the bed was the teraphim with the tress of goats' hair on its head!
19:17 Then Saul said to
Michal, 'Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, and so make
his escape?' Michal answered Saul, 'He said to me, "Let me go or I will
kill you"'.
Saul and David at
Ramah with Samuel
19:18 So David fled and made
his escape, and he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done
to him; he and Samuel went and lived in the huts.
19:19 Word was brought to
Saul, 'David is in the huts at Ramah'.
19:20 Saul accordingly sent
agents to capture David; when they saw the company of prophets prophesying, and
Samuel there as their leader, the spirit of God came on Saul's agents, and they
too fell into an ecstasy.
19:21 Word of this was brought
to Saul and he sent other agents, and they, too, fell into an ecstasy; Saul
then sent a third group of agents, and they fell into an ecstasy too.
19:22 He then went to Ramah
himself and, coming to the well of the threshing-floor on the bare hill, asked,
'Where are Samuel and David?' And someone answered, 'Why, they are in the huts
at Ramah'.
19:23 He went on from there to
the huts at Ramah and the spirit of God came on him too, and he went on his way
in an ecstasy until he came to the huts at Ramah.
19:24 He too stripped off his
clothes and he too fell into an ecstasy in the presence of Samuel, and falling
down lay there naked all that day and night. Hence the saying: Is Saul one of
the prophets too?
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
20
Jonathan helps
David to return
20:1 David then fled from the
huts at Ramah. And he went and talked to Jonathan, 'What have I done, what is
my guilt and what is my sin against your father that he is seeking my life?'
20:2 He answered, 'You must
not think that. He will not kill you. Look, my father does nothing, important
or unimportant, without confiding it to me; why should he hide this from me? It
is not true.'
20:3 But David swore this
solemn oath, 'Your father knows very well that I enjoy your favour, and thinks,
"Jonathan must not come to know of this or he will be grieved". But
as Yahweh lives and as you yourself live, there is only a step between me and death.'
20:4 Then Jonathan said to
David, 'What do you want me to do for you?'
20:5 David replied, 'Look,
tomorrow is New Moon and I should be sitting at table with the king, but you
must let me go and hide in the fields till evening.'
20:6 If your father notices my
absence, you must say, "David asked urgent leave of me to hurry off to
Bethlehem, his own town, because they are holding the annual sacrifice there
for all the clan".
20:7 If he says, "Very
well", your servant is safe, but if he is angry, you may be sure he is set
on evil.
20:8 Do this favour for your
servant, since you have united yourself with him by a pact in Yahweh's name.
But if I am guilty, then kill me yourself - why take me to your father?'
20:9 Jonathan replied, 'You
must not think that. If I had certain knowledge that my father was set on
bringing evil upon you, would I not tell you?'
20:10 David then said to
Jonathan, 'Who will let me know if your father gives you a harsh answer?'
20:11 'Come,' Jonathan said to
David 'let us go out into the fields.' So the pair of them went out into the
fields.
20:12 Then Jonathan said to
David, 'Yahweh the God of Israel be witness! I will sound my father this time
tomorrow; if all is well as concerns David and I do not then inform him,
20:13 then may Yahweh do this to
Jonathan and more! If my father thinks fit to do you some harm, I will inform
you and send you away, and you will go unharmed. And may Yahweh be with you as
he used to be with my father.
20:14 If I am still alive,
show me Yahweh's own kindness; if I die,
20:15 never withdraw your own
kindness from my House. When Yahweh cuts off every one of David's enemies from
the face of the earth,
20:16 let not the name of
Jonathan be cut off with the House of Saul, or Yahweh will demand a reckoning
of David.'
20:17 Once again Jonathan
swore the solemn oath to David because he loved him as his own soul.
20:18 Jonathan said to him,
'Tomorrow is New Moon; your absence will be noticed, for your place will be
empty.
20:19 The day after tomorrow
your absence will be very marked, and you must go to the place where you hid on
the day of the deed, and you must stay beside the heap of stones there.
20:20 For my part, the day
after tomorrow I shall be shooting arrows towards it as though at a target.
20:21 Then I shall send a servant
to say, "Go and find the arrow". If I say to the servant, "The
arrow is this side of you, get it", come by all means, because it will be
safe for you and there will be nothing to fear as sure as Yahweh lives.
20:22 But if I say to the
youth, "The arrow is ahead of you", then be off, for Yahweh himself
sends you away.
20:23 And as regards the
agreement we made, you and I, why, Yahweh is witness between us for ever.'
20:24 So David hid in the
fields; New Moon came and the king sat down to his meal.
20:25 He sat in his usual
place, the place by the wall, with Jonathan seated facing him and Abner sitting
next to Saul; but David's place was empty.
20:26 Saul said nothing that
day, thinking, 'Something has happened; he is unclean'.
20:27 On the day after New Moon,
the second day, David's place was still empty.
20:28 Saul said to his son
Jonathan, 'Why did not the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or
today?'
20:29 Jonathan answered Saul,
'David asked urgent leave of me to go to Bethlehem. "Please let me
go," he said "for we are holding the clan sacrifice in the town and
my brothers have ordered me to attend. So now if you approve of this, let me
take my leave and see my brothers." That is why he has not come to the
king's table'.
20:30 Then Saul's anger flared
up against Jonathan and he said to him, 'You son of a wanton! Do I not know
that you are in league with the son of Jesse to your own disgrace and the
disgrace of your mother's nakedness?
20:31 As long as the son of
Jesse lives on the earth neither your person nor your royal rights are secure.
Now, send and bring him to me; he is condemned to death.'
20:32 Jonathan answered Saul
his father and said, 'Why should he die? What has he done?'
20:33 But Saul brandished his
spear at him to strike him down, and Jonathan knew then that his father had
already made up his mind that David should die.
20:34 Hot with anger Jonathan
rose from the table and took no food that second day of the New Moon, being
grieved on David's account because his father had insulted him.
20:35 Next morning Jonathan
went out into the fields for the agreed meeting with David, taking a young
servant with him.
20:36 He said to his servant,
'Run and find the arrows I am going to shoot', and the servant ran while
Jonathan shot an arrow ahead of him.
20:37 When the servant reached
the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan shouted after him, 'Is
not the arrow ahead of you?'
20:38 Again Jonathan shouted
after the servant, 'Be quick, hurry, do not stand about'. Jonathan's servant
picked up the arrow and brought it back to his master.
20:39 The servant suspected
nothing; only Jonathan and David knew what was meant.
20:40 Jonathan then gave his
weapons to his servant and said, 'Go and carry them to the town'.
20:41 When the servant went
off, David rose from beside the hillock and fell with his face to the ground
and bowed down three times. Then they kissed each other and both shed many
tears.
20:42 Then Jonathan said to
David, 'Go in peace. And as regards the oath that both of us have sworn in the
name of Yahweh, may Yahweh be witness between you and me, between your
descendants and mine for ever.'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
21
21:1 David then rose and left,
and Jonathan went back to the town.
David and the
priest at Nob
21:2 David went to Nob, to
Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came out trembling to meet David and said, 'Why
are you alone and no one with you?'
21:3 David replied to
Ahimelech the priest, 'The king has given me an order and said to me, "Let
no one know anything of the mission I am sending you on, nor of the order I am
giving you". As regards my soldiers, I have arranged to meet them at such
and such a place.
21:4 Meanwhile if you have
five loaves of bread to hand, give them to me, or whatever there is.'
21:5 The priest replied to
David, 'I have no ordinary bread to hand; there is only consecrated bread -
provided your soldiers have kept themselves from women?'
21:6 David replied to the
priest, 'Certainly, women are forbidden us, as always when I set off on a
campaign. The soldiers' things are pure. Though this is a profane journey, they
are certainly pure today as far as their things are concerned.'
21:7 The priest then gave him
what had been consecrated, for the only bread there was the bread of offering
which is taken away from the presence of Yahweh to be replaced by warm bread
when it is removed.
21:8 Now one of Saul's
servants happened to be there that day, detained in the presence of Yahweh; his
name was Doeg the Edomite and he was the chief of Saul's guardsmen.
21:9 David then said to
Ahimelech, 'Have you no spear or sword here to hand? I did not bring either my
sword or my weapons with me, because the king's business was pressing.'
21:10 The priest replied, 'The
sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the Valley of the Terebinth
is over there wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod; if you wish to take it,
do so, for there is no other here'. David said, 'There is none like it; give it
to me'.
David with the Philistines
21:11 That day David left,
fleeing from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath.
21:12 But the servants of
Achish said, 'Is not this David, the king of the country? Was it not of him
they sang in the dance: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens
of thousands?"'
21:13 David pondered these
words and became very frightened of Achish the king of Gath.
21:14 When their eyes were on
him he played the madman and, when they held him, feigned lunacy. He would drum
on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.
21:15 Achish said to his
servants, 'You can see this man is mad. Why bring him to me?
21:16 Have I not enough madmen
without your bringing me this one to weary me with his antics? Is he to join my
household?'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
22
C. DAVID THE OUTLAW
David begins his
wanderings
22:1 David left there and took
refuge in the Cave of Adullam; his brothers and all his father's family heard
of it and joined him there.
22:2 All the oppressed, those
in distress, all those in debt, anyone who had a grievance, gathered round him
and he became their leader. There were about four hundred men with him.
22:3 David went from there to
Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, 'Allow my father and mother to
stay with you until I know what God intends to do for me'.
22:4 He left them with the
king of Moab and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the
stronghold.
22:5 But the prophet Gad said
to David, 'Do not stay in the stronghold; go and make your way into the land of
Judah.' So David went away and came to the forest of Hereth.
The massacre of the
priests of Nob
22:6 Saul came to hear that
David and the men with him had been discovered. Saul was at Gibeah, seated
under the tamarisk on the high place, spear in hand, with his officers standing
round him.
22:7 'Listen, men of
Benjamin,' Saul said to his officers standing round him, 'is the son of Jesse
ready to give you all fields and vineyards and to make all of you commanders of
thousands and commanders of hundreds
22:8 that you all conspire
against me? No one told me when my son made a pact with the son of Jesse; none
of you felt sorry for me or told me when my son incited my servant to become my
enemy, as is now the case.'
22:9 Doeg the Edomite then
spoke up - he was standing near Saul's officers: 'I saw the son of Jesse come
to Nob,' he said 'to Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
22:10 This man consulted
Yahweh for him, gave him provisions and also the sword of Goliath the
Philistine.'
22:11 Then the king sent and
summoned the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his whole family, the priests
of Nob; they all came to the king.
22:12 Saul said, 'Now listen,
son of Ahitub'. He answered, 'I am here, my lord'.
22:13 'Why have you conspired
against me,' Saul said 'you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword
and consulting God on his behalf, for him to rebel against me as is now the
case?'
22:14 Ahimelech answered the
king, 'Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, son-in-law to the
king, captain of your bodyguard, honoured in your household?
22:15 Was today the first time
I ever consulted God on his behalf? Far be it from me to do otherwise! Let not
the king bring any charge against his servant or against his whole family, for
your servant knew nothing whatever of the whole affair.'
22:16 But the king answered,
'Most surely you shall die, Ahimelech, you and your whole family'.
22:17 The king said to the
guardsmen who were standing beside him, 'Step forward and put the priests of
Yahweh to death, for they too have supported David, they knew he was making his
escape yet did not tell me'. But the king's servants would not lift a hand to
strike the priests of Yahweh.
22:18 The king then said to
Doeg, 'You step forward and strike the priests'. Doeg the Edomite stepped
forward and struck the priests himself, that day killing eighty-five men who
wore the linen ephod.
22:19 As for Nob, the town of
the priests, Saul put it to the sword, men and women, children and infants,
cattle and donkeys and sheep.
22:20 One son only of
Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled away to
join David
22:21 and told him that Saul
had slaughtered the priests of Yahweh.
22:22 David said to Abiathar,
'I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, he would be sure to inform
Saul. I am responsible for the death of all your kinsmen.
22:23 Stay with me, have no
fear, for he who seeks your life seeks mine too; you will be safe with me.'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
23
David at Keilah
23:1 They brought the news to
David, 'The Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the
threshing-floors'.
23:2 David consulted Yahweh,
'Shall I go and fight these Philistines?' Yahweh answered David, 'Go and fight
the Philistines and save Keilah'.
23:3 But David's men said to
him, 'We go in fear here in Judah; how much more, then, if we go to Keilah to
fight against the Philistines?'
23:4 So David consulted Yahweh
again and Yahweh replied, 'Be on your way; go down to Keilah for I will give
the Philistines into your power'.
23:5 So David and his men went
to Keilah and fought the Philistines, and carried off their cattle and
inflicted a great defeat on them. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
23:6 Now when Abiathar son of
Ahimelech took refuge with David, he went down to Keilah with the ephod in his
hand.
23:7 When word was brought to
Saul that David had gone to Keilah he said, 'God has delivered him into my
power, for he has walked into a trap by going into a town with gates and bars'
23:8 Saul called all the people
to arms, to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men.
23:9 David, however, was aware
that Saul was plotting evil against him and said to Abiathar the priest, 'Bring
the ephod'.
23:10 David said, 'Yahweh, God
of Israel, your servant has heard that Saul is preparing to come to Keilah and
destroy the town because of me.
23:11 Will Saul come down as
your servant has heard? Yahweh, God of Israel, I beg you, let your servant
know.' Yahweh replied, 'He will come down'.
23:12 Then David asked, 'Will
the townsmen of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?' Yahweh replied, 'They
will hand you over'.
23:13 At this, David made off
with his men, about six hundred in number; they left Keilah and went where they
could. When the news was brought to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he
abandoned the expedition.
23:14 David stayed in the
wilderness, in the strongholds; he stayed in the mountains, in the wilderness
of Ziph; Saul searched for him continually, but God did not deliver him into
his power.
David at Horesh. A
visit from Jonathan
23:15 David was afraid because
Saul had mounted an expedition to take his life. At that time he was at Horesh
in the wilderness of Ziph.
23:16 Jonathan son of Saul set
off and went to David at Horesh and encouraged him in the name of God.
23:17 'Have no fear,' he told
him 'for the hand of my father Saul will not reach you; you are the one who is
to reign over Israel, and I shall be second to you. Saul my father is himself
aware of this.'
23:18 And the two made a pact
in the presence of Yahweh. David stayed at Horesh and Jonathan went home.
David has a narrow
escape from Saul
23:19 Now some men of Ziph
went up to Saul at Gibeah. 'Is not David in hiding among us' they said 'in the
strongholds at Horesh, on the Hill of Hachilah to the south of the wastelands?
23:20 Now whenever you wish to
go down, O king, do so; it will be our task to deliver him into the king's
power.'
23:21 Saul replied, 'May you
be blessed by Yahweh, for coming to help me.
23:22 Go now, make surer
still. Find out and note the place his footsteps hurry to, for I have been told
he is very cunning.
23:23 Take careful notice of
all the hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me when you are certain.
I will then come to you; and if he is in the country, I will track him down
through all the clans of Judah.'
23:24 So they set off and went
to Ziph ahead of Saul. Meanwhile, David and his men were in the wilderness of
Maon, in the plain to the south of the wastelands.
23:25 When Saul and his men
set out in search of him, David was informed of it and went down to the rock
that is in the wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David into
the wilderness of Maon.
23:26 Saul and his men
proceeded along one side of the mountain, David and his men along the other.
David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul with his men was trying to
outflank David and his men and so capture them,
23:27 when a messenger came to
Saul and said, 'Come at once, the Philistines have invaded the country'.
23:28 So Saul broke off his
pursuit of David and went to fight the Philistines. This is why that place is
called the Rock of Divisions.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
24
David spares Saul
24:1 David went away from
there, and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.
24:2 When Saul returned from
pursuing the Philistines, he was told, 'David is now in the wilderness of
Engedi'.
24:3 Saul thereupon took three
thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and
his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
24:4 He came to the sheepfolds
along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet.[*a] Now
David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave;
24:5 David's men said to him,
'Today is the day of which Yahweh said to you, "I will deliver your enemy
into your power, do what you like with him"'. David stood up and,
unobserved, cut off the border of Saul's cloak.
24:6 Afterwards David
reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul's cloak.
24:7 He said to his men,
'Yahweh preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand
against him, for he is the anointed of Yahweh'.
24:8 David gave his men strict
instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went
on his way.
24:9 After this, David too
left the cave and called after Saul, 'My lord king!' Saul looked behind him and
David bowed to the ground and did homage.
24:10 Then David said to Saul,
'Why do you listen to the men who say to you, "David means to harm
you"?
24:11 Why, your own eyes have
seen today how Yahweh put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill
you, but spared you. "I will not raise my hand against my lord," I
said "for he is the anointed of Yahweh."
24:12 O my father, see, look
at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your
cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither
malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me
down to take my life.
24:13 May Yahweh be judge
between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be
laid on you.
24:14 (As the old proverb
says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on
you.)
24:15 On whose trail has the
king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of
a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea!
24:16 May Yahweh be the judge
and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give
judgement for me, freeing me from your power.'
24:17 When David had finished
saying these words to Saul, Saul said, 'Is that your voice, my son David?' And
Saul wept aloud.
24:18 'You are a more upright
man than I,' he said to David 'for you have repaid me with good while I have
repaid you with evil.
24:19 Today you have crowned
your goodness toward me since Yahweh had put me in your power yet you did not
kill me.
24:20 When a man comes on his
enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May Yahweh reward you for the goodness
you have shown me today.
24:21 Now I know you will
indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.
24:22 Now swear to me by
Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me nor blot out my name
from my family.'
24:23 This David swore to Saul
and Saul went home while David and his men with him went back to the
stronghold.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
25
The death of Samuel
25:1 Samuel died and the whole
of Israel assembled to mourn him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.
The story of Nabal
and Abigail
David then set off and went
down into the wilderness of Maon.
25:2 Now there was a man in
Maon whose business was at Carmel, a man of means who owned three thousand
sheep and a thousand goats. He was engaged in shearing his sheep at Carmel.
25:3 The man's name was Nabal
and his wife's Abigail. She was a woman of intelligence and beauty, but the man
was brutish and ill-mannered. He was a Calebite.
25:4 When David learned in the
wilderness that Nabal was at his sheep shearing,
25:5 he sent ten soldiers,
saying to them,[*a] 'Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name.
25:6 You are to say this to my
brother, "Peace to you, peace to your House, peace to all that is yours!
25:7 I hear that you have the
shearers; now your shepherds were with us and we did not molest them, nor did
they find anything missing all the time they were at Carmel.
25:8 Ask your soldiers and
they will tell you. May these soldiers win your favour, for we come on a day of
feasting. Whatever you have to hand please give to your servants and to David
your son."'
25:9 David's soldiers came and
said all this to Nabal in David's name, and waited.
25:10 Then Nabal answered
David's soldiers, 'Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many
servants nowadays who run away from their masters.
25:11 Am I to take my bread
and my wine and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men
who come from I do not know where?'
25:12 David's soldiers turned
away and went back the way they had come, and they told all this to David.
25:13 Then David said to his
men, 'Every man buckle on his sword!' And they buckled on their swords, and
David buckled on his too; about four hundred men followed David while two
hundred remained with the baggage.
25:14 Now one of the servants
had brought the news to Abigail, Nabal's wife. He said, 'David sent messengers
from the wilderness to greet our master, but he flared out at them.
25:15 Now these men were very
good to us; they did not molest us and we did not find anything missing all the
time we were out in the fields while we were in their neighbourhood.
25:16 They were a protection
to us night and day, all the time we were in their neighbourhood minding the
sheep.
25:17 Now bear this in mind
and see what you can do, for the ruin of our master and of his whole House is
decided on, and he is so ill-tempered no one can say a word to him.'
25:18 Abigail hastily took two
hundred loaves, two skins of wine, five sheep ready prepared, five measures of
roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs and
loaded them on donkeys.
25:19 She said to her
servants, 'Go on ahead of me, I will follow you' - but she did not tell her
husband.
25:20 As she was riding her
donkey down behind a spur of the mountain, David and his men happened to be
coming down in her direction; and she met them.
25:21 Now David had decided,
'It was a waste of time guarding all this man's property in the wilderness.
Nothing was missing of all he had, and yet he returned evil for good.
25:22 May God do this to David
and more if by morning I leave one male alive of all those who belong to him!'
25:23 As soon as Abigail saw
David she quickly dismounted from the donkey and, falling on her face before
David, bowed down to the ground.
25:24 She fell at his feet and
said, 'Let me take the blame, my lord. Let your servant speak in your ear;
listen to the words of your servant.
25:25 Pay no attention to this
ill-tempered man Nabal for his nature is like his name; "Brute" is
his name and brutish his character. But I your servant did not see the soldiers
my lord had sent.
25:26 And now, my lord, as
Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, by Yahweh who kept you from the crime of
bloodshed and from taking vengeance with your own hand, may your enemies, and
all those who plan evil against my lord become like Nabal.
25:27 As for the present your
servant brings my lord, let it be given to the soldiers of my lord's own
following.
25:28 I ask you to forgive
your servant's fault, for then Yahweh will grant my lord a lasting dynasty, for
my lord is fighting the battles of Yahweh, and in all your life there is no
wickedness to be found in you.
25:29 Should men set out to
hunt you down and try to take your life, my lord's life will be kept close in
the satchel of life with Yahweh your God, while as for the lives of your
enemies he will fling them away, as from a sling.
25:30 When Yahweh has done for
my lord all the good he has promised you, when he has made you prince over
Israel,
25:31 you do not want to have
any reason to grieve or feel remorse at having shed blood needlessly and
avenged yourself with your own hand. And when Yahweh has shown his goodness to
my lord, then remember your servant.'
25:32 David said to Abigail,
'Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today!
25:33 Blessed be your wisdom
and blessed you yourself for restraining me today from the crime of bloodshed
and from avenging myself with my own hand!
25:34 But as Yahweh the God of
Israel lives, he who kept me from harming you, had you not hurried out to meet
me, I swear that Nabal would not have had one male left alive by the morning.'
25:35 David then accepted from
her what she had brought him and said, 'Go home in peace; see, I have listened
to you and have granted your request'.
25:36 Abigail returned to
Nabal. He was holding a feast, a princely feast, in his house; Nabal was in
high spirits, and as he was very drunk she told him nothing at all till it was
daylight.
25:37 In the morning then,
when the wine had left him, his wife told him all that had happened and his
heart died inside him and he became like a stone.
25:38 About ten days later
Yahweh struck Nabal, and he died.
25:39 When David heard that
Nabal was dead, he said, 'Blessed be Yahweh who has avenged the insult I
received at Nabal's hands and has restrained his servant from doing evil;
Yahweh has brought Nabal's wickedness down on his own head.' David then sent
Abigail an offer of marriage.
25:40 When David's servants
came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, 'David has sent us to you to take you to
him as his wife.'
25:41 She rose and bowed down
her face to the ground. 'Consider your servant a slave' she said 'to wash the
feet of my lord's servants.'
25:42 Quickly Abigail stood up
again and mounted a donkey; followed by five of her slave-girls she followed
David's messengers and became his wife.
25:43 David had also married
Ahinoam of Jezreel and he kept them both as wives.
25:43 Saul had given Michal
his daughter, the wife of David, to Palti son of Laish, from Gallim.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
26
David spares Saul
26:1 Now the men of Ziph came
to Saul at Gibeah. 'Is not David in hiding' they said 'on the Hill of Hachilah
on the edge of the wastelands?'
26:2 So Saul set off and went
down to the wilderness of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand men chosen from
Israel to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
26:3 Saul pitched camp on the
Hill of Hachilah, which is on the edge of the wastelands, by the roadside.
David was then living in the wilderness and saw that Saul was coming after him
there.
26:4 Accordingly, David sent
out spies and learned that Saul had indeed arrived.
26:5 Setting off, David went
to the place where Saul had pitched camp. He saw the place where Saul and Abner
son of Ner commander of his army were lying. Saul was lying inside the camp
with the troops bivouacking round him.
26:6 Speaking to Ahimelech the
Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab, David said, 'Who will
come down with me into the camp of Saul?' Abishai answered, 'I will go down
with you'.
26:7 So in the dark David and
Abishai made their way towards the force, where they found Saul lying asleep
inside the camp, his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and
the troops lying round him.
26:8 Then Abishai said to
David, 'Today God has put your enemy in your power; so now let me pin him to
the ground with his own spear. Just one stroke! I will not need to strike him
twice.'
26:9 David answered Abishai,
'Do not kill him, for who can lift his hand against Yahweh's anointed and be
without guilt?
26:10 As Yahweh lives,' David
said 'Yahweh himself will strike him down, whether his time to die comes, or he
goes out to battle and perishes then.
26:11 Yahweh forbid that I
should raise my hand against Yahweh's anointed! But now take the spear beside
his head and the pitcher of water and let us go away.'
26:12 David took the spear and
the pitcher of water from beside Saul's head, and they made off. No one saw, no
one knew, no one woke up; they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from Yahweh
had fallen on them.
26:13 David crossed to the
other side and halted on the top of the mountain a long way off; there was a
wide space between them.
26:14 David then called out to
the troops and to Abner son of Ner, 'Abner, will you not answer?' Abner
replied, 'Who is that calling?'
26:15 David said to Abner,
'Are you not a man? Who is your like in Israel? Why did you not guard your lord
the king then? Some man of the people came to kill the king your lord.
26:16 What you did was not
well done. As Yahweh lives, you all deserve to die since you did not guard your
lord, Yahweh's anointed. Look where the king's spear is now, and the pitcher of
water that was beside his head.'
26:17 Then Saul recognised
David's voice and said, 'Is that your voice, my son David?' David answered, 'It
is my voice, my lord king.
26:18 Why does my lord pursue
his servant?' he said. 'What have I done? What evil am I guilty of ?
26:19 May my lord king now
listen to the words of his servant: if Yahweh himself has incited you against
me, let him accept an offering; but if men have done it, may they be accursed
before Yahweh, for now they have driven me out so that I have no share in the
heritage of Yahweh. They have said, "Go and serve other gods".[*a]
26:20 So now, do not let my
blood fall to the ground out of the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel
has gone out in quest of my life as a man hunts a partridge on the mountains.'
26:21 Saul replied, 'I have
sinned. Come back, my son David; I will never harm you again since you have
shown such respect for my life today. Yes, my course has been folly and my
error grave.'
26:22 David answered, 'Here is
the king's spear. Let one of the soldiers come across and take it.
26:23 Yahweh repays everyone
for his uprightness and loyalty. Today Yahweh put you in my power, but I would
not raise my hand against Yahweh's anointed.
26:24 Just as today your life
counted for much in my sight, so shall my life count for much in the sight of
Yahweh and he will deliver me from all distress.'
26:25 Then Saul said to David,
'May you be blessed, my son David! You will do great things and will succeed.'
Then David went on his way and Saul returned home.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
27
D. DAVID AMONG THE
PHILISTINES
He takes refuge at
Gath
27:1 'One of these days' David
thought 'I shall perish at the hand of Saul. I can do no better than escape to
the land of the Philistines; then Saul will give up tracking me through the
length and breadth of Israel and I shall be safe from him.'
27:2 So David set off and
went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, down to Achish son of Maoch
the king of Gath.
27:3 He settled at Gath with
Achish, he and his men, each with his family and David with his two wives,
Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the wife of Nabal from Carmel.
27:4 When news reached Saul
that David had fled to Gath, he stopped searching for him.
David as vassal of
the Philistines
27:5 David said to Achish, 'If
you will grant me a favour, let me be given a place in one of the country towns
for me to settle in. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?'
27:6 So that day Achish gave
him Ziklag, and for this reason Ziklag has been the property of the kings of
Judah to the present day.
27:7 The length of time that
David stayed in Philistine territory was a year and four months.
27:8 David and his men went
out on raids against the Geshurites, Girzites and Amalekites, for these are the
tribes inhabiting the region that goes from Telam in the direction of Shur and
as far as the land of Egypt.
27:9 David laid the
countryside waste and left neither man nor woman alive but took the sheep and
oxen, donkeys, camels and garments and came back, bringing them to Achish.
27:10 Achish would ask, 'Where
did you go raiding today?' David would reply, 'Against the Negeb of Judah', or
'the Negeb of Jerahmeel', or 'the Negeb of the Kenites.'[*a]
27:11 But David never brought
a man or woman back alive to Gath 'in case' as he thought 'they inform against
us and say, "David did such and such"'. This was David's practice all
the time he stayed in Philistine territory.
27:12 Achish trusted David.
'He has made himself hated by his own people Israel' he thought 'and so will be
my servant for ever.'
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
28
The Philistines go
to war against Israel
28:1 At that time the
Philistines mustered their forces for war to fight Israel, and Achish said to
David, 'It is understood that you join forces with me, you and your men?'
28:2 David answered Achish,
'In that case, you will soon see what your servant can do.' Achish replied to
David, 'Right, I shall appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.'
Saul and the witch
of En-dor
28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and
all Israel had mourned him and buried him at Ramah, his own town. Saul had
expelled the necromancers and wizards from the country.
28:4 Meanwhile the Philistines
had mustered and pitched camp at Shunem. Saul mustered all Israel and they
encamped at Gilboa.
28:5 When Saul saw the
Philistine camp he was afraid and there was a great trembling in his heart.
28:6 Saul consulted Yahweh,
but Yahweh gave him no answer, either by dream or oracle or prophet.
28:7 Then Saul said to his
servants, 'Find a woman who is a necromancer for me to go and consult her'. His
servants replied, 'There is a necromancer at En-dor'.
28:8 And so Saul, disguising
himself and changing his clothes, set out accompanied by two men; their visit
to the woman took place at night. 'Disclose the future to me' he said 'by means
of a ghost. Conjure up the one I shall name to you.'
28:9 The woman answered,
'Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has swept the necromancers and
wizards out of the country; why are you setting a trap for my life, then, to
have me killed?'
28:10 But Saul swore to her by
Yahweh, 'As Yahweh lives,' he said 'no blame shall attach to you for this
business.'
28:11 Then the woman asked,
'Whom shall I conjure up for you?' He replied, 'Conjure up Samuel'.
28:12 Then the woman saw
Samuel and, giving a great cry, she said to Saul, 'Why have you deceived me?
You are Saul.'
28:13 The king said, 'Do not
be afraid! What do you see?' The woman answered Saul, 'I see a ghost rising up
from the earth'.
28:14 'What is he like?' he
asked. She answered, 'It is an old man coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak'.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel and he bowed down his face to the ground and did
homage.
28:15 Then Samuel said to
Saul, 'Why have you disturbed my rest, conjuring me up?' Saul replied, 'I am in
great distress; the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has
abandoned me and no longer answers me either by prophet or dream; and so I have
summoned you to tell me what I must do'.
28:16 Samuel said, 'And why do
you consult me, when Yahweh has abandoned you and is with your neighbour?
28:17 Yahweh has done to you
as he foretold through me; he has snatched the sovereignty from your hand and
given it to your neighbour, David,
28:18 because you disobeyed
the voice of Yahweh and did not execute his fierce anger against Amalek. That
is why Yahweh treats you like this now.
28:19 What is more, Yahweh
will deliver Israel and you, too, into the power of the Philistines. Tomorrow
you and your sons will be with me; and Israel's army, too, for Yahweh will
deliver it into the power of the Philistines.'
28:20 Saul was overcome and
fell full-length on the ground. He was terrified by what Samuel had said and,
besides this, he was weakened by having eaten nothing at all that day and all
that night.
28:21 The woman then came to
Saul, and seeing his terror said, 'Look, your servant has obeyed your voice; I
have taken my life in my hands, and have obeyed the command you gave me.
28:22 So now you in your turn
listen to what your servant says. Let me set a little food before you for you
to eat and get some strength for your journey.'
28:23 But he refused. 'I will
not eat' he said. His servants however pressed him, and so did the woman.
Allowing himself to be persuaded by them, he rose from the ground and sat on
the divan.
28:24 The woman owned a
fattened calf which she quickly slaughtered, and she took some flour and
kneaded it and with it baked cakes of unleavened bread;
28:25 she put these before
Saul and his servants; and after they had eaten they set off and left the same
night.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
29
David is sent away
by the Philistine leaders
29:1 The Philistines mustered
all their forces at Aphek while the Israelites were encamped near the spring
which is in Jezreel.
29:2 The Philistine lords
paraded in their groups of a hundred and a thousand, with David and his men
bringing up the rear with Achish.
29:3 The Philistine leaders
asked, 'Who are these Hebrews?' Achish replied to the Philistine leaders, 'Why,
this is David the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me for the
last one or two years. I have had no fault to find with him from the day he
gave himself up to me to the present time.'
29:4 But the Philistine
leaders were angry with him. 'Send the man back,' they said 'let him return to
the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us to battle, in case he
turns on us once battle is joined. Would there be a better way for the man to
regain his master's favour than with the heads of these men here?
29:5 Is not this the David of
whom they sang in the dance: "Saul has killed his thousands, David his
tens of thousands"?'
29:6 So Achish called David
and said, 'As Yahweh lives, you are loyal, and to me it seems only right you
should accompany me in the campaign, for I have found nothing wrong in you from
the day you came to me to the present time. But you are not acceptable to the
leaders.
29:7 So go back, and go in
peace, rather than antagonise the leaders of the Philistines.'
29:8 'But what have I done,'
David asked Achish 'what fault have you had to find with your servant from the
day I entered your service to the present time, for me not to be allowed to go
and fight the enemies of my lord the king?'
29:9 Achish answered, 'You
know that in my sight you are as blameless as an angel of God; but the
Philistine leaders have said, "He must not go out with us to battle".
29:10 So now, get up early in
the morning, you and your master's servants who came with you, and go to the
place I assigned you. Let there be no rancour in your heart, for to me you are
blameless. You must get up early in the morning and when it is light enough you
must be off.'
29:11 So David rose early, he
and his men, and set off in the morning to return to the land of the
Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
30
The campaign
against the Amalekites
30:1 Now by the time David and
his men reached Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negeb
and Ziklag; they had stormed Ziklag and burnt it down.
30:2 They had taken the women
captive with all those who were there, both small and great. They had not
killed anyone, but taken the prisoners and gone on their way.
30:3 When David and his men
arrived, they found the town burnt down and their wives and sons and daughters
taken captive.
30:4 Then David and the people
with him wept aloud till they were too weak to weep any more.
30:5 David's two wives had
been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the wife of Nabal from
Carmel.
30:6 David was in great
trouble, for the people were talking of stoning him; all the people were bitter
in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David took courage from Yahweh
his God.
30:7 To the priest Abiathar
son of Ahimelech David said, 'Bring me the ephod'. Abiathar brought the ephod
to David.
30:8 Then David consulted Yahweh,
'Am I to go in pursuit of these raiders? Shall I overtake them?' The answer
was, 'Go in pursuit; you will certainly overtake them and rescue the captives'.
30:9 David accordingly set off
with the six hundred men who were with him, and reached the wadi Besor.
30:10 David then continued the
pursuit with four hundred men, two hundred staying behind who were too
exhausted to cross the wadi Besor.
30:11 Out in the country they
found an Egyptian and brought him to David. They gave him bread which he ate,
and water to drink;
30:12 They also gave him a
piece of fig cake and two bunches of raisins; he ate these and his spirits
revived, for he had neither eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and
three nights.
30:13 David then said to him,
'Whose man are you and where do you come from?' He answered, 'I am a young
Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite; my master abandoned me because I fell sick
three days ago.
30:14 We raided the Negeb of
the Cherethites, and the Negeb of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb too, and we
burnt Ziklag down.'
30:15 David said, 'Will you
lead me down to these raiders?' He replied, 'Swear to me by God not to kill me
or hand me over to my master and I will lead you down to these raiders'.
30:16 And when he led him down
there they were, scattered over the whole countryside, eating, drinking and
rejoicing, because of the enormous booty they had taken from the land of the
Philistines and from the land of Judah.
30:17 David struck them down
from dawn till evening, putting them under the ban. None escaped except for
four hundred soldiers who mounted camels and fled.
30:18 David set free all whom
the Amalekites had captured. David set his two wives free also.
30:19 Nothing was missing,
whether small or great, booty or sons and daughters, everything that had been
captured; David brought all back.
30:20 They captured the flocks
and herds as well and drove them in front of him. 'This is David's booty' they
shouted.
30:21 Then David came to the
two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him, those he had left at
the wadi Besor; they came out to meet David and the troops with him, and,
approaching David and the troops, asked how they had fared.
30:22 But all the rogues and
scoundrels among the men who had gone with David said, 'They did not go with us
so we will not give them any of the booty we have rescued, though each can take
his wife and children away and go'.
30:23 But David said, 'Do not
act like this after what Yahweh has done for us; he has protected us,
delivering into our hands the raiders who set on us.
30:24 Who would agree with you
on this? No: 'As the share is of him who goes down to the battle, so is the
share of him who stays with the baggage. 'They must share alike.'
30:25 And from that day
forward he made this a statute and an ordinance for Israel which obtains to the
present day.
30:26 When David came to
Ziklag he sent parts of the booty to the elders of Judah, proportionate to
their towns, with this message, 'Here is a present for you from the booty taken
from the enemies of Yahweh':
30:27 for those in Bethel, for
those in Ramoth of the Negeb,
30:28 for those in Jattir, for
those in Aroer, for those in Siphmoth, for those in Eshtemoa,
30:29 for those in Carmel, for
those in the towns of Jerahmeel, for those in the towns of the Kenites,
30:30 for those in Hormah, for
those in Borashan, for those in Athach,
30:31 for those in Hebron and
for all the places which David and his men had frequented.
JB 1 SAMEUL Chapter
31
The battle of
Gilboa and the death of Saul
31:1 The Philistines made war
on Israel and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and were slaughtered
on Mount Gilboa.
31:2 The Philistines pressed
Saul and his sons hard and killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons
of Saul.
31:3 The fighting grew heavy
about Saul; the bowmen took him off his guard, so that he fell wounded by the
bowmen.
31:4 Then Saul said to his
armour-bearer, 'Draw your sword and run me through with it; I do not want these
uncircumcised men to come and gloat over me'. But his armour-bearer was afraid
and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
31:5 His armour-bearer, seeing
that Saul was dead, fell on his sword too and died with him.
31:6 And so Saul and his three
sons and his armour-bearer died together that day.
31:7 When the Israelites who
were on the other side of the valley saw that the men of Israel had taken
flight and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and
fled. The Philistines then came and occupied them.
31:8 When the Philistines came
on the following day to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons
lying on Mount Gilboa.
31:9 They cut off his head
and, stripping him of his armour, had it carried round the land of the
Philistines to proclaim the good news to their idols and their people.
31:10 They placed his armour
in the temple of Astarte; they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
31:11 When the inhabitants of
Jabesh-gilead[*a] heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
31:12 all the warriors set
out, marching throughout the night, and took the bodies of Saul and his sons
off the wall of Beth-shan, and bringing them to Jabesh they burned them there.
31:13 Then they took their
bones and buried them under the tamarisk of Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
END OF 1 SAMEUL [31
Chapters].