Shmuel Alef 11-28

Orthodox Jewish Bible

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁰ Then came the Devar Hashem unto Shmuel, saying,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 And Hashem said unto Shmuel, Ad mosai wilt thou mourn for Sha’ul, seeing I have rejected him as Melech al Yisroel? Fill thine keren with shemen, and go, I will send thee to Yishai of Beit-Lechem: for I have provided Me a melech among his banim.

² And Shmuel said, How can I go? If Sha’ul hear it, he will kill me. And Hashem said, Take an eglat bakar (heifer of the herd) with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Hashem.

³ And call Yishai to the zevach, and I will show thee what thou shalt do; umashachta (and thou shalt anoint) unto Me him whom I say unto thee.

⁴ And Shmuel did that which Hashem spoke, and came to Beit-Lechem. And the zekenim of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou in shalom?

⁵ And he said, Shalom; I am come to sacrifice unto Hashem; set yourselves apart as kodesh, and come with me to the zevach. And he set apart as kodesh Yishai and his banim, and called them to the zevach.

⁶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Shmuel] took one look at Eliav, and said, Surely Hashem’s Moshiach is before Him.

⁷ But Hashem said unto Shmuel, Look not on his mareh (appearance), or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for Hashem seeth not as HaAdam seeth; for HaAdam looketh at the einayim (eyes, outward form); Hashem looketh at the lev.

⁸ Then Yishai called Avinadav, and made him pass before Shmuel. And he said, Neither hath Hashem chosen this.

⁹ Then Yishai made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Hashem chosen this.

¹⁰ Again, Yishai made his shivat banim to pass before Shmuel. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, these Hashem hath not bachar (chosen).

¹¹ And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Are here all thy ne’arim (boys)? And he said, There remaineth yet the katan (small, young), and, hinei, ro’eh batzon (tending the flock) is he. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Send and get him; for we will not sit down [to eat] till he come here.

¹² And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was adomoni (ruddy, of healthy red complexion) and withal of a yafeh countenance, and good-looking. And Hashem said, Arise, meshachehu (anoint him); ki zeh hu (for this is he).

¹³ Then Shmuel took the keren of shemen, v’yimshach (and anointed) him in the midst of his achim; and the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem came upon Dovid from that day forward. So Shmuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

¹⁴ But the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem departed from Sha’ul, and a ruach ra’ah from Hashem terrified and overwhelmed him [Sha’ul].

¹⁵ And the avdei Sha’ul said unto him, Hinei now, a ruach Elohim ra’ah terrifieth and overwhelmeth thee.

¹⁶ Let adoneinu now command thy avadim, which are before thee, to seek out an ish, who is a menagen (player) on the kinnor (harp); and it shall come to pass, when the ruach Elohim ra’ah is upon thee, that he shall play with his yad, and thou shalt be tov (better, well).

¹⁷ And Sha’ul said unto his avadim, Look for me now an ish that can play well, and bring him to me.

¹⁸ Then answered one of the ne’arim, and said, Hinei, I have seen a ben of Yishai of Beit-Lechem, that is skillful in playing, and a gibbor chayil and an ish milchamah prudent in matters, and an ish to’ar (handsome man), and Hashem is with him.

¹⁹ Wherefore Sha’ul sent malachim unto Yishai, and said, Send me Dovid binecha, which is with the tzon.

²⁰ And Yishai took a chamor laden with lechem, and a skin of yayin, and a gedi (young goat), and sent them by Dovid bno unto Sha’ul.

²¹ And Dovid came to Sha’ul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his no’se kelim (armor-bearer).

²² And Sha’ul sent to Yishai, saying, Let Dovid, now, stand before me; for he hath found chen (favor) in my eyes.

²³ And it came to pass, when the ruach Elohim was upon Sha’ul, that Dovid took the kinnor, and played with his yad; so Sha’ul was relieved, and was tov, and the ruach hara’ah departed from him.

17 Now the Pelishtim gathered together their machanot (camps, military forces), for milchamah and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Yehudah, and encamped between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.

² And Sha’ul and the Ish Yisroel were gathered together, and encamped by the Emek (valley) of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Pelishtim (Philistines).

³ And the Pelishtim stood on the har on the one side, and Yisroel stood on the har on the other side; and there was a gey between them.

⁴ And there went out an Ish HaBenayim [i.e., a middleman champion whose single combat saves the day and decides the victor] out of the machanot of the Pelishtim, shmo Golyat (Goliath), of Gat, whose height was shesh cubits and a span.

⁵ And he had a kova (helmet) of nechoshet upon his rosh, and he was wearing a coat of mail armor; and the weight of the coat of armor was five thousand shekels of nechoshet.

⁶ And he had mitzchah (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor) of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron (javelin) of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders.

⁷ And the khetz (shaft) of his khanit (spear) was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s blade weighed six hundred barzel (iron) shekels; and the no’se tzinnah (great shield bearer) walked ahead of him.

⁸ And he stood and cried out unto the ma’arkhot Yisroel (ranks of Israel), and said unto them, Why are ye come out to line up for milchamah? Am not I a Philistine, and ye avadim of Sha’ul? Choose you an ish for you, and let him come down to me.

⁹ If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your avadim; but if I prevail over him, and kill him, then shall ye be to us for avadim, and serve us.

¹⁰ And the Philistine said, I defy the maarkhot Yisroel this day; give me ish, that we may fight together.

¹¹ When Sha’ul and kol Yisroel heard those divrei haPelishti, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

¹² Now Dovid was the ben ish of that Ephrati from Beit-Lechem Yehudah, shmo Yishai; and he had shmoneh banim; and the ish [Yishai] was zaken in the days of Sha’ul, advanced in age among anashim.

¹³ And the shloshet Bnei Yishai hagedolim went and followed Sha’ul to the milchamah; and the shem of his three banim that went to the milchamah were Eliav the bechor, and mishneh unto him Avinadav, and hashelishi (the third) Shammah.

¹⁴ And Dovid was the katan; and the shloshah hagedolim followed Sha’ul.

¹⁵ But Dovid went and returned from Sha’ul to tend tzon aviv at Beit-Lechem.

¹⁶ And the Pelishti drew near morning and evening, and presented himself arba’im yom.

¹⁷ And Yishai said unto Dovid bno, Take now for thy achim an ephah of this roasted grain, and these ten lechem, and run to the machaneh of thy achim;

¹⁸ And carry these ten charitzei hecholov (cuts of milk, hence cheeses) unto the sar of their elef (unit, thousand), and look how thy achim fare for shalom, and take their arvut (pledge).

¹⁹ Now Sha’ul, and they, and all the Ish Yisroel, were in the Emek (Valley) of Elah (Oak), fighting with the Pelishtim (Philistines).

²⁰ And Dovid rose up early in the boker, and left the tzon with a shomer (watchman), and loaded up, and embarked, as Yishai had commanded him; and he came to the camp, as the army was going forth to the fight and shouted for the milchamah (battle).

²¹ For Yisroel and the Pelishtim took their positions, ma’arakhah (battle array) facing ma’arakhah.

²² And Dovid left his supplies in the yad of the shomer hakelim (supply master), and ran into the ma’arakhah (battle line), and came and gave shalom greeting to his achim.

²³ And as he talked with them, hinei, there came up the Ish HaBenayim Golyat HaPelishti shmo, from Gat, out of the lines of the Pelishtim, and spoke according to these words; and Dovid heard them.

²⁴ And all the Ish Yisroel, when they saw the ish, fled from before him, and were greatly afraid.

²⁵ And the Ish Yisroel said, Have ye seen this ish that is come up? Surely to defy Yisroel is he come up; and it shall be, that the ish who killeth him, the melech will give ashires gadol and will give him bitto (his daughter) [in marriage], and bais aviv make khofshi b’Yisroel (free, tax-exempt in Israel).

²⁶ And Dovid spoke to the anashim that stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the ish that killeth this Pelishti, and taketh away the cherpah (reproach) from Yisroel? For who is this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) that he should defy the ma’arkhot Elohim Chayyim (arrayed battle forces of the living G-d)?

²⁷ And HaAm answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the ish that killeth him.

²⁸ And Eliav achiv hagadol heard when he spoke unto the anashim; and af Eliav was kindled against Dovid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few tzon in the midbar? I know thy zadon (presumptuousness), and the evil of thine levav; for thou art come down l’ma’an (in order that) thou mightest watch the milchamah.

²⁹ And Dovid said, What have I done now? It was only a davar (word) [I said], wasn’t it?

³⁰ And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner; and HaAm answered him again according to the davar harishon (the previous word).

³¹ And when the devarim (words) were heard which Dovid spoke, they rehearsed them before Sha’ul: and he sent for him.

³² And Dovid said to Sha’ul, Let no lev adam fail because of him; thy eved will go and fight with this Pelishti.

³³ And Sha’ul said to Dovid, Thou art not able to go against this Pelishti to fight with him: for thou art but a na’ar (boy), and he an ish milchamah (man of war) from his youth.

³⁴ And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, Thy eved is ro’eh (shepherd) of tzon of aviv, and there came the ari, and the dov, and carried off seh out of the eder (flock):

³⁵ And I went out after him, and struck him, and saved out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught hold by his zakan (beard), and struck him, and killed him.

³⁶ Thy eved slaughtered both the ari and the dov: and this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) shall be as one of them, seeing he hath charaf (taunted, defied, disgraced) the maarkhot Elohim Chayyim.

³⁷ Dovid said moreover, Hashem that saved me out of the paw of the ari, and out of the paw of the dov, He will save me out of the yad of this Pelishti. And Sha’ul said unto Dovid, Go, and Hashem be with thee.

³⁸ And Sha’ul dressed Dovid with his armor-clothes, put a kova of nechoshet upon his rosh; also he dressed him with a coat of mail armor.

³⁹ And Dovid girded his cherev over his armor-clothes, and he tried to walk; for lo nissah (he had not tested, proved) it. And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, I cannot go with these; for lo nissti (I have not proved them). And Dovid took them off him.

⁴⁰ And he took his makel (stick, staff) in his yad, and chose him chamishah chalukei avanim (five smooth stones) out of the nachal (brook), and put them in a keli haro’im (shepherd’s bag) which he had, even in a wayfarer’s bag; and his kela (slingshot) was in his yad; and he drew near to the Pelishti.

⁴¹ And the Pelishti came on and drew near unto Dovid; and the ish, the no’se hatzinnah, went ahead of him.

⁴² And when the Pelishti squinted and saw Dovid, he despised him: for he was but a na’ar (boy), and admoni (ruddy), and yafeh mareh (good-looking).

⁴³ And the Pelishti said unto Dovid, Am I a kelev (dog), that thou comest to me with maklot (sticks)? And the Pelishti cursed Dovid by his g-ds.

⁴⁴ And the Pelishti said to Dovid, Come to me, and I will give thy basar unto the oph hashomayim, and to the behemat hasadeh.

⁴⁵ Then said Dovid to the Pelishti, Thou comest against me with a cherev (sword), and with a khanit (spear), and with a kidon (javelin); but I come against thee b’Shem Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Ma’arkhot Yisroel, whom thou hast defied.

⁴⁶ This day will Hashem hand thee over into mine yad; and I will strike thee down, and take thine rosh from thee; and I will give the peger machaneh Pelishtim this day unto the oph hashomayim, and to the chayyat ha’aretz; that kol ha’aretz may know that there is Elohim in Yisroel.

⁴⁷ And kol hakahal hazeh shall know that Hashem yehoshi’a (saveth) not with cherev or khanit; for the milchamah is Hashem’s, and He will give you (plural) into yadenu (our hands).

⁴⁸ And it came to pass, when the Pelishti arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet Dovid, that Dovid hastened, and ran toward the ma’arakhah (battle line) to meet the Pelishti.

⁴⁹ And Dovid put his yad in his keli (bag), and took from there an even (stone), and slung it, and struck the Pelishti in his metzach (forehead), that the even (stone) sunk into his metzach; and he fell upon his face to the ground.

⁵⁰ So Dovid prevailed chazak over the Pelishti with a sling and with an even (stone), and struck down the Pelishti, and killed him; but there was no cherev in the yad Dovid.

⁵¹ Therefore Dovid ran, and stood over the Pelishti, and took hold of his cherev, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slaughtered him, v’yikhrat (and cut off [See Daniel 9:26, Moshiach yikaret (will be cut off) but in Daniel the phrase means “Moshiach will be violently killed”) his rosh therewith. And when the Pelishtim saw their gibbor was dead, they fled.

⁵² And the Anshei Yisroel and of Yehudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Pelishtim, until thou come to the gey (valley), and to the Sha’arei Ekron. And the challei Pelishtim fell by the derech to Shaarayim, even unto Gat, and unto Ekron.

⁵³ And the Bnei Yisroel returned from chasing after the Pelishtim, and they plundered their machanot.

⁵⁴ And Dovid took the rosh of the Pelishti, and brought it to Yerushalayim; but he put his kelim (weapons) in his ohel.

⁵⁵ And when Sha’ul saw Dovid go forth to meet the Pelishti, he said unto Avner, the sar hatzavah, Avner, whose ben is this na’ar? And Avner said, As thy nefesh liveth, O Melech, I cannot tell.

⁵⁶ And the Melech said, Inquire thou whose ben this elem (young man) is.

⁵⁷ And as Dovid returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, Avner took him, and brought him before Sha’ul with the rosh of the Pelishti in his yad.

⁵⁸ And Sha’ul said to him, Whose ben art thou, na’ar? And Dovid answered, I am the ben avdecha Yishai of Beit-Lechem.

18 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Sha’ul, that the nefesh Yonatan was kashur (tied together) with the nefesh Dovid, and Yonatan loved him as his own nefesh.

² And Sha’ul drafted him that day, and would let him return no more to the bais aviv.

³ Then Yonatan and Dovid made a brit (covenant), because he loved him as his own nefesh.

⁴ And Yonatan stripped himself of the me’il (robe) that was upon him, and gave it to Dovid, and his middah [war garments], even to his cherev, and to his keshet, and to his khagor (belt).

⁵ And Dovid went out whithersoever Sha’ul sent him, and prospered; and Sha’ul set him over the anshei hamilchamah, and he was accepted in the sight of kol HaAm, and also in the sight of the avdei Sha’ul.

⁶ And it came to pass as they came, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the nashim came out of all towns of Yisroel, singing and dancing, to meet Sha’ul HaMelech, with tambourines, with simchah, and with cymbals.

⁷ And the nashim answered one another as they played, and said, Sha’ul hath slain his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads).

⁸ And Sha’ul was very angry, and the saying was displeasing in his eyes and he said, They have ascribed unto Dovid revavot, and to me they have ascribed but alafim; and what can he have more but the maluchah (kingship)?

⁹ And there was jealous suspicion in the way Sha’ul eyed Dovid from that day forward.

¹⁰ And it came to pass on the next day, that the ruach Elohim ra’ah came upon Sha’ul, and he prophesied inside the bais; and Dovid made [kinnor] music with his yad, as at other times; and there was a khanit in the yad Sha’ul.

¹¹ And Sha’ul hurled the khanit; for he said, I will pin Dovid even to the wall with it. And Dovid escaped his presence twice.

¹² And Sha’ul was afraid of Dovid, because Hashem was with him, and was departed from Sha’ul.

¹³ Therefore Sha’ul removed him from him, and made him his sar elef; and he went out and came in before HaAm.

¹⁴ And Dovid was maskil (successful) in kol drakhim of him; and Hashem was with him.

¹⁵ Wherefore when Sha’ul saw that he was maskil me’od, he was afraid of him.

¹⁶ But kol Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, because he went out and came in before them.

¹⁷ And Sha’ul said to Dovid, Hinei bitti hagedolah Merav, her will I give thee as isha; only be thou ben chayil (valiant) for me, and fight Hashem’s milchamot. For Sha’ul said, Let not mine yad be upon him, but let the yad Pelishtim be upon him.

¹⁸ And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, Who am I? And what is my life, or the mishpakhat avi in Yisroel, that I should be Choson to HaMelech?

¹⁹ But it came to pass at the time when Merav Bat Sha’ul should have been given to Dovid, that she was given as isha unto Adriel the Mecholati.

²⁰ And Michal Bat Sha’ul loved Dovid; and they told Sha’ul, and the thing was yashar in [Sha’ul’s] eyes.

²¹ And Sha’ul said, I will give him her, that she may be a mokesh to him, and that the yad Pelishtim may be against him. Wherefore Sha’ul said to Dovid, Thou shalt this day become Choson to me by one of my two.

²² And Sha’ul commanded his avadim, saying, Commune with Dovid privately, and say, Hinei, HaMelech hath chafetz (delight) in thee, and all his avadim love thee; now therefore be Choson to HaMelech.

²³ And the avadim of Sha’ul spoke those devarim in the ears of Dovid. And Dovid said, Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become Choson to HaMelech, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

²⁴ And the avadim of Sha’ul told him, saying, According to these words spoke Dovid.

²⁵ And Sha’ul said, Thus shall ye say to Dovid, HaMelech has chafetz (desire) for not any mohar (dowry, bride price) but a hundred arelot (foreskins) of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the oyevei HaMelech. But Sha’ul schemed to make Dovid fall by the yad Pelishtim.

²⁶ And when his avadim told Dovid these devarim, it pleased Dovid well to be Choson of HaMelech; and the yamim [leading up to the duedate of the arelot] were not expired.

²⁷ Wherefore Dovid arose and went, he and his anashim, and slaughtered of the Pelishtim (Philistines) two hundred ish; and Dovid brought their arelot, and they gave them in full count to HaMelech, that he might be the Choson of HaMelech. And Sha’ul gave him Michal bitto as isha.

²⁸ And Sha’ul saw and knew that Hashem was with Dovid, and that Michal Bat Sha’ul loved him.

²⁹ And Sha’ul was yet the more afraid of Dovid; and Sha’ul became oyev to Dovid kol hayamim.

³⁰ Then the sarim of the Pelishtim went forth [to fight]; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dovid prospered [in military success] more than all the avadim (officers) of Sha’ul; so that shmo became esteemed as of good reputation.

19 And Sha’ul spoke to Yonatan [Yehonaton] bno, and to all his avadim, that they should kill Dovid. But Yehonatan Ben Sha’ul liked Dovid me’od.

² Yehonatan reported [this] to Dovid, saying, Sha’ul aviv seeketh to kill thee; now therefore be shomer in the boker, and abide baseter (in a secret place) and hide thyself;

³ And I will go out and stand beside avi in the sadeh where thou art, and I will speak of thee with avi; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

⁴ And Yehonatan spoke tov of Dovid unto Sha’ul aviv, and said unto him, Let not HaMelech commit chet against his eved, against Dovid; because he hath not committed chet against thee, and because his ma’asim have been toward thee tov me’od:

⁵ For he did put his nefesh in his yad, and slaughtered the Pelishti (Philistine), and Hashem wrought Teshuah Gedolah for kol Yisroel; thou sawest it, and didst rejoice with simcha. Why then wilt thou commit chet against dahm naki (innocent blood), to slay Dovid chinom (without cause)?

⁶ And Sha’ul paid heed unto the voice of Yehonatan; and Sha’ul swore a shevuah, As Hashem liveth, he shall not be slain.

⁷ And Yehonatan called Dovid, and Yehonatan reported to him all these devarim. And Yehonatan brought Dovid to Sha’ul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

⁸ And there was milchamah again; and Dovid went out, and fought with the Pelishtim (Philistines), and slaughtered them with a makkah gedolah (with a great blow); and they fled from him.

⁹ And there was a ruach Hashem ra’ah upon Sha’ul, as he sat in his Bais with his khanit (spear) in his yad; while Dovid menaggen (was playing music) with his yad.

¹⁰ And Sha’ul sought to pin Dovid to the wall with the khanit; but he slipped away out of Sha’ul’s presence, and he drove the khanit into the wall; and Dovid fled, and escaped that lailah.

¹¹ Sha’ul also sent malachim unto Bais Dovid, to put him under surveillance, and to slay him in the boker; and Michal his isha warned Dovid, saying, If thou not escape with thy nefesh halilah (tonight), makhar (tomorrow) thou shalt be slain.

¹² So Michal let Dovid down through the chalon; and he went, and fled, and escaped.

¹³ And Michal took the terafim, and laid it in the mittah, and put a piece of woven goat’s hair at its head, and covered it with beged (cloth, garment).

¹⁴ And when Sha’ul sent malachim to capture Dovid, she said, He is choleh (ill).

¹⁵ And Sha’ul sent the malachim back to see Dovid, saying [to them], Bring him up to me in the mittah (bed), to have him slain.

¹⁶ And when the malachim were come in, hinei, there was the terafim in the mittah, with a piece of woven goats’ hair at its head.

¹⁷ And Sha’ul said unto Michal, Why hast thou so deceived me, and sent away mine oyev, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Sha’ul, He said unto me, Let me get away; why should I kill thee?

¹⁸ So Dovid fled, and escaped, and came to Shmuel at Ramah, and told him all that Sha’ul had done to him. And he and Shmuel went and dwelt in the dwellings of the nevi’im.

¹⁹ And it was told Sha’ul, saying, Hinei, Dovid is at the dwellings of the nevi’im in Ramah.

²⁰ And Sha’ul sent malachim to capture Dovid; and when they saw the kat (sect, group) of the nevi’im prophesying, and Shmuel standing as nitzav (overseeing) them, the Ruach Elohim was upon the malachim of Sha’ul, and they also prophesied.

²¹ And when it was told Sha’ul, he sent other malachim, and they prophesied likewise. And Sha’ul sent malachim again shelishim (third ones) and they prophesied also.

²² Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a bor hagadol (great pit) at Sechu; and he asked and said, Where are Shmuel and Dovid? And one said, Hinei, they are at the dwellings of the nevi’im in Ramah.

²³ And he went there to the dwellings of the nevi’im at Ramah; and the Ruach Elohim was upon him also, and he walked along prophesying, until he came to the dwellings of the nevi’im at Ramah.

²⁴ And he stripped off his beged also, and prophesied before Shmuel in like manner, and lay down arom (naked) all that day and all that lailah. Thus they say, Is Sha’ul also among the nevi’im?

20 And Dovid fled from Naiot in Ramah, and came and said before Yonatan, What have I done? What is mine avon? And what is my chattat before avicha, that he seeketh my nefesh?

² And he said unto him, Chalilah (may it never be!); thou shalt not die: hinei, avi will do nothing either gadol or katon, but that he will reveal it to me; and why should avi hide this thing from me? It is not so.

³ And Dovid took an oath, moreover, and said, Avicha certainly knoweth that I have found chen in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Yonatan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as Hashem liveth, and as thy nefesh liveth, there is hardly a peysah (step) between me and mavet.

⁴ Then said Yonatan unto Dovid, Whatsoever thy nefesh saith, I will even do it for thee.

⁵ And Dovid said unto Yonatan, Hinei, makhar (tomorrow) is Rosh Chodesh, and I should not fail to sit with HaMelech for tish; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the sadeh unto the erev hashlishit.

⁶ If avicha at all miss me, then say, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beit-Lechem his town; for there is a zevach hayamim there for kol mishpakhat.

⁷ If he say thus, It is tov; thy eved shall have shalom; but if he be very wrathful, then be sure that ra’ah is determined by him.

⁸ Therefore thou shalt deal with chesed unto thy eved; for thou hast brought thy eved into Brit Hashem with thee; notwithstanding, if there be in me avon (iniquity), slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to avicha?

⁹ And Yonatan said, Chalilah (far be it) from thee; for if I had da’as certainly that ra’ah were determined by Avi to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

¹⁰ Then said Dovid to Yonatan, Who shall tell me? Or what if avicha answer thee roughly?

¹¹ And Yonatan said unto Dovid, Come, and let us go out into the sadeh. And they went out both of them into the sadeh.

¹² And Yonatan said unto Dovid, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, when I have sounded out Avi at this time on Yom HaShishi from now, and, hinei, if there be tov toward Dovid, and I then send not unto thee, and reveal it in thy ozen (ear);

¹³ Hashem do so and much more to Yonatan; but if it please Avi to do thee ra’ah, then I will reveal it in thy ozen (ear), and send thee away, that thou mayest go in shalom; and Hashem be with thee, as He hath been with Avi.

¹⁴ And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the chesed Hashem, that I die not;

¹⁵ But also thou shalt not cut off thy chesed from my bais ad olam; no, not when Hashem hath cut off the oyevim of Dovid, every one from the pnei ha’adamah.

¹⁶ So Yonatan made Brit with the Bais Dovid, saying, Let Hashem even require it at the hands of the oyevim of Dovid.

¹⁷ And Yonatan caused Dovid to swear a shevua again, because he loved him; for he loved him with the ahavat nafsho (with the love of his own nefesh, self).

¹⁸ Then Yonatan said to Dovid, Makhar (tomorrow) is Rosh Chodesh; and thou shalt be missed, because thy moshav (seat) will be empty.

¹⁹ And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the makom (place) where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the ma’aseh (deed, i.e. the eventful earlier day, see v.12), and shalt remain by the even (stone) Ezel.

²⁰ And I will shoot three khitzim (arrows) on the side thereof, as though I shot at a matarah (target).

²¹ And, hinei, I will send a na’ar, saying, Go, find the khitzim (arrows). If I expressly say unto the na’ar, Hinei, the khitzim (arrows) are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou, for there is shalom to thee, and no davar (problem, concern); as Hashem liveth.

²² But if I say thus unto the elem (youth, young man), Hinei, the khitzim (arrows) are beyond thee, go thy way; for Hashem hath sent thee away.

²³ And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, hinei, Hashem be between thee and me ad olam.

²⁴ So Dovid hid himself in the sadeh; and when Rosh Chodesh was come, HaMelech sat him down to eat lechem.

²⁵ And HaMelech sat upon his moshav (seat), as at other times, even upon a moshav by the wall; and Yonatan arose, and Avner sat by Sha’ul’s side, and Dovid’s makom (place) was empty.

²⁶ Nevertheless Sha’ul spoke not anything that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not tahor; surely he is not tahor.

²⁷ And it came to pass on the day after Rosh Chodesh, which was the second day of the month, that Dovid’s makom was empty; and Sha’ul said unto Yonatan bno, Wherefore cometh not Ben Yishai to halechem neither yesterday, nor today?

²⁸ And Yonatan answered Sha’ul, Dovid earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beit-Lechem;

²⁹ And he said, Let me go, now; for we have mishpakhat zevach in the Ir; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found chen in thine eyes, let me get away, now, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the Shulchan HaMelech.

³⁰ Then af Sha’ul (anger of Sha’ul) was kindled against Yonatan, and he said unto him, Thou ben of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I have da’as that thou hast chosen Ben Yishai to thine own shame, and unto the shame of ervat immecha (thy mother’s nakedness)?

³¹ For as long as Ben Yishai liveth al ha’adamah (upon the earth) thou shalt not be established, nor malkhutecha (thy kingdom). Wherefore now send and bring him unto me, for he is ben mavet (son of death, he shall surely die).

³² And Yonatan answered Sha’ul Aviv, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? What hath he done?

³³ And Sha’ul cast the khanit (spear) at him to strike him dead; whereby Yonatan knew that it was determined of Aviv to slay Dovid.

³⁴ So Yonatan arose from the shulchan in chari af (fierce anger), and did eat no lechem the second day of the month; for he was grieved for Dovid, because Aviv had shamefully humiliated him.

³⁵ And it came to pass in the boker, that Yonatan went out into the sadeh at the mo’ed (appointed time) with Dovid, and a na’ar katon with him.

³⁶ And he said unto his na’ar, Run, find out now the khitzim (arrows) which I shoot. And as the na’ar ran, he shot a khetz beyond him.

³⁷ And when the na’ar was come to the makom of the khetz which Yonatan had shot, Yonatan cried after the na’ar, and said, Is not the khetz beyond thee?

³⁸ And Yonatan cried after the na’ar, Make speed, haste, stay not. And na’ar Yonatan gathered up the khitzim (arrows), and came to his adon.

³⁹ But the na’ar had no da’as of anything; only Yonatan and Dovid knew the davar (matter).

⁴⁰ And Yonatan gave his weapons unto his na’ar, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the Ir.

⁴¹ And as soon as the na’ar was gone, Dovid arose out of a place toward the negev (south), and fell on his face to the ground, and prostrated himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until Dovid wept exceedingly.

⁴² And Yonatan said to Dovid, Go in shalom, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the Shem of Hashem, saying, Hashem be between me and thee, and between my zera and thy zera ad olam. [21:1] And he arose and departed: and Yonatan went into the Ir.

21 Then came Dovid to Nov to Achimelech HaKohen; and Achimelech was afraid at the meeting of Dovid, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no ish with thee?

^2 (3) And Dovid said unto Achimelech HaKohen, HaMelech hath commanded me a matter, and hath said unto me, Let no ish know anything of the davar whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have directed ne’arim to such and such a makom (place).

^3 (4) Now therefore what is under thine yad? Give me five lechem in mine yad, or whatever there is found.

^4 (5) And the Kohen answered Dovid, and said, There is no lechem chol (ordinary bread) under mine yad, but there is lechem kodesh; if the ne’arim have kept themselves at least from isha.

^5 (6) And Dovid answered the Kohen, and said unto him, Indeed isha have been kept from us yesterday and the day before, since I set out, and the vessels of the ne’arim (young men) are kodesh, and if this is a derech chol (ordinary mission) indeed it will remain kodesh today in their vesels.

^6 (7) So the Kohen gave him kodesh; for there was no lechem there but the Lechem HaPanim, that was taken from before Hashem, to be replaced with lechem cham on the day when it was taken away.

^7 (8) Now a certain ish of the avadim of Sha’ul was there that day, detained before Hashem; shmo Do’eg, the Edomi, the chief of the ro’im that belonged to Sha’ul.

^8 (9) And Dovid said unto Achimelech, And is there not here under thine yad khanit or cherev? For I have neither brought my cherev nor my weapons with me, because the devar HaMelech (matter of the King) required haste.

^9 (10) And the Kohen said, The cherev of Golyat (Goliath) the Pelishti, whom thou slewest in the Emek Elah, hinei, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other except that here. And Dovid said, There is none like that; give it me.

^10 (11) And Dovid arose and fled that day from before Sha’ul, and went to Achish Melech Gat.

^11 (12) And the avadim of Achish said unto him, Is not this Dovid Melech HaAretz? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Sha’ul hath slain his thousands, and Dovid his myriads?

^12 (13) And Dovid laid up these devarim in his levav, and was very much afraid of Achish Melech Gat.

^13 (14) And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself a madman in their hands, and scratched on the daletot hasha’ar, and let his spittle fall down upon his zakan (beard).

^14 (15) Then said Achish unto his avadim, Hinei, ye see the man is meshugga; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

^15 (16) Have I need of meshugga’im, that ye have brought this one to play the meshugga in my presence? Shall this one come into my bais?

22 Dovid therefore departed from there, and escaped to the me’arah (cave) of Adullam; and when his brethren and all the bais aviv heard it, they went down there to him.

² And every ish that was in distress, and every ish that was in debt, and every ish that was mar-nefesh (bitter in spirit, discontented) gathered themselves unto him; and he became Sar over them; and there were with him about arba me’ot ish (four hundred men).

³ And Dovid went from there to Mitzpeh Moav; and he said unto the Melech Moav, Let avi and immi now come out, and be with you, until I know what Elohim will do for me.

⁴ And he brought them before Melech Moav; and they dwelt with him all the days that Dovid was in the metzudah (stronghold, i.e. Mitzpeh Moav).

⁵ And Gad HaNavi said unto Dovid, Abide not in the metzudah; depart, and get thee into Eretz Yehudah. Then Dovid departed, and came into the Forest of Cheret.

⁶ When Sha’ul heard that Dovid was discovered, and the anashim that were with him, (now Sha’ul abode in Giveah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, having his khanit in his yad, and all his avadim were standing about him);

⁷ Then Sha’ul said unto his avadim that stood about him, Hear now, ye of Binyamin; will Ben Yishai give every one of you sadot and kramim (vineyards), and make you all sarei alafim and sarei me’ot;

⁸ That all of you have made a kesher against me, and there is none that reveals unto my ear that beni (my son) hath cut a Brit with Ben Yishai, and there is none of you that is concerned for me, or revealeth unto my ear that beni (my son) hath stirred up avdi against me, to lie in wait, as he does today?

⁹ Then answered Do’eg the Edomi, which was set over the avadim of Sha’ul, and said, I saw Ben Yishai coming to Nov, to Achimelech ben Achituv.

¹⁰ And he inquired of Hashem for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the cherev Golyat HaPelishti.

¹¹ Then HaMelech sent to call Achimelech Ben Achituv HaKohen, and kol Bais Aviv, the Kohanim that were in Nov; and they came all of them to HaMelech.

¹² And Sha’ul said, Hear now, thou Ben Achituv. And he answered, Hineni, adoni.

¹³ And Sha’ul said unto him, Why have ye made a kesher against me, thou and Ben Yishai, in that thou hast given him lechem, and a cherev, and hast inquired of Elohim for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as he does this day?

¹⁴ Then Achimelech answered HaMelech, and said, And who is so ne’eman (loyal) among all thy avadim as Dovid, which is the Choson HaMelech, obedient to thy bidding, and is honored in thine bais?

¹⁵ Did I then begin to inquire of Elohim for him? Chalilah li! Let not HaMelech impute anything unto his eved, nor to all the Bais Avi; for thy eved knew nothing of all this, katon or gadol.

¹⁶ And HaMelech said, Thou shalt surely die, Achimelech, thou, and kol Bais Avicha.

¹⁷ And HaMelech said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Kohanim of Hashem; because their yad also is with Dovid, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the avadim of HaMelech would not put forth their yad to strike the Kohanim of Hashem.

¹⁸ And HaMelech said to Do’eg, Turn thou, and strike the Kohanim. And Do’eg the Edomi turned, and he struck the Kohanim, and slaughtered on that day fourscore and five ish that did wear ephod bad (linen robe).

¹⁹ And Nov, the Ir of the Kohanim, he struck with the edge of the cherev, both ish and isha, olel and nursing infants, and shor, and chamor, and seh, with the edge of the cherev.

²⁰ And ben echad of Achimelech Ben Achituv, shmo Evyatar (his name Evyatar [Abiathar]), escaped, and fled after Dovid.

²¹ And Evyatar (Abiathar) told Dovid that Sha’ul had slain the Kohanim of Hashem.

²² And Dovid said unto Evyatar (Abiathar), I knew it that day, when Do’eg the Edomi was there, that he would surely tell Sha’ul. I am mortally responsible for nefesh Bais Avicha.

²³ Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my nefesh seeketh thy nefesh; but with me thou shalt be mishmeret (in safeguard).

23 Then they told Dovid, saying, Hinei, the Pelishtim fight against Ke’ilah, and they rob the granot (threshing floors).

² Therefore Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go and strike these Pelishtim? And Hashem said unto Dovid, Go, and strike the Pelishtim, and save Ke’ilah.

³ And Anshei Dovid said unto him, Hinei, Anachnu (we) are afraid here in Yehudah; how much more then if we come to Ke’ilah against the maarkhot (military lines) of the Pelishtim?

⁴ Then Dovid inquired of Hashem yet again. And Hashem answered him and said, Arise, go down to Ke’ilah; for I will deliver the Pelishtim into thine yad.

⁵ So Dovid and his anashim went to Ke’ilah, and fought with the Pelishtim, and brought away their livestock, and attacked them with a makkah gedolah (great defeat). So Dovid saved the inhabitants of Ke’ilah.

⁶ And it came to pass, when Evyatar (Abiathar) Ben Achimelech fled to Dovid to Ke’ilah, that he came down with the Ephod [with oracular lot; see Ex 28,39] in his yad.

⁷ And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was come to Ke’ilah. And Sha’ul said, Elohim hath delivered him into mine yad; for he is shut in, by entering into an ir (town) that hath gates and bar.

⁸ And Sha’ul called kol HaAm together for milchamah, to go down to Ke’ilah, to besiege Dovid and his anashim.

⁹ And Dovid knew that Sha’ul secretly plotted ra’ah (evil, harm) against him; and he said to Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen, Bring here the Ephod.

¹⁰ Then said Dovid, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Thy eved hath certainly heard that Sha’ul seeketh to come to Ke’ilah, to destroy the ir (town) on my account.

¹¹ Will the Ba’alei Ke’ilah (citizens of Ke’ilah) deliver me up into his yad? Will Sha’ul come down, as Thy eved hath heard? Hashem Elohei Yisroel, tell now Thy eved. And Hashem said, He will come down.

¹² Then said Dovid, Will the Baalei Ke’ilah shut me and my anashim up into the yad Sha’ul? And Hashem said, They will deliver thee up.

¹³ Then Dovid and his anashim, which were about shesh me’ot ish, arose and departed out of Ke’ilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was escaped from Ke’ilah; and he refrained from going forth.

¹⁴ And Dovid stayed in the midbar in metzadot (strongholds, masadas) and remained on a har in the midbar Ziph. And Sha’ul searched for him every day, but Elohim delivered him not into his yad.

¹⁵ And Dovid saw that Sha’ul was come out to seek his nefesh: and Dovid was in the midbar Ziph at Choresh.

¹⁶ And Yonatan Ben Sha’ul arose, and went to Dovid at Choresh, and strengthened his yad in Elohim [i.e., encouraged him in G-d].

¹⁷ And he said unto him, Fear not; for the yad Sha’ul Avi shall not find thee; and thou shalt be Melech over Yisroel, and I shall be mishneh (second) unto thee; and that also Sha’ul Avi knoweth.

¹⁸ And they two made a brit (covenant) before Hashem; and Dovid stayed at Choresh, and Yonatan went to his bais.

¹⁹ Then came up the Ziphim to Sha’ul to Giveah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself among us in metzadot (strongholds, masadas) at Choresh, in the hill of Chachilah, which is on the south of Yeshimon?

²⁰ Now therefore, O Melech, come down according to all the desire of thy nefesh to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the yad HaMelech.

²¹ And Sha’ul said, Berukhim atem l’Hashem (Blessed be ye of Hashem); for ye have compassion on me.

²² Now go, prepare further, and know and see his makom where his hideouts are, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very craftily.

²³ See therefore, and take knowledge of all the machavo’im (hideouts) where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Yehudah.

²⁴ And they arose, and went to Ziph ahead of Sha’ul; but Dovid and his anashim were in the midbar Ma’on, in the Aravah on the south of Yeshimon.

²⁵ Sha’ul also and his anashim went to seek him. When Dovid was told, he descended and came down to the Sela (Rock), and stayed in the midbar Ma’on. And when Sha’ul heard that, he pursued Dovid in the midbar Ma’on.

²⁶ And Sha’ul went on this side of the har, and Dovid and his anashim on that side of the har; and Dovid made haste to get away for fear of Sha’ul; for Sha’ul and his anashim encircled Dovid and his anashim round about to take them.

²⁷ But there came a malach unto Sha’ul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Pelishtim have invaded HaAretz.

²⁸ Wherefore Sha’ul returned from pursuing after Dovid, and went against the Pelishtim; therefore they called that makom Sela HaMachlekot (Rock of Escaping).

^29 (24:1) And Dovid went up from there, and dwelt in metzadot at Ein-Gedi.

24 And it came to pass, when Sha’ul was returned from following the Pelishtim, that it was told him, saying, Hinei, Dovid is in the midbar of Ein-Gedi.

^2 (3) Then Sha’ul took shloshet alafim (three thousand) chosen men out of kol Yisroel, and went to search for Dovid and his anashim upon [the area known as] Wild Goat Rocks.

^3 (4) And he came to the gidrot hatzon (sheep pens of the flock) on the derech, where was a me’arah (cave); and Sha’ul went in to cover his feet [i.e., relieve himself], and Dovid and his anashim remained in the far end of the me’arah (cave).

^4 (5) And the anashim of Dovid said unto him, Hinei, the day of which Hashem said unto thee, Hinei, I will deliver thine oyev (enemy) into thine yad, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem tov unto thee. Then Dovid arose, and cut off the corner of the me’il of Sha’ul without his notice.

^5 (6) And it came to pass afterward, that the lev Dovid smote him because he had cut off the corner of Sha’ul.

^6 (7) And he said unto his anashim, Chalilah (far be it) before Hashem that I should do this thing unto adoni, Hashem’s moshiach, to stretch forth mine yad against him, seeing he is the moshiach of Hashem.

^7 (8) So Dovid restrained his anashim with these devarim, and allowed them not to rise against Sha’ul. But Sha’ul rose up out of the me’arah (cave), and went on his derech.

^8 (9) Dovid also arose afterward, and went out of the me’arah, and called after Sha’ul, saying, Adoni HaMelech. And when Sha’ul looked behind him, Dovid bowed down with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.

^9 (10) And Dovid said to Sha’ul, Wherefore hearest thou divrei adam, saying, Hinei, Dovid seeketh thy hurt?

^10 (11) Hinei, this day thine eyes have seen how that Hashem had delivered thee today into mine yad in the me’arah; and some urged me kill thee; but mine [nefesh] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine yad against adoni; for he is the moshiach of Hashem.

^11 (12) Moreover, avi, see, indeed, see the corner of thy me’il (robe) in my yad; for in that I cut off the corner of thy me’il, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither ra’ah nor peysha (rebellion) in mine yad, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my nefesh to take it.

^12 (13) Hashem judge between me and thee, and Hashem avenge me on thee; but mine yad shall not be upon thee.

^13 (14) As saith the mashal (proverb) of the ancients, Resha (wickedness) proceedeth from the resha’im; but mine yad shall not be upon thee.

^14 (15) After whom is the Melech Yisroel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead kelev (dog), after a parosh (flea).

^15 (16) Hashem therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and uphold my cause, and deliver me out of thine yad.

^16 (17) And it came to pass, when Dovid had made an end of speaking these devarim unto Sha’ul, that Sha’ul said, Is this thy voice, beni Dovid? And Sha’ul lifted up his voice, and wept.

^17 (18) And he said to Dovid, Thou art more tzaddik than I; for thou hast rewarded me tovah, whereas I have rewarded thee ra’ah.

^18 (19) And thou hast shown this day how that thou hast dealt tovah with me; forasmuch as when Hashem had delivered me into thine yad, thou killedst me not.

^19 (20) For if an ish find his oyev, will he let him go bederech tovah? Wherefore Hashem reward thee tovah for that thou hast done unto me this day.

^20 (21) And now, hinei, I know that thou shalt surely be Melech, and that the Mamlechet Yisroel shall be established in thine yad.

^21 (22) Swear now therefore unto me by Hashem, that thou wilt not cut off my zera after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my shem out of the Bais Avi.

^22 (23) And Dovid swore unto Sha’ul. And Sha’ul went to his bais; but Dovid and his anashim went up unto the metzudah (stronghold, masada).

25 And Shmuel died; and kol Yisroel were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him at his bais at Ramah. And Dovid arose, and went down to the midbar Paran.

² And there was an ish in Ma’on, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the ish was gadol me’od, and he had three thousand tzon, and a thousand izzim (goats); and he was shearing his tzon in Carmel.

³ Now the shem of the ish was Naval; and the shem of his isha Avigal; and she was an isha of tovat seichel, and beautiful; but the ish was kasheh (churlish, difficult) and rah (mean) in his doings; and he was a descendent of Kalev.

⁴ And Dovid heard in the midbar that Naval did shear his tzon.

⁵ And Dovid sent out ten ne’arim, and Dovid said unto the ne’arim, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Naval, and give him a shalom greeting in my shem (name);

⁶ And thus shall ye say to him, Koh lechai (good fortune to you), shalom to thee, shalom to thine bais, shalom unto all that thou hast.

⁷ And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; now thy ro’im (shepherds) which were with us, we hurt them not, and nothing was missing by them, all the while they were in Carmel.

⁸ Ask thy ne’arim, and they will show thee. Wherefore let the ne’arim find chen (favor, grace) in thine eyes; for we come on yom tov; give, now, whatsoever cometh to thine yad unto thy avadim, and to thy ben, Dovid.

⁹ And when the naarei Dovid came, they spoke to Naval according to all those devarim b’shem Dovid, and ceased.

¹⁰ And Naval answered the avadim of Dovid, and said, Who is Dovid? And who is Ben Yishai? There be many avadim nowadays who break away every ish from his adon.

¹¹ Shall I then take my lechem, and my mayim, and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it unto anashim who come from I know not where?

¹² So the ne’arim of Dovid turned to their derech, and went back, and came and told him all those devarim.

¹³ And Dovid said unto his anashim, Gird ye on every ish his cherev. And they girded on every ish his cherev; and Dovid also girded on his cherev; and there went up after Dovid about arba me’ot ish; and two hundred stayed by the kelim (supplies).

¹⁴ But one of the ne’arim told Avigal, eshet Naval, saying, Hinei, Dovid sent malachim out of the midbar to put a brocha on adoneinu; and he drove them off.

¹⁵ But the anashim were tovim unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the sadeh;

¹⁶ They were a chomah (wall) unto us both by lailah gam yomam (night and day), all the while we were with them shepherding hatzon.

¹⁷ Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for ra’ah is determined against adoneinu, and against all his bais; for he is such a ben Beliyaal, that a man cannot speak to him.

¹⁸ Then Avigal made haste, and took two hundred lechem, and two skins of yayin, and five tzon ready cooked, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred pressed figs, and laid them on chamorim (donkeys).

¹⁹ And she said unto her ne’arim, Go on ahead of me; hineni, I come after you. But she told not her ish Naval.

²⁰ And it was so, as she rode on the chamor, that she came down by the covert on the har, hinei, Dovid and his anashim came down toward her; and she met them.

²¹ Now Dovid had said, Surely for sheker have I been shomer over all that this one hath in the midbar, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath requited me ra’ah for tovah.

²² So and more also do Elohim unto the oyvei Dovid, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the boker any that urinate against the wall.

²³ And when Avigal saw Dovid, she hasted, dismounted the chamor, and fell before Dovid on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

²⁴ And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, adoni, upon me let this avon be; and let now thine handmaid speak in thine audience, and hear the devarim of thine handmaid.

²⁵ Let now not adoni regard this ish of Beliyaal, even Naval; for as shmo is, so is he; Naval (fool) is shmo, and nevalah (folly) is with him; but I thine handmaid saw not the ne’arim of adoni, whom thou didst send.

²⁶ Now therefore, adoni, as Hashem liveth, and as thy nefesh liveth, seeing Hashem hath held thee back from coming to shed dahm, and from avenging thyself with thine own yad, now let thine oyevim, and they that seek ra’ah for adoni, be as Naval.

²⁷ And now this brocha which thine shifchah (maidservant) hath brought unto adoni, let it even be given unto the ne’arim that follow at the feet of adoni.

²⁸ Forgive now the peysha of thine handmaid; for Hashem will certainly make adoni a bais ne’eman; because adoni fighteth the milchamot of Hashem, and ra’ah hath not been found in thee all thy yamim.

²⁹ Yet adam is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy nefesh; but the nefesh of adoni shall be bound in the bundle of chayyim with Hashem Eloheicha; and the nefesh of thine oyevim, them shall He hurl away, as out of the hollow of a kela (slingshot).

³⁰ And it shall come to pass, when Hashem shall have done to adoni according to all the tovah that He hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee Nagid over Yisroel,

³¹ There shall be no grief unto thee, nor michshol lev (downfall of conscience) unto adoni, either that thou hast committed shefach dahm chinom, or that adoni hath avenged himself; but when Hashem shall have dealt well with adoni, then remember thine handmaid.

³² And Dovid said to Avigal, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Who sent thee today to meet me;

³³ And baruch be thy good sense, and berukhah be thou, who hast kept me this yom from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own yad.

³⁴ For in very deed, as Hashem Elohei Yisroel liveth, Who hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Naval by ohr haboker any that urinates against the wall.

³⁵ So Dovid received of her yad that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in shalom to thine bais; see, I have paid heed to thy voice, and have granted thy request.

³⁶ And Avigal came to Naval; and, hinei, he held a mishteh (feast) in his bais, like the mishteh of a melech; and lev Naval was tov within him, for he was shikkor ad me’od; wherefore she told him nothing, katan or gadol, until the ohr haboker.

³⁷ But it came to pass in the boker, when the yayin was gone out of Naval, and his isha had told him these things, that his lev died within him, and he became like even (stone).

³⁸ It came to pass about ten yamim later, Hashem struck Naval, that he died.

³⁹ And when Dovid heard that Naval was dead, he said, Baruch Hashem, that hath upheld the cause of my cherpah (reproach) from the yad of Naval, and hath kept his eved from ra’ah; for Hashem hath returned the ra’ah (wickedness) of Naval upon his own rosh. And Dovid sent and communed with Avigal, to take her to him as isha.

⁴⁰ And when the avadim of Dovid were come to Avigal to Carmel, they spoke unto her, saying, Dovid sent us unto thee, to take thee to him as isha.

⁴¹ And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the ground, and said, Hinei, let thine handmaid be for a shifchah to wash the feet of the avadim of adoni.

⁴² And Avigal hasted, and arose and rode upon a chamor, with five na’arot of hers that attended her; and she went after the malachim of Dovid, and became his isha.

⁴³ Dovid also took Achinoam of Yizre’el; and they were also both of them his nashim (wives).

⁴⁴ But Sha’ul had given Michal bitto (his daughter), Dovid’s isha, to Phalti Ben Layish, who was from Gallim.

26 And the Ziphim came unto Sha’ul at Giveah, saying, Doth not Dovid hide himself in the hill of Chachilah, which faces Yeshimon?

² Then Sha’ul arose, and went down to the midbar Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Yisroel with him, to search for Dovid in the midbar Ziph.

³ And Sha’ul encamped in the hill of Chachilah, which faces Yeshimon, beside the derech (road). But Dovid stayed in the midbar, and he saw that Sha’ul came after him into the midbar.

⁴ Dovid therefore sent out scouts, and understood that Sha’ul had indeed come.

⁵ And Dovid arose, and came to the makom where Sha’ul had encamped; and Dovid beheld the makom where Sha’ul lay down, and Avner Ben Ner, the sar of his tzava (army); and Sha’ul was lying in the camp, and HaAm encamped round about him.

⁶ Then answered Dovid and said to Achimelech the Chitti, and to Avishai Ben Tzeruyah, achi Yoav, saying, Who will go down with me to Sha’ul to the machaneh? And Avishai said, I will go down with thee.

⁷ So Dovid and Avishai came to HaAm by lailah; and, hinei, Sha’ul lay sleeping within the camp, and his khanit (spear) stuck in the ground at his head; but Avner and HaAm lay round about him.

⁸ Then said Avishai to Dovid, Elohim hath delivered thine oyev into thine yad today; now therefore let me strike him, now, with the khanit, pinning him to the ground once; I will not strike him the second time.

⁹ And Dovid said to Avishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his yad against Hashem’s moshiach, and be guiltless?

¹⁰ Dovid said furthermore, As Hashem liveth, Hashem shall strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into milchamah, and perish.

¹¹ Chalilah (far be it) from me by Hashem that I should stretch forth mine yad against Hashem’s moshiach; but, take now thou the khanit (spear) that is at his head, and the flask of mayim, and let us go.

¹² So Dovid took the khanit and the flask of mayim from near Sha’ul’s head; and they got them away, and no one saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep; because a tardamat Hashem was fallen upon them.

¹³ Then Dovid went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the har afar off; a great space being between them;

¹⁴ And Dovid called out to the people, and to Avner Ben Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Avner? Then Avner answered and said, Who art thou that calls out to HaMelech?

¹⁵ And Dovid said to Avner, Art not thou an ish (man)? And who is like to thee in Yisroel? Wherefore then hast thou not been shomer over adonecha HaMelech? For there came one of HaAm in to destroy HaMelech adonecha.

¹⁶ This thing is not tov that thou hast done. As Hashem liveth, ye are worthy for mavet, because ye have not been shomer over adoneichem, Hashem’s moshiach. And now see where the khanit of HaMelech is, and the flask of mayim that was near his head.

¹⁷ And Sha’ul knew the voice of Dovid, and said, Is this thy voice, beni, Dovid? And Dovid said, It is my voice, adoni HaMelech.

¹⁸ And he said, Why doth adoni thus pursue after his eved? For what have I done? Or what ra’ah is in mine yad?

¹⁹ Now therefore, let adoni HaMelech hear the devarim of his eved. If Hashem have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept a minchah; but if they be bnei adam, cursed be they before Hashem; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the nachalah of Hashem, saying, Go, serve elohim acharim.

²⁰ Now therefore, let not my dahm fall to the earth before the face of Hashem; for the Melech Yisroel is come out to search for a parosh (flea), as when one doth hunt the partridge in the harim.

²¹ Then said Sha’ul, I have sinned; return, beni Dovid; for I will no more do thee harm, because my nefesh was precious in thine eyes this day; hinei, I was foolish, and have erred exceedingly.

²² And Dovid answered and said, Hinei the khanit HaMelech! Let one of the ne’arim come over and bring it back.

²³ Hashem repay to every ish his tzedakah and his emunah; for Hashem delivered thee into my yad today, but I would not stretch forth mine yad against Hashem’s moshiach.

²⁴ And, hinei, as thy nefesh was much valued this day in mine eyes, so let my nefesh be much valued in the eyes of Hashem, and let Him deliver me out of all tzarah (trouble).

²⁵ Then Sha’ul said to Dovid, Baruch atah, beni Dovid; may thou both accomplish many things, and also still succeed. So Dovid went on his derech, and Sha’ul returned to his makom.

27 And Dovid said in his lev, I shall now perish yom echad by the yad Sha’ul; there is nothing tov for me than that I should speedily escape into the Eretz Pelishtim; and Sha’ul shall despair of searching for me any more in kol gevul Yisroel; so shall I escape out of his yad.

² And Dovid arose, and he passed over with the shesh me’ot ish that were with him unto Achish Ben Maoch Melech Gat.

³ And Dovid dwelt with Achish at Gat, he and his anashim, every ish with his bais (household), even Dovid with his two nashim, Achinoam of Yizre’el, and Avigal eshet Naval of Carmel.

⁴ And it was told Sha’ul that Dovid was fled to Gat; and he sought no more again for him.

⁵ And Dovid said unto Achish, If I have now found chen in thine eyes, let them give me a makom (place) in some town in the sadeh (country), that I may dwell there; for why should thy eved dwell in the ir hamamlachah (royal city) with thee?

⁶ Then Achish gave him Tziklag that day; therefore Tziklag belongs unto the Melachim of Yehudah unto this day.

⁷ And the mispar hayamim that Dovid dwelt in the sadeh of the Pelishtim was four months and two days.

⁸ And Dovid and his anashim went up, and raided the Geshuri, and the Girzi, and the Amaleki; for they were of old the inhabitants of HaAretz, as thou goest to Shur, even unto Eretz Mitzrayim.

⁹ And Dovid attacked the land, and left neither ish nor isha alive, and took away the tzon, and the bakar, and the chamorim, and the gemalim, and the begadim, and returned, and came to Achish.

¹⁰ And Achish said, Where have ye raided today? And Dovid said, Against the Negev of Yehudah, or against the Negev of the Yarcheme’eli, or against the Negev of the Keni.

¹¹ And Dovid saved neither ish nor isha alive, to bring [news] to Gat, saying, Lest they should inform on us, saying, So did Dovid, and so has been his mishpat (practice) all the yamim (days) he dwelleth in the sadeh of the Pelishtim (Philistines).

¹² And Achish believed Dovid, saying, He hath made his people Yisroel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be eved to me olam (forever).

28 And it came to pass in those yamim, that the Pelishtim gathered their machanot together for tzava (warfare), to fight with Yisroel. And Achish said unto Dovid, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to machaneh, thou and thy anashim.

² And Dovid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy eved will do. And Achish said to Dovid, Therefore will I make thee my shomer rosh (head bodyguard) kol hayamim.

³ Now Shmuel was dead, and kol Yisroel had mourned him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own town. And Sha’ul had deported the ovot (mediums, those with familiar spirits), and the yidonim (spiritists) from HaAretz.