Chronological

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁷ And Shmuel called HaAm together unto Hashem at Mitzpah;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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