they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because Yahweh would slay them. And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh and with men.

And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him: Thus saith Yahweh, Did I reveal Myself unto the house of thy father when they were in bondage in Egypt to Pharaoh's house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up unto Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the Children of Israel made by fire? Wherefore kick ye at My sacrifice and at Mine offering, which I have commanded in My habitation, and honored thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people? Therefore said Yahweh, the God of Israel: I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before Me for ever; but now saith Yahweh: Be it far from Me; for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despite Me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt behold a rival in My habitation in all the good that shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. Yet will I not cut off every man of thine from Mine altar, to make thine eyes to fail and thy heart to languish; but all the increase of thine house shall die young men. And this shall be the sign unto thee,-that which shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die, both of them. And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My mind; and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before Mine anointed for ever. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say: Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may seat a morsel of bread.

And the child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. And the word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lain down in his place, now his eyes had begun to wax dim that he could not see,and ere the lamp of Yahweh was gone out, and Samuel had lain down in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was, that Yahweh called, Samuel! and he said: Here am I. And he ran to Eli, and said: Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said: I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And Yahweh called yet again: Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said: Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered: I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed unto him. And Yahweh called Samuel the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said: Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that Yahweh was calling the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel: Go, lie down; and it shall be, if thou be called, that thou shalt say: Speak, Yahweh! for Thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times: Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said: Speak, for Thy servant heareth. And Yahweh said to Samuel: Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day, I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for his iniquity, in that

he knew that his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he rebuked them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.

And Samuel lay till the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said: Samuel, my son! And he said: Here am I. And he said: What is the thing that He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that He spake unto thee. And Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said: It is Yahweh; let Him do what seemeth Him good.

And Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan unto Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh. And Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphek; and when the battle was joined Israel was smitten before the Philistines. Then the elders of Israel said: Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of our God out of Shiloh, that He may come among us and save us from the hand of our enemies. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of God. And when the ark of God came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said: What is this noise of great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? And the Philistines were afraid; for they said: God is come into their camp. Woe unto us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues and pestilence. Quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not slaves unto the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you. And Israel was smitten, and fled every man to his tent. And there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were slain.

And a Benjamite ran out of the army and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent and with earth on his head. And as he came, lo, Eli was sitting on his seat by the gate, watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said: What is this noise of tumult? And the man made haste and told Eli. And the man said unto Eli: I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to-day out of the army. And he said: How went the matter, my son? And he that brought the tidings answered and said: Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake and he died; for he was an old man and heavy.

And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas's wife, was with child, about to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came suddenly upon her.

And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said unto her: Fear not, for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. But she named the child Ichabod [dishonored]. And she said: The glory hath departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken. And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

ΧΙ

OF SAMUEL THE SEER

Samuel urges the people to put away foreign gods. They obey, and gather for a fast at Mizpah. The Philistines attack them, but are pursued and smitten. Samuel is judge of a small circuit. The people demand a king; Samuel details the evils of monarchy, but finally yields and anoints Saul, a Benjamite, king. Saul's son, Jonathan, routs a garrison of the Philistines. Saul rashly assumes the office of priest and is rejected by Yahweh. Samuel is sent by Yahweh to anoint David of Bethlehem as Saul's successor. Samuel dies. (1 Sam'l, vii, 2b; viii, 22; x, 17-27; xiii, 3-6, 7b-15; xv, 24-31; xvi, 1-13; xxv, 1a.)

And all the house of Israel yearned after Yahweh. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying: If ye do return unto Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Yahweh and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the Children of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtoreth and served Yahweh only.

And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto Yahweh. And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there: We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the Children of Israel in Mizpah.

And when the Philistines heard that the Children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And they said unto Samuel: Cease not to cry unto Yahweh our God for us, that He may save us out of the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it for a whole burnt-offering unto Yahweh; and Samuel cried unto Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines; and they smote them until they came under Beth-car.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Miszpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer (Stone of help), saying: Hitherto hath Yahweh helped us.1

So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the

The hand of the Deuteronomist Redactor, (D), is very evident in this part of Samuel's history; but the touch of the marvellous in the battle with the Philistines, and the intimate details are akin to those of the traditions preferred by E. The account of the rise of the monarchy is largely added to by DR (Ch. viii, 8-20).

border of Israel; and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in all those places. And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar unto Yahweh.

Now it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his first-born was Joel, and the name of the second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre and took bribes, and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel at Ramah. And they said unto him: Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Yahweh. And Yahweh said unto Samuel: Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them. Now therefore hearken unto their voices; howbeit thou shalt earnestly forwarn them, and shalt declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words of Yahweh unto the people that asked of him a king, and he said:

This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself over his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint them to be captains of thousands and captains of fifties, and to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks and to be bakers. And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your olive-yards, even the best of them and give them unto his servants. And he will take the tenth of your produce and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants. And he will take your men-servants and your maid-servants and your goodliest young men and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks; and ye shall be his servants. And in that day ye shall cry out because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.

But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said: Nay, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spake them in the ears of Yahweh. And Yahweh said to Samuel: Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye every man into his own city.

Then Samuel called the people together unto Yahweh to Mizpah. And he said to the Children of Israel: Thus saith Yahweh: I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that have oppressed you. But ye have this day rejected your God, who Himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses. And ye have said unto Him: Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore, present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your thousands. So Samuel brought all

the tribes of Israel near; and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of Matri was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they sought him, he could not be found. And they inquired of Yahweh further, if the man should yet come hither. And Yahweh answered: Behold, he hath hidden himself among the stuff. And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people: See ye him whom Yahweh hath chosen; and all the people shouted, and cried: Long live the king!

Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his own home.

Then Saul went to his house in Gibeah; and there went with him the men of valor whose hearts God had touched. But certain base fellows said: How shall this man save us? and they despised him, and brought him no present. But Saul held his peace. Then Jonathan, Saul's son, smote the garrison of the Philistines which was in Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the horn throughout all the land, saying: Let the Israelites hear. And all Israel heard it said that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also had made itself odious to the Philistines. And the people gathered themselves together unto Saul in Gilgal. And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward of Bethaven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, for the people were distressed-then the people did hide themselves in caves and in thickets, and among rocks and holds and in pits. But as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal.

And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. And Saul said: Bring hither to me the burntofferings and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering. And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said: What hast thou done? And Saul said: I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were assembling themselves together against Michmash; therefore said I, now will the Philistines come down upon us in Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Yahweh. I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.

And Samuel said unto Saul: Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which He commanded thee. For now would Yahweh have established thy kingdom for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue; Yahweh hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and hath appointed him to be a prince over His people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee. And Saul said unto Samuel: I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commands of Yahweh, and thy words, because I feared the people and hearkened to their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh. And Samuel said unto him: I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.