And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלtookוַיִּקַּחthe flaskאֶת פַּךְof oilהַשֶּׁמֶןand poured itוַיִּצֹקonעַלhis headרֹאשׁוֹand kissed himוַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Is it notהֲלוֹאthatכִּיYHWHיְהוָהhas anointed youמְשָׁחֲךָas leaderלְנָגִידoverעַלhis inheritance?נַחֲלָתוֹ
When you goבְּלֶכְתְּךָfrom meמֵעִמָּדִיtoday,הַיּוֹםyou will findוּמָצָאתָtwoשְׁנֵיmenאֲנָשִׁיםbyעִםthe tombקְבֻרַתof Rachelרָחֵלin the territoryבִּגְבוּלof Benjamin,בִּנְיָמִןat Zelzah,בְּצֶלְצַחand they will sayוְאָמְרוּto you,אֵלֶיךָ‘The donkeysהָאֲתֹנוֹתthatאֲשֶׁרyou wentהָלַכְתָּto look forלְבַקֵּשׁhave been found,נִמְצְאוּand look,וְהִנֵּהyour fatherאָבִיךָhas given upנָטַשׁthe matterאֶת דִּבְרֵיof the donkeysהָאֲתֹנוֹתand is worriedוְדָאַגabout you,לָכֶםsaying,לֵאמֹר“Whatמָהshall I doאֶעֱשֶׂהabout my son?”’לִבְנִי
Then you will go onוְחָלַפְתָּfrom thereמִשָּׁםfartherוָהָלְאָהand comeוּבָאתָtoעַדthe oakאֵלוֹןof Tabor,תָּבוֹרand thereשָּׁםthreeשְׁלֹשָׁהmenאֲנָשִׁיםgoing upעֹלִיםtoאֶלElohimהָאֱלֹהִיםat Bethelבֵּית אֵלwill find you,וּמְצָאוּךָoneאֶחָדcarryingנֹשֵׂאthreeשְׁלֹשָׁהyoung goats,גְדָיִיםanotherוְאֶחָדcarryingנֹשֵׂאthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתround loavesכִּכְּרוֹתof bread,לֶחֶםand anotherוְאֶחָדcarryingנֹשֵׂאa skinנֵבֶלof wine.יָיִן
And they will askוְשָׁאֲלוּyouלְךָabout your welfareלְשָׁלוֹםand giveוְנָתְנוּyouלְךָtwoשְׁתֵּיloaves of bread,לֶחֶםand you shall take themוְלָקַחְתָּfrom their hand.מִיָּדָם
After thatאַחַר כֵּןyou will comeתָּבוֹאto Gibeahגִּבְעַתof Elohim,הָאֱלֹהִיםwhereאֲשֶׁר שָׁםarethe garrisonsנְצִבֵיof the Philistines;פְלִשְׁתִּיםand it will happen,וִיהִיas you comeכְבֹאֲךָthereשָׁםto the city,הָעִירthat you will meetוּפָגַעְתָּa bandחֶבֶלof prophetsנְבִיאִיםcoming downיֹרְדִיםfrom the high place,מֵהַבָּמָהand before themוְלִפְנֵיהֶםharpנֵבֶלand tambourineוְתֹףand fluteוְחָלִילand lyre,וְכִנּוֹרand theyוְהֵמָּהwill beprophesying.מִתְנַבְּאִים
And the spiritרוּחַof YHWHיְהוָהwill come mightilyוְצָלְחָהon you,עָלֶיךָand you will prophesyוְהִתְנַבִּיתָwith themעִמָּםand be changedוְנֶהְפַּכְתָּinto anotherלְ אַחֵרman.אִישׁ
And it will be,וְהָיָהwhenכִּיtheseהָאֵלֶּהsignsהָאֹתוֹתcome to you,תָבֹאנָה לָךְdoעֲשֵׂה לְךָwhateverאֲשֶׁרyour handיָדֶךָfinds to do,תִּמְצָאforכִּיElohimהָאֱלֹהִיםis with you.עִמָּךְ
And you shall go downוְיָרַדְתָּahead of meלְפָנַיto Gilgal;הַגִּלְגָּלand look,וְהִנֵּהIאָנֹכִיam coming downיֹרֵדto youאֵלֶיךָto offer upלְהַעֲלוֹתburnt offeringsעֹלוֹתand to sacrificeלִזְבֹּחַsacrificesזִבְחֵיof peace offerings.שְׁלָמִיםSevenשִׁבְעַתdaysיָמִיםyou shall wait,תּוֹחֵלuntilעַדI comeבּוֹאִיto youאֵלֶיךָand let you knowוְהוֹדַעְתִּי לְךָwhatאֵת אֲשֶׁרyou are to do.”תַּעֲשֶׂה
And it happened,וְהָיָהas he turnedכְּהַפְנֹתוֹhis backשִׁכְמוֹto goלָלֶכֶתfromמֵעִםSamuel,שְׁמוּאֵלthat Elohimאֱלֹהִיםchangedוַיַּהֲפָךְfor himלוֹanotherאַחֵרheart;לֵבand allוַ כָּלtheseהָאֵלֶּהsignsהָאֹתוֹתcame aboutיָּבֹאוּon thatבַּ הַהוּאday.יּוֹם
When they cameוַיָּבֹאוּthere,שָׁםto Gibeah,הַגִּבְעָתָהlook,וְהִנֵּהa bandחֶבֶלof prophetsנְבִאִיםcame to meet him;לִקְרָאתוֹand the spiritרוּחַof Elohimאֱלֹהִיםcame mightilyוַתִּצְלַחon him,עָלָיוand he prophesiedוַיִּתְנַבֵּאamong them.בְּתוֹכָם
And it happened,וַיְהִיwhen allכָּלwho knew himיוֹדְעוֹbeforeמֵאִתְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹםsawוַיִּרְאוּthatוְhe was prophesyingנִבָּאwithעִםthe prophets,נְבִאִיםthat the peopleהָעָםsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto one another,אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ“Whatמַהisthisזֶּהthat has happenedהָיָהto the sonלְבֶןof Kish?קִישׁIs Saul alsoהֲגַם שָׁאוּלamong the prophets?”בַּנְּבִיאִים
And a manאִישׁfrom thereמִשָּׁםansweredוַיַּעַןand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“And whoוּמִיistheir father?”אֲבִיהֶםThereforeעַל כֵּןit becameהָיְתָהa proverb:לְמָשָׁל“Is Saul alsoהֲגַם שָׁאוּלamong the prophets?”בַּנְּבִאִים
And he finishedוַיְכַלprophesyingמֵהִתְנַבּוֹתand cameוַיָּבֹאto the high place.הַבָּמָה
And Saul’sשָׁאוּלuncleדּוֹדsaidוַיֹּאמֶרto himאֵלָיוand to his young man,וְאֶל נַעֲרוֹ“Whereאָןdid you go?”הֲלַכְתֶּםAnd he said,וַיֹּאמֶר“To look forלְבַקֵּשׁthe donkeys;אֶת הָאֲתֹנוֹתand when we sawוַנִּרְאֶהthatכִיthey were nowhere to be found,אַיִןwe wentוַנָּבוֹאtoאֶלSamuel.”שְׁמוּאֵל
And Saul’sשָׁאוּלuncleדּוֹדsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Tellהַגִּידָהme,לִיplease,נָּאwhatמָהSamuelשְׁמוּאֵלsaidאָמַרto you.”לָכֶם
And Saulשָׁאוּלsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלhis uncle,דּוֹדוֹ“He toldהִגִּידusלָנוּplainlyהַגֵּדthatכִּיthe donkeysהָאֲתֹנוֹתhad been found.”נִמְצְאוּBut the matterוְאֶת דְּבַרof the kingship,הַמְּלוּכָהof whichאֲשֶׁרSamuelשְׁמוּאֵלhad spoken,אָמַרhe did notלֹאtellהִגִּידhim.לוֹ
And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלsummonedוַיַּצְעֵקthe peopleאֶת הָעָםtoאֶלYHWHיְהוָהat Mizpah.הַמִּצְפָּה
And he saidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלthe sonsבְּנֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵל“ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH,יְהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel:יִשְׂרָאֵל‘Iאָנֹכִיbrought upהֶעֱלֵיתִיIsraelאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלfrom Egyptמִמִּצְרָיִםand deliveredוָאַצִּילyouאֶתְכֶםfrom the handמִיַּדof Egyptמִצְרַיִםand from the handוּמִיַּדof allכָּלthe kingdomsהַמַּמְלָכוֹתthat were oppressingהַלֹּחֲצִיםyou.’אֶתְכֶם
But youוְאַתֶּםtodayהַיּוֹםhave despisedמְאַסְתֶּםyour Elohim,אֶת אֱלֹהֵיכֶםwhoאֲשֶׁרhimselfהוּאsavesמוֹשִׁיעַyouלָכֶםfrom allמִכָּלyour calamitiesרָעוֹתֵיכֶםand your distresses,וְצָרֹתֵיכֶםand you have saidוַתֹּאמְרוּto him,לוֹ‘Setכִּי תָּשִׂיםa kingמֶלֶךְover us.’עָלֵינוּSo now,וְעַתָּהpresent yourselvesהִתְיַצְּבוּbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWHיְהוָהby your tribesלְשִׁבְטֵיכֶםand by your thousands.”וּלְאַלְפֵיכֶם
So Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלbrought nearוַיַּקְרֵבallאֵת כָּלthe tribesשִׁבְטֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלand the tribeשֵׁבֶטof Benjaminבִּנְיָמִןwas taken.וַיִּלָּכֵד
And he brought nearוַיַּקְרֵבthe tribeאֶת שֵׁבֶטof Benjaminבִּנְיָמִןby its clans,לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיוand the clanמִשְׁפַּחַתof the Matritesהַמַּטְרִיwas taken;וַתִּלָּכֵדand Saulשָׁאוּלsonבֶּןof Kishקִישׁwas taken.וַיִּלָּכֵדBut when they looked for him,וַיְבַקְשֻׁהוּhe was notוְלֹאfound.נִמְצָא
So they askedוַיִּשְׁאֲלוּYHWHבַּיהוָהagain,עוֹד“Has the manהֲ אִישׁcomeבָאhereהֲלֹםyet?”עוֹדAnd YHWHיְהוָהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Look,הִנֵּהheהוּאis hidingנֶחְבָּאamongאֶלthe baggage.”הַכֵּלִים
And they ranוַיָּרֻצוּand took himוַיִּקָּחֻהוּfrom there,מִשָּׁםand he stoodוַיִּתְיַצֵּבamongבְּתוֹךְthe people,הָעָםand he was tallerוַיִּגְבַּהּthan allמִכָּלthe peopleהָעָםfrom his shouldersמִשִּׁכְמוֹupward.וָמָעְלָה
And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלsaidוַיֹּאמֶרtoאֶלallכָּלthe people,הָעָם“Do you seeהַרְּאִיתֶםthe one whomאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהhas chosen,בָּחַר בּוֹthatכִּיthere is no oneאֵיןlike himכָּמֹהוּamong allבְּכָלthe people?”הָעָםAnd allוַ כָלthe peopleהָעָםshoutedיָּרִעוּand said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Long liveיְחִיthe king!”הַמֶּלֶךְ
Then Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלtoldוַיְדַבֵּרthe peopleאֶל הָעָםthe rightאֵת מִשְׁפַּטof the kingship,הַמְּלֻכָהand he wrote itוַיִּכְתֹּבin the scrollבַּסֵּפֶרand laid itוַיַּנַּחbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH.יְהוָהAnd Samuelוַ שְׁמוּאֵלsentיְשַׁלַּחallאֶת כָּלthe peopleהָעָםaway, each oneאִישׁto his house.לְבֵיתוֹ
Saulשָׁאוּלalsoוְגַםwentהָלַךְto his houseלְבֵיתוֹat Gibeah,גִּבְעָתָהand there wentוַיֵּלְכוּwith himעִמּוֹthe valiant menהַחַיִלwhoseאֲשֶׁרheartsבְּלִבָּםElohimאֱלֹהִיםhad touched.נָגַע
But wickedבְלִיַּעַלmenוּבְנֵיsaid,אָמְרוּ“Howמַהcan this oneזֶהsave us?”יֹּשִׁעֵנוּAnd they despised himוַיִּבְזֻהוּand did notוְלֹאbringהֵבִיאוּhimלוֹtribute.מִנְחָהBut he wasוַיְהִיlike one keeping silent.כְּמַחֲרִישׁ