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Pseudo Philo (con)Chapter thirty eight PPhil 38:1Jair built a sanctuary to Baal, and he deceived the people, saying, Everyone who will not sacrifice to Baal will die. And when all the people were sacrificing, only seven men were not willing to sacrifice. Their names are these; Defal, PPhil 38:2Abiesdrel, Getalibal, Selumi, Assur, Ionadali, Memibel. They answered and said to Jair, Behold we are mindful of the commandments that those who were before us and Deborah our mother commanded us, saying, See that you do not turn your heart to the right or to the left, but pay attention to the Law of the Lord day and night. And now why do you corrupt the people of the Lord and deceive them, saying, Baal is God; let us adore him? And now if he is God as you say, PPhil 38:3let him speak as God and then we will sacrifice to him. And Jair said, Burn them in the fire, because they have blasphemed against Baal. And his servants took them to burn them in the fire. And when they had put them in the fire, Nathaniel, the angel who was in charge of fire, came forth and extinguished the fire and burned the servants of Jair. But he let the seven men escape in such a way that none of the people saw them, because he had struck the people with PPhil 38:4blindness. And when Jair came to the place, he was burned with the fire; and before he burned him up, the angel of the Lord said to him, Hear the word of the Lord before you die. And these words the Lord says; I have raised you up from the land and appointed you leader over my people, but you rose up and corrupted my covenant and deceived them and sought to burn up my servants with the flame because they chastised you. Those who were burned with corruptible fire, now are made alive with a living fire and are freed; but you will die, says the Lord, and in the fire in which you will die there you will have a dwelling place. And afterward he burned him up, and he came to the pillar of Baal and demolished it and burned Baal along with the people who stood by, that is, a thousand men. Chapter thirty nine PPhil 39:1And after these events the sons of Ammon came and began to attack Israel, and they took many of their cities. And the people were in destress, and they gathered together in Mizpah and were saying, each one to his neighbors, Behold now we look at the distress that encompasses us, and the Lord has departed from us and now is not with us, and our enemies have captured out cities, and there is no leader who may go in and go out before us. Now therefore let us see whom we may appoint over us to fight our battle. PPhil 39:2Now Jephthat the gileadite was a mighty warrior. His brothers who thrust him out from his own land envied him, and he went and dwelt in the land of Tob. PPhil 39:3And worthless men gathered around him and spent their time with him. And when Israel was being attacked, they came to the land of Tob to Jephthat and said to him, Come, rule over the people. For who knows if you have been kept safe to these days or freed from the hands of your brothers in order that you may PPhil 39:4rule your people in this time? And Jephthah said to them, Does love so return after hatred, or does time conquer all things, for you have driven me out of my land and from the house of my father and now you have come to me when you are in destress? And they said to him, If the God of our fathers, when we had sinned against him and he had delivered us up before our enemies and we were hard pressed by them, was not mindful of our sins but freed us, why do you, mortal man, want to remember the iniquities that happened to us in the time of PPhil 39:5our distress? And therefore let it not be so before you, sir. And Jephthah said, God can be not mindful of our sins, for he has the time and place where he as God may restrain himself out of his long-suffering; but I, a mortal man and made from the ground into which I will return, where will I expel my wrath and the injury that you have done me? And the people said to him, Let the dove to which Israel has been compared teach you, because when her young are taken from her, still she does not depart from her place, but she puts away the injury PPhil 39:6done her and forgets it as if it were in the depth of the abyss. And Jephthah arose and came with them and gathered all the people and said to them, You know that, while our leaders were still alive, they warned us to follow our Law. And Ammon and his sons turned the people from their way in which they walked, and they served foreign gods who would destroy them. Now therefore set your hearts on the Law of the Lord your God, and let us beg him together, and so we will fight against our enemies, trusting and hoping in the Lord that he will not deliver us up forever. Even if our sins be overabundant, still his mercy will fill PPhil 39:7the earth. And all the people prayed together, men and women and children. And when they prayed, they said, Look, Lord, upon the people that you have chosen, and may you not destroy the vine that your right hand has planted, in order that this nation, which you have had from the beginning and always preferred and for which you made dwelling places and brought into the land you promised, may be for you as an inheritance; and may you not hand us over before those who hate you, Lord. PPhil 39:8And God repented of his wrath and strengthened the spirit of Jephthah. And he sent a messenger to Getal the king of the sons of Ammon and said, Why are you troubling our land and taking my cities? Or are you sad that Israel did not take you first so that you might scatter those inhabiting the land? And now return to me my cities, and my anger will cease from you. But if not, know that I will come up to you and return to you past offenses and repay your wickedness on your own head. Or am I not mindful that you were deceitful to the people of Israel in the wilderness. And the ambassadors of Jephthah gave these messages PPhil 39:9to the king of the sons of Ammon. And Getal said, Does Israel thinks highly of itself in so far as it has taken possession of the land of the Amorites? And therefore you say, Know that now I will take other cities from you and return your wickedness to you and avenge the Amorites whom you have harmed. And Jephthah sent another message to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, Truly I have learned that God has brought you forward that I may destroy you unless you cease from the iniquity by which you wish to harm Israel. And so I will come to you and show myself to you. For they are not gods, as you say they are, who have given you the inheritance that you possess; but because you have been deceived by following after stones, fire will come after you for vengeance. PPhil 39:10And because the king of the sons of Ammon would not listen to the voice of Jephthah, Jephthah rose up and armed all the people to go out and fight in battle array, saying, When the sons of Ammon have been delivered into my hands and I have returned, whoever meets me first on the way will be a holocaust to the PPhil 39:11Lord. Andf God was very angry and said, Behold Jephthah has vowed that he will offer to me whatever meets him first on the way; and now if a dog should meet Jephthah first, will the dog be offered to me? And now let the vow of Jephthah be accomplished against hiw own firstborn, that is, agains the fruit of his own body, and his request against his only-begotten. But I will surely free my people in this time, not because of him be because of the prayer that israel prayed. Chapter forty PPhil 40:1And Jephthah came and attacked the sons of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into his hands, and he struck down sixty of their cities. And jephthah returned in peace, and women came out to meet him in song and dance. And it was his only daughter who came out of the house first in the dance to meet her father. And when jephthah saw her, he grew faint and said, Rightly was your name called Seila, that you might be offered in sacrifice. And now who will put my heart in the balance and my soul on the scale? And I will stand by and see which will win out, whether it is the rejoicing that has occurred or the sadness that befalls me. And because I opened my mouth to my Lord in song with vows, PPhil 40:2I cannot call that back again. And Selia his daughter said to him, And who is there who would be sad in death, seeing the people freed? Or do you not remember what happened in the days of our fathers when the father placed the son as a holocaust, and he did not refuse him but gladly gave consent to him, and the one being offered was ready and the one who was offering was rejoicing? PPhil 40:3And now do not annul everything you have vowed, but carry it out. Yet one request I ask of you before I die, a small demand I seek before I give back my soul; that I may go into the mountains and stay in the hills and walk among the rocks, I and my virgin companions, and I will pour out my tears there and tell of the sadness of my youth. And the trees of the field will weep for me, and the beasts of the field will lament over me. For I am not sad because I am to die nor does it pain me to give back my soul, but because my father was caught up in the snare of his vow; and if I did not offer myself willingly for sacrifice, I fear that my death would not be acceptable or I would lose my life in vain. These things I will tell the mountains, and afterward i will return. And her father said, PPhil 40:4Go. And Seila the daughter of Jephthah, she and her virgin companions, went out out came and told it to the wise men of the people, and no one could respond to her word. And afterward she came to Mount Stelac, and the Lord thought of her by night and said, Behold now I have shut up the tongue of the wise men of my people for this generation so that they cannot respond to the daughter of Jepthah, to her word, in order that my word be fulfilled and my plan that I thought out not be foiled. And I have seen that the virgin is wise in contrast to her father and perceptive in contrast to all the wise men who are here. And now let her life be given at his request, and her death will be precious before me always, and she will go away and fall into the bosom of her mothers. PPhil 40:5Ane when the daughter of Jephthah came to Mount Stelac, she began to weep, and this is her lamentation that she lamented and wept over herself before she departed. And she said, Hear, you mountains, my lamentation; and pay attention, you hills, to the tears of my eyes; and be witnesses, you rocks, of the weeping of my soul. Behold how I am put to the test! But not in vain will my life be taken away. May my words go forth in the heavens, and my tears be written in the firmament! That a father did not refuse the daughter whom he had sworn to sacrifice, that a ruler granted that his only daughter be promised for sacrifice. PPhil 40:6But I have not made good on my marriage chamber, and I have not retrieved my wedding garlands. For I have not been clothed in splendor while sitting in my woman's chamber, And I have not used the sweet-smelling ointment, And my soul has not rejoiced in the oil of anointing that has been prepared for me. O Mother, in vain have you borne your only daughter, because Sheol has become my bridal chamber. and on earth there is only my woman's chamber. And may all the blend of oil that you have prepared for me be poured out, and the white robe that my mother has woven, the moth will eat it. And the crown of flowers that my nurse plaited for me for the festival, may it wither up; and the coverlet that she wove of hyacinth and purple in my woman's chamber, may the worm devour it. And may my virgin companions tell of me in sorrow and weep for me through the days. PPhil 40:7You trees, bow down your branches and weep over my youth, You beasts of the forests, come and bewail my virginity, for my years have been cut off and the time of my life grown old in darkness. PPhil 40:8And on saying these things Seila returned to her father, and he did everything that he had vowed and offered the holocausts. Then all the virgins of Israel gathered together and buried the daughter of jephthah and wept for her. And the children of Israel made a great lamentation and established that in that month on the fourteenth day of the month they should come together every year and weep for Jephthah's daughter for four days. And they named her tomb in keeping with PPhil 40:9her name; Seila. And Jephthah judged the sons of Israel ten years, and he died and was buried with his fathers. Chapter forty one PPhil 41:1And after him Abdon, the son of Hillel the Pirathonite arose as judge in Israel, and he also judged the sons of Israel eight years. And in his days the king of Moab sent messengers to him, saying, Behold now you know that Israel has taken my cities, and now return them as a repayment. And Abdon said, Have you not learned from what happened to the sons of Ammon, unless perhaps it is so that the sins of Moab have reached full measure? And Abdon sent and took from the people twenty thousand men and came out against Moab and attacked them and killed forty thousand men of them, but the rest fled before him. And Abdon returned in peace, and he offered holocausts and sacrifices to his Lord. PPhil 41:2And he died and was buried in Effrate, his own city. And in that time the people chose Elon and appointed him as judge for them. And he judged Israel twenty years. And in those days they attacked the Philistines and took from them twelve PPhil 41:3cities. And Elon died and was buried in his own city. But the sons of Israel forgot the Lord their God and served the gods of those inhabiting the land; and on account of this they were handed over to the Philistines and served them forty years. Chapter forty two PPhil 42:1Now there was a man from the tribe of Dan whose name was Manoah, son of Edoc, son of Odon, son of Eriden, son of Fadesur, son of Dema, son of Susi, son of Dan. And he had a wife whose name was Eluma the daughter of Remac, and she was sterile and did not bear children to him. And, every day, Manoah her husband was saying to her, Behold the Lord has shut up your womb so that you may not bear children, and now let me go that I may take another wife lest I die without fruit. And she said, Not me has the Lord shut up that i may not bear children, but you that I may not bear fruit. And he said to her, Would PPhil 42:2that this could be tested and proved! And they were quarreling daily and both were very sad, because they were without fruit. One night the wife went up to the upper chamber and prayed saying, Behold you, Lord God of all flesh, reveal to me whether it has not been granted to my husband or to me to produce children, or to whom it may be forbidden or to whom it may be allowed to bear fruit in order that whoever is forbidden may weep over his sins because he remains without fruit. Or if both of us have been deprived, then reveal this to us also so that we might bear our sins and be silent before you. PPhil 42:3And the Lord heard her voice and sent his angel to her in the morning, and he said to her, You are the sterile on who does not bring forth, and you are the womb that is forbidden so as not to bear fruit. But now the Lord has heard your voice and paid attention to your tears and opened your womb. And behold you will conceive and bear a son, and you will call his name Samson. For this one will be dedicated to your Lord. But see that he does not taste from any fruit of the vine and eat any unclean thing, because (as he himself has said) he will free Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And when the angel of the PPhil 42:4Lord had spoken these words, he departed from her. And she came into the house to her husband and said to him, I am placing my hand upon my mouth, and I will be silent before you all the days because I have boasted in vain and have not believed your words. For the angel of the Lord came to me today and revealed to me, saying, Eluma, you are sterile, but you will conceive and bear PPhil 42:5a son. And Mohoah did not believe his wife, and being perplexed and sad, he himself also went to the upper chamber and prayed and said, Behold I am not worthy to hear the signs and wonders that God has done among us or to see the PPhil 42:6face of his messenger. And while he was speaking these words, the angel of the Lord came again to his wife. But she was in the field, and Manoah was in his house. And the angel said to her, Run and announce to your husband that God PPhil 42:7has accounted him worthy to hear my voice. And the wife ran and called to her husband, and he hurried to come to the angel in the field. The angel said to him. Go into your wife and do all these things. But he said, I am going, but see to it, sir, that your word be accomplished regarding your servant. And PPhil 42:8he said, It will be accomplished. And Manoah said to him, If I can let me persuade you to enter my house and eat bread with me; and know that, when you go, I will give you gifts that you may take along with you to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord your God. And the angel said to him. I will not enter your house with you, nor eat your bread nor take your gifts. For if you offer sacrifice from PPhil 42:9what is not yours, I cannot show favor to you. And Manoah built an altar upon the rock and offered sacrifices and holocausts. And when he had cut up the meats and placed them on the altar, the angel reached out and touched them with holocausts and sacrifices. And the angel of the Lord went up from there with the PPhil 42:10flame of fire. But Manoah and his wife saw these events and fell on their faces and said, Surely we will die because we have seen the Lord face to face. And Manoah said, It is not enough that I have seen him but I even asked his name, not knowing that he was the minister of God. Now the angel who came was named Fadahel. Chapter forty three PPhil 43:1And in those days Eluma conceived and bore a son and called his name Samson, and the Lord was with him. And when he had begun to grow up and sought to attack the Philistines, he took for himself a wife from the Philistines. The Philistines burned her in the fire, because they had been badly humiliated by PPhil 43:2Samson. And afterward Samson was angry at Ashdod, and they locked him up and surrounded the city and said, Behold now our enemy has been delivered into our hands, and now let us gather together and let us save our own lives. And when Samson arose at night and saw the city locked up, he said, Behold now those fleas have locked me up in their own city, and now the Lord will be PPhil 43:3with me, and I will bo out through their gates and attack them. And he came and put his left hand beneath the bar of the gate, and he took down the gate from the wall by shaking it, One part of it he kept in his right hand for a shield; the other he put on his shoulders. And he carried it because he had no sword, and he pursued the Philistines with it, and killed 25,000 men with it. And he took up PPhil 43:4everything that made up the gate and brought them up to the mountain. Now concerning the lion that he killed and concerning the jawbone of the ass by which he killed the Philistines and concerning the bonds that were broken off from his arms as it were spontaneously and the foxes that he caught, are not these written in the Book of Judges? PPhil 43:5Then Samson went down to Gerar, a city of the Philistines, and he saw there a harlot whose name was delilah, and he was led astray after her and took her to himself for a wife. And God said, behold now Samson has been led astray through his eyes, and he has not remembered the mighty works that i did with him; and he has mingled with the daughters of the Philistines and has not paid attention to Joseph my servant who was in a foreign land na became a crown for his brothers because he was not willing to afflict his own seed. And now Samson;s lust will be a stumbling block for him, and his mingling a ruin. And I will hand him ever to his enemies, and they will blind him. But in the hour of his death I will remember him, and I will avenge him upon the Philistines once PPhil 43:6more. And after this his wife was pressuring him and kept saying to him, Show me your power and in what your strength lies, and so I will know that you love me. And when Samson had tricked her three times and she still pressuring him daily, the fourth time he revealed to her his heart. And she got him drunk, and while he slept, she called in a barber and he cut the seven locks of his head, and his strength left him, because he had made such a revelation. And she called the Philistines, and they beat Samson and blinded him and put PPhil 43:7him in prison And on the day of their drinking bout they summoned Samson to make sport of him. And he, bound between two pillars, prayed saying, Lord God of my fathers, hear me once more and strengthen me in order that I may die with these Philistines, because the sight that they took from me was given freely to me by you. And Samson added, saying, Go forth, my souls, and do not be PPhil 43:8sad; die, my body, and do not weep about yourself. And he grasped the two columns of the house and shook them. And the house and all that was around it men and women. And Samson's brothers and all the house of his father went down and took him and buried him in the tomb of his father. Now he had judged israel twenty years. Chapter forty four PPhil 44:1And in those dyas there was no leader in Israel, but each one did what was PPhil 44:2pleasing in his own eyes. And in that time there arose Micah the son of Dedila the mother of Heliu, and he had one thousand pieces of gold and four wedges of melted gold and forty double pieces of silver. And dedila his mother said to him, My son, hear my voice, and you will make for yourself idols, and they will be as PPhil 44:3gods for you, and you will become a priest for them. And whoever wishes to ask anything through them will come to you, and you will respond to him. And there will be an altar in your house and a column made out of that gold you have; you will prepare frankincense for burning and sheep for sacrifice. And whoever wishes to offer a sacrifice will give seven double pieces for the sheep; and for the incense, if he wishes to burn it, he will gibe one double piece of silver of full weight. And your title will be priest, and you will be called worshiper of the PPhil 44:4gods. And Micah said to her, You have advised me well, Mother, on how to live. And now your name will be even greater than mine, and in the last days PPhil 44:5all kinds of things will be requested of you. And Micah set out and did everything that his mother had commanded him. And he shaped and made for himself three images of boys and calves, the lion, the eagle, and the dragon, and the dove. And all who were led astray would come to him. And if some wished to ask for a wife, they would ask him by means of the dove. But if anyone asked for sons, it was by the images of the boys. But whoever asked for riches did it through the image of the lion. If for servants and maids, he asked through the images of the calves. But if for length of days, he asked by the image of the dragon. And his wickedness took many forms, and his impiety was full of trickery. PPhil 44:6And then, when the sons of Israel were departing from the Lord, the Lord said, Behold I will root up the earth and destroy the whole human race, because, when I established laws on Mount Sinai, i showed myself to the sons of Israel in the strom. And i said that they should not make idols, and they agreed not to carve out the images of gods. And I ordered them not to take my name in vain, and they agreed that they themselves would not take my name in vain. And I commanded them to keep the sabbath, and they agreed to keep it holy. And I told them to honor father and mother, and they promised they would do it. And I ordered them not to stael, and they agreed. And I told them not to commit murder, and they held it as acceptable not to do this. And I commanded them not to commit adultery, and they did not oppose this. And I ordered them not to speak false testimony and not to covet each one his neighbor's wife or his house or all PPhil 44:7his possessions, and they agreed. And I told them not to make idols nor the works of those gods that have been born from corruption under the name of graven image and those things through which all these corruptions have been brought about. For mortal men have made them, and the fire has served to melt them down. The skill of a man has produced them, and hands have manufactured them, and imagination has invented them. By accepting these they took my name in vain, and they have given my name to graven images. And the day of the sabbath that they agreed to keep, they have done abominable things on it. Whereas I have told them to love father and mother, they have dishonored me, their Creator. And whereas I told them not to steal, they have dealt like thieves in their schemes with graven images. And whereas I told them not to kill, they kill those whom they seduce. And thou I commanded them not to commit adultery, they have committed adultery with their zeal. And whereas they chose not to speak false testimony, they accepted false testimony from those whom they destroyed. And they lusted for foreign women. PPhil 44:8Therefore, behold I abhor the race of men, and I will cut away the root of my creation; and those dying will outnumber those being born, because the house of Jacob has been infected in its wickedness and the impiety of Israel has been multiplied. And can I not totally destroy the tribe of Benjamin, because they first of all were led astray after Micah? And the people of Israel will not go unpunished. PPhil 44:9But this will be an everlasting scandal remembered for generations. Now I will deliver Micah to the fire, and his mother will be rotting away in his sight while she is alive upon the earth, and worms will come forth from her body. And then, while they are speaking to one another, she will say as a mother chastising her son, Behold what a sin you have committed! And he will answer as a son heeding his mother and acting cleverly, And you have done even greater wickedness. And the image of the dove that he made will be used for putting out his eyes, and the image of the eagle will be used for bringing fire upon them out of its wings, and the images of the boys that he made will be used for scraping his sides, and the image of the lion that he made will be like mighty ones PPhil 44:10tormenting him. And I will not do this to Micah alone, but to all who sin against me. And the race of men will know that they will not make me jealous by their inventions that they make, but to every man there will be such a punishment that in whatever sin he shall have sinned, in this he will be judged. And if they have lied before me, I will command the heaven and it will deny them rain. And if anyone wished to covet the wife of his neighbor, I will command death and it will deny them the fruit of their womb. And if they will make a false declaration in my name, I will not hear their prayers. And when the soul is separated from the body, then they will say, Let us not mourn over these things that we suffer; but because whatever we ourselves have devised, these will we receive. Chapter forty five PPhil 45:1And in that time a certain man from the tribe of Levi came to Gibeah, and he wanted to stay there when the sun set. And he wanted to enter there, but those who dwelt there did not let him. And he said to his servant, Walk on and lead the mule, and w will go to the city of Nob; perhaps they will let us enter it. And he came there and sat down in the open square of the city, and no one said to him, Enter my house. PPhil 45:2Now there was a certain Levite whose name was Bethac. When this man had seen him, he said to him, Are you Beel from my tribe? And he said, I am. And he said to him, You do not know the wickedness of those who dwell in this city. And who persuaded you to enter here? Get out of here in a hurry and enter my house where I dwell, and stay there today, and the Lord will shut up their heart before us as he shut up the Sodomites before Lot. And he entered PPhil 45:3the city and remained there that night. And all those inhabiting the city came together and said to Bethac, Bring out those who have come to you today. If not, we will burn in the fire both you and them. And he came out to them and said to them, Are not these our brothers> Let us not do evil with them lest our sins be multiplied against us. And they answered, It has never happened that the strangers gave orders to the natives. And they entered by force and dragged him and his concubine out, and they cast him off. And when the man had been let go, they abused his concubine until she died, because she had transgressed against her man once when she committed sin with the Amalekites, and on account PPhil 45:4of this the Lord God delivered her into the hands of sinners. And when it was morning, Beel went out and found his concubine dead and put her on the mule and hurried away and came into Cades. And he took her body and cut it up into parts and sent her around to the twelve tribes, saying. These things have been done to me in the city of Nob, and those dwelling there rose up against me to kill me, and they took my concubine while I was locked up and they killed her. And if being silent pleases you, nevertheless the Lord judges. But if you wish to PPhil 45:5take revenge, the Lord will help you. And all the men of the twelve tribes were disturbed, and they gathered together in Shiloh, and each one said to his neighbor, Ir such wickedness is done in Israel, Israel will cease to be. PPhil 45:6And the Lord said to the adversary, Did you see this foolish people disturbed in the hour in which they ought to have died, when Micah acted craftily so as to lead the people astray with the dove and the eagle and with the image of the men and the calves and the lion and the dragon? And so because they were not provoked to anger them, therefore let their plan be in vain, and their heart will be so disturbed that the sinners as well as those allowing the evil deeds will be destroyed. Chapter forty six PPhil 46:1And when it was morning, the people of Israel were disturbed and said, Let us go up and search out the sin that has been committed in order that wickedness be taken away from us. And then they said, Let us ask the Lord first and learn if he will deliver our brothers into our hands; if not, let us desist. And Phinehas said to them, Let us bring out the Urim and Thummim. And the Lord answered them, saying, Go up, because I will deliver them into your PPhil 46:2hands. But he led them astray so that he might fulfill his words. And they went up for battle and came into the city of Benjamin and sent messengers saying, Send us the men who have done this wicked deed, and we will spare you but return to each his own evil. And the people of Benjamin hardened their heart and they said to the people of Israel, Why should we deliver our brothers to you? And if you do spare them, will we not fight against you? And the people of Benjamin went out to meet the sons of Israel and pursued them. And the sons of Israel fell before them, and they struck down among them forty-five thousand PPhil 46:3men. And the heart of the people was very much disturbed, and they came mourning and weeping to Shiloh. And they said, Behold the Lord has delivered us before those dwelling in Nob, and now let us ask the Lord who among us has sinned. And they asked the Lord, and he said to them, If you wish, go up and fight, and they will be delivered into your hands, and then it will be told to you why you have fallen before them. And they went up the next day to attack them, and the sons of Benjamin went out and pursued Israel and killed among them PPhil 46:4forty-six thousand men. And the heart of the people grew very faint, and they said, Has God wished to lead his people astray Or has he so established it on account of the evil that was done, that the innocent as well as those who do wicked deeds should fall together? And on saying these words they fell before the ark of the covenant of the Lord and tore their garments and put ashes on their heads, they and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, who prayed and said, What is this deceit by which you have led us astray, Lord? If what the sons of Benjamin have done is right in your sight, why have you not told us so we might consider it? But if it did not please you, why have you allowed us to fall before them? Chapter forty seven PPhil 47:1And Phinehas added, saying, God of our fathers, hear my voice and tell your servant today whether this has been done correctly in your sight, or perhaps the people have sinned and you were not willing to root out their evil deeds so as to correct those among us who have sinned against you. For I remember in my youth when Jambres sinned in the days of Moses your servant, and I went and entered in and was possessed with jealousy in my soul, and I hoisted both of them up on my sword. And the rest wished to rise up against me and kill me, and you sent your angel and you killed from them twenty-four thousand men, and PPhil 47:2you freed me from their hands. And now you have sent the eleven tribes up, saying to them, Go and kill them; and they went and were delivered up. And now they say that your Urim and Thummim are telling lies in your sight. And now, Lord God of our fathers, do not hide from your servant but tell us why you have brought this wickedness against us. PPhil 47:3And the Lord saw that Phinehas had prayed earnestly before him, and he said to him, I myself have sworn, I would not have remembered you in what you have said, nor would I have answered you PPhil 47:4today. And now say to the people, Stand and hear the word of the Lord. These words the Lord says; There was a certain mighty lion in the midst of the forest to whose power all the beasts entrusted the forest that he might guard it lest perhaps other wild animals should come and destroy it. And while the lion was guarding these, some wild animals arrived from another forest and devoured all the young of the animals and destroyed the fruit of their wombs. And the lion looked on and was silent. And the animals were at peace, because they had entrusted the forest to the lion and did not realize that their own offspring had PPhil 47:5been destroyed. And after a time there arose from those who had entrusted the forest to the lion a very small animal, and he ate up the small cub of another wicked animal. And behold the lion roared and disturbed all the animals of the PPhil 47:6forest, and they fought among themselves, and each attacked his neighbor. And when many animals were destroyed, another cub from another great forest saw the lion and said, Have you destroyed so many animals? What is this wickedness that when so many animals and their offspring were unjustly destroyed previously by other wicked animals, and when all the animals should have been moved to avenge themselves when their fruit was being destroyed in vain, then you were silent and did not speak? But now one cub of a wicked animal has perished, and you have so aroused the whole forest that all the animals should eat on another up unjustly, so that the forest is depleted. And now you ought to be destroyed first, and so you will make the rest secure. And the cubs of the animals heard this and killed the lion first, and they appointed the cub in his place, and so all the other animals were subject to one authority. PPhil 47:7Micha arose and made you rich by these things that he and his mother made. And they were wicked and evil things that no one before them had discovered, but by his own craftiness he made them-graven images that had not been made until this day. And no one was provoked but all were led astray, and you saw the PPhil 47:8fruit of your womb destroyed and you were silent like that wicked lion. And now on seeing how this man's concubine, who had done wicked deeds, died, you were all disturbed and came to me, saying, Will you deliver the sons of Benjamin into our hands? Therefore I have deceived you and said, I will deliver them to you. And now I have destroyed you, who were silent then. And so I will take my revenge on all who have acted wickedly. PPhil 47:9And all the people rose up together and went away. And the sons of Benjamin came out to meet them, thinking that they would conquer them as before, and they did not know that evil had reached full measure against them. And when they had come out as at first and pursued them, the people fled from before them so as to give ground. And then they rose up from their hiding places, and the PPhil 47:10sons of Benjamin were in their midst. And when those who were fleeing turned back, eighty-five thousand people of the city of Nob, men and women, were killed. And the sons of Israel burned the city, and they destroyed all their spoils that had been snatched away by the edge of the sword. And none of the sons of Benjamin survived except six hundred men who fled and were not found in the battle. And all the people returned to Shiloh, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the PPhil 47:11priest was with them. These are they who were left from the race of Benjamin, the rulers of the tribe, of ten families, whose names are these. Of the first family: Ezbaile, Zieb, Balac, Rein, Debac, Bellocyh. And of the second family: Netach, Zenip, Fenoch, Demach, Geresaraz. And from the third family: Ierimuth, Veloth, Amibel, Genuth, Nefuth, Fienna. And from the fourth family: Gemuf and Eliel, Gemet, Soleph, Rafaf, and Doffo. And from the fifth family: Anuel, Code, Fretan, Remmon, Peccan, Nabath. From the sixth family: Refaz, Sefet, Arafaz, Metach, Adhoc, Balimoc. And from the seventh family: Benin, Mefiz, Araf, Ruimel, Belon, Iaal, Abac. From the tenth family: Enoflasa, Melec, Meturia, Meac. And PPhil 47:12the rest of the rulers of the tribe who survived were sixty in number. And in that time the Lord repaid to Micah and his mother all he had said. And Micah was destroyed in the fire and his mother was rotting away, just as the Lord had said concerning them. Chapter forty eight PPhil 48:1And in that time Phinehas laid himself down to die, and the Lord said to him, Behold you have passed the 120 years that have been established for every man. And now rise up and go from here and dwell in Danaben on the mountain and dwell there many years. And I will command my eagle, and he will nourish you there, and you will not come down to mankind until the time arrives and you be tested in that time; and you will shut up the heaven then, and by your mouth it will be opened up. And afterward you will be lifted up into the place where those who were before you were lifted up, and you will be there until I remember the world. Then I will make you all come, and you will taste what is death. PPhil 48:2And Phinehas went up and did all that the Lord commanded him. Now in those PPhil 48:3days when he appointed Eli as priest, he anointed him in Shiloh. Now in that time when he went up, then the sons of Israel were celebrating Passover, and they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go up and get wives for yourselves, because we cannot give you our daughters. For we made a vow in the time of our anger, but let it not happen that one tribe be blotted out from Israel. And the sons of Benjamin went up and seized for themselves wives and PPhil 48:4built for themselves Gabaon and began to dwell there. And while the sons of Israel were at rest in the meantime, they had no leader in those days, and each PPhil 48:5one did what was pleasing in his own eyes. These are the commandments and judgments and testimonies and manifestations that were in the days of the judges of Israel, before a king ruled over them. Chapter forty nine PPhil 49:1And in that time the sons of Israel began to make a request from the Lord, and they said, Let all of us cast lots to see who it is who can rule us as Kenaz did. For perhaps we will find a man who may free us from our distress, because PPhil 49:2it is not appropriate for the people to be without a ruler. And they cast the lot. And when no one was found, the people were very sad and said, The people were not worthy to be heard by the Lord. Therefore he did not answer us. And now let us cast lots by tribes, if God may be reconciled by a large group. For we know that God will be reconciled with those worthy of him. And they cast the lot by tribes, and upon no tribe did the lot come forth. And Israel said, Let us choose from among ourselves, for we are put in a position of need. For we know PPhil 49:3that God has hated his people and his souls has detested us. And a certain man by the name of Nethez answered and said to the people, He does not hate us, but we have made ourselves so hateful that God should abandon us. And so, even if we die, let us not abandon him, but let us flee to him. We who have walked in our evil ways have not known him who created us, and so our plan will be in vain. For I know that God will not reject us forever, nor will he hate his people for all generations. And so strengthen yourselves, and let us pray again, and let us cast lots by cities. For even if our sins are many, nevertheless his long-suffering PPhil 49:4will not fail. And they cast lots by cities, and Ramathaim came out in the lot. And the people said, So Ramathim is accounted more just than all the cities of Israel, because he has chosen it above all the cities. And each one said to his neighbor, In that city that came out in the lot let us cast the lot by men, and let PPhil 49:5us see whom the Lord has chosen from it. And they cast the lost by men, and it fell upon no one except Elkanah, Because the lot fell out upon him, the people took him and said, Come, and be a leader for us. And Elkanah said to the people, I cannot be a leader over this people, nor can I be considered one who could be a leader for you. But if my sins have caught up with me, I will kill myself so that you may not defile me. For it is just that I should die only for my own sins rather than to bear the burden of this people. PPhil 49:6And the people saw that Elkanah was not willing to exercise leadership over them, and they prayed again to the Lord, saying, Lord God of Israel, why have you abandoned your people in the victory of their enemies, and in the time of distress why have you neglected your inheritance? Behold even he who has been chosen in the lot has not fulfilled your commandments. But this happened only because the lot fell out on him and we thought we had a leader. And behold it has happened that even he is contending against the lot. Whom will we ask for once more, or to whom will we flee, or where is the place of our relaxation and rest? For if the ordinances that you have established with our fathers are true, saying, I will multiply your seed, and they will experience this, then it would have been better to say to us, I am cutting off your seed, than to neglect our PPhil 49:7root. And God said to them, If I were to pay you back according to your evil deeds, it would be necessary to pay no attention at all to your race. And what will I do that my name will come to be invoked upon you? And now know that Elkanah, upon whom the lot has fallen, cannot rule among you; but rather his son who will be born from him, he will rule among you and prophesy. And from this PPhil 49:8time on, a ruler will not be lacking from you for many years. And the people said, Behold, Lord, Elkanah has ten sons, and who of them will rule or prophesy? And God said, None of the sons of Peninnah can rule the people, but the one who is born from the sterile woman whom I have given to him as a wife will be a prophet before me. And I will love him as I have loved isaac, and his name will be before me always. And the people said, Behold perhaps now God has remembered us so as to free us from the hand of those who hate us. And on that day they made peace offerings and feasted according to their customs. Chapter fifty PPhil 50:1And Elkanah had two wives The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other was Peninnah. And because Peninnah had sons and Hannah did not, Peninnah taunted her, saying, What does it profit you that Elkanah your husband loves you, for you are a dry tree? And I know that my husband will love me, because he delights in the sight of my sons standing around him like a plantation PPhil 50:2of olive trees. And so it was when she was taunting her daily, and Hannah was saddened very much. And hse had been fearing God from her youth. It happened that on the holy day of Passover, when her husband went up to sacrifice, Peninnah was insulting Hannah, saying, A wife is not really loved even if her husband loves her or her beauty. Let Hannah not boast in her appearance; but she who boasts, let her boast when she sees her offspring before her. And when among women the fruit of her womb is not so, love will be in vain. For what did it profit Rachel that jacob loved her? And unless the fruit of her womb had been given to him, his love would have been in vain. And when Hannah heard these words, PPhil 50:3her soul grew faint and poured out tears, And her husband saw her and said, Why are you sad? And why do you not eat? And why does your heart fall within you? Are not your ways of behaving better than the ten sons of Peninnah? And Hannah listened to him, and she rose up after she ate and came to Shiloh to the house of the Lord, where Eli the priest dwelt, whom Phinehas the son of Eleazar PPhil 50:4the priest had appointed, as had been commanded him. And Hannah prayed and said, Did you not, Lord, search out the heart of all generations before you formed the world? Now what womb is born opened or dies closed unless you wish it? And now let my prayer ascend before you today lest I go down from here empty, because you know my heart, how I have walked before you from the day PPhil 50:5of my youth. And Hannah did not want to pray out loud as all people do. For then she thought, saying, Perhaps I am not worthy to be heard, and Peninnah will then be even more eager to taunt me as she does daily when she says, Where is your God in whom you trust? And I know that neither she who has many sons is rich nor she who has few is poor, but whoever abounds in the will of God is rich. For who may know what I have prayed for? If they know that I am not heard in my prayer, they will blaspheme. And I will not have any witness except in my own soul, because my tears are the servant of my prayers. PPhil 50:6And while she was praying, Eli the priest saw that she was disturbed and acted like a drunken woman, and he said to her, Go and put your wine away from you. And she said, Is my prayer so heard that I am called a drunken woman? Now I am drunk with sorrow, and I have drunk the cup of my weeping. PPhil 50:7And Eli the priest said to her, Tell me why you are being taunted. And she said to him, I am the wife of Elkanah; and because God has shut up my womb, I have prayed before him that I do not go forth from this world without fruit and that I do not die without having my own image. And Eli the priest said to her, Go, because I know for what you have prayed; your prayer has been heard. PPhil 50:8But Eli the priest did not want to tell her that a prophet had been foreordained to be born from her. For he had heard that when the Lord spoke concerning him. And Hannah came into her house, and she was consoled of her sorrow, but she told no one what she had prayed. Chapter fifty one PPhil 51:1In those days she conceived and bore a son and called his name Samuel, which is interpreted mighty one, as God had named him when he prophesied about him, And Hannah remained there and nursed the infant until he was two years old. And when she had weaned him, she went up with him and brought gifts in her hands. And the child was very handsome, and the Lord was with him. PPhil 51:2And Hannah placed the boy before Eli and said to him, This is the desire I desired, and this is the request I have asked. And Eli said to her, You have not asked alone, but the people have prayed for this. This is not your request alone, but it was promised previously to the tribes. And through this boy your womb has been justified so that you might provide advantage for the peoples and PPhil 51:3set up the milk of your breasts as a fountain for the twelve tribes. And on hearing this Hannah prayed and said, Come to my voice, all you nations, and pay attention to my speech, all you kingdoms, because my mouth has been opened that I should speak and my lips have been commanded to sing a hymn to the Lord. Drip, my breasts, and tell your testimonies, because you have been commanded to give milk. For he who is milked from you will be raised up, and the people will be enlightened by his words, and he will show to the nations the statutes, and his horn will be exalted very high. PPhil 51:4And so I will speak my words openly, because from me will arise the ordinance of the Lord, and all men will find the truth. Do not hurry to say great things or to bring forth from your mouth lofty words, but delight in glorifying (God). For when the light from which wisdom is to be born will go forth, nor those who have borne in abundance will be called mothers. For the sterile one has been satisfied in childbearing, but she who had many children has been emptied. PPhil 51:5Because the Lord kills in judgment, and brings to life in mercy. For them who are wicked in this world he kills, and he brings the just to life when he wishes. Now the wicked he will shut up in darkness, but he will save his light for the just. And when the wicked have died, then they will perish. And when the just go to sleep, then they will be freed. Now so will every judgment endure, until he who restrains will be revealed. PPhil 51:6Speak, speak, Hannah, and do not be silent. Sing a hymn, daughter of Batuel, about the miracles that God has performed with you. Who is Hannah that a prophet is born from her? Or who is the daughter of Batuel that she should bear the light to the peoples? Rise up, you also, Elkanah, and gird your loins, Sing a hymn about the wonders of the Lord. Because Asaph prophesied in the wilderness about your son, saying, Moses and Aaron were among his priests, and Samuel was there among them. Behold the word has been fulfilled and the prophecy has come to pass. And these words will endure until they give the horn to his anointed one and power be present at the throne of his king. And let my son stay here and serve until he be made a light for this nation. PPhil 51:7And they departed and set out with gladness, rejoicing and exalting in heart over all the glory that God had worked with them. But the people came down to Shiloh together with timbrels and dances, lutes and harps, and they came to Eli the priest and brought to him Samuel. And they stood Samuel before the Lord, anointed him, and said, Let the prophet live among the people, and may he be a light to this nation for a long time! Chapter fifty two PPhil 52:1Now Samuel was very young and knew nothing of these things. And while he was serving before the Lord, the two sons of Eli were not walking in the ways of their fathers and began to do wicked things to the people and multiplied their own wickedness. And they were lingering near the house of Bethac, and when the people came together to sacrifice, Hophni and Phinehas came and provoked the people to anger by taking their sacrificial offerings before they were offered PPhil 52:2as holy to the Lord. And this was pleasing neither to the Lord nor to the people nor to their father. And so their father said to them, What is this report that I hear about you? Or do you not know that I have received this place that Phinehas committed to me? And if we destroy what we have received, what will we say if he who committed it asks for it again and he for whom he committed it should harm us? And now straighten out your ways and walk in good ways, and your positions will remain the same. But if you refuse and do not restrain your wicked schemes, you will destroy yourselves, and the priesthood will be in vain and what has been sanctified will be considered as nothing. And then they will say, Did the staff of Aaron spring up in vain or has the flower born of it come down to PPhil 52:3nothing? And so while you still can, my sons, correct what you have done sinfully, and the men against whom you have sinned will pray for you. But if you are not willing and you remain in your wickedness, I will be guiltless and will only be sorry if perhaps I will hear of the day of your death before I die. But even if this should happen, I will be free of guilt; and though I will be saddened, PPhil 52:4nevertheless you will perish. And his sons did not listen, because the Lord had made a decision about them that they should die, for they had sinned. For when he said to them, Repent of your wicked way, they were saying, When we grow old, then we will repent, because they were always rebelling and acting very unjustly in despoiling Israel. The Lord was angry at Eli. Chapter fifty three PPhil 53:1And Samuel was serving before the Lors, still not knowing what the oracles of the Lord were.He had not yet heard the oracles of the Lord. He was eight PPhil 53:2years old. And when God remembered Israel, he wished to reveal to Samuel his words. And Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord. And when God called to him, he gave it consideration first, saying, Behold now Samuel is young so as to be beloved before me. In spite of the fact that he has not heard the voice of the Lord or has been confirmed with the word of the Most High, nevertheless he is like my servant Moses. To an eighty-year-old I spoke, but Samuel is eight years old. And Moses saw the fire first, and his heart was very much afraid. And if Samuel should see fire now, how will he survive? And so now my voice to him will be like that of a man, and not like that of God. And PPhil 53:3when he has understood, then I will speak to him like God. And in the middle of the night a voice from heaven called him. And Samuel was awakened, and he recognized it as the voice of Eli the priest, and he ran to him and said, Why have you awakened me, Father? For I was frightened, because you never called me at night. And Eli said, Woe is me! Has an unclean spirit led my son Samuel astray? And he said to him, Go, sleep. For I have not called you. Nevertheless tell me this, if you remember; How often did he who summoned you call? And he said, Twice. And Eli said to him, Tell me, whose voice did you recognize PPhil 53:4my son? He said, Yours. Therefore I ran to you. And Eli said, In you I see this sign that men will have from today unto eternity, that if one should call to another twice by night or in midday, they will know that it is an evil spirit. PPhil 53:5Samuel went away and slept. And a second time he heard a voice from heaven, and he rose up and ran to Eli and said to him, Why has he called me? For I have heard the voice of my father Elkanah. And then Eli understood that God had begun to summon him. For Eli said, With the two voices by which God has already called to you, he has become like a father and a master; now with the PPhil 53:6third he will be like God. And he said to him. With your right ear pay attention, with you left be deaf. For Phinehas the priest has commanded us, saying, The right ear hears the Lord by night, but the left and angel. And so if you hear in your right ear, say Say whatever you wish, because I am listening, for you have created me. But if you hear with your left ear, come and tell me. PPhil 53:7And Samuel went away and slept as Eli had commanded him. And the Lord spoke again a third time, and the right ear of Samuel was filled. And when he knew that the word of his father had come down, Samuel turned on his other side and said, If I am capable, speak; for you know more about me (than i do). PPhil 53:8And God said to him, I have indeed enlightened the house of Israel in Egypt and have chosen for myself then as a prophet Moses my servant and have done wonders through him for my people and have taken revenge on my enemies as I wished, And i brought my people into the wilderness and enlightened them as PPhil 53:9they looked on. And when one tribe rose up against another, saying, Why are the priests alone holy? I did not wish to destroy them and I said to them, Have each one present his staff, and he whose staff will flower-him I have chosen for the priesthood. And when all had handed in the staffs as I had commanded, then I commanded the ground where the tent of meeting was that the staff of Aaron should flower in order that his family be made manifest all the days. And now PPhil 53:10those who have flowered have defiled my holy things. Therefore behold the days will come, and I will trample on the flower that was born then and will stop them who transgress the word that I have commanded Moses my servant, saying, If you come upon a bird's nest, you shall not take the mother with young. So it will happen to them that mothers will die with daughters and fathers will perish PPhil 53:11with sons. And when Samuel heard these words, his heart grew faint, and he said, Has if thus fallen to my youth that I should prophesy the destruction of him who nourished me? And now how is it that I have been given according to my mother's prayer? And who has brought me up? How has he commanded me PPhil 53:12to announce evil as if it were good? And Samuel arose in the morning, and he did not wish to tell Eli. And Eli said to him, Listen now, my son. Behold before you were born, God promised Israel that he would send you to them and that you would prophesy. And then when your mother came here and prayed, because she did not know what had happened, I said to her, Go forth, for what will be born from you will be a son for me. And so I spoke to your mother and so has the Lord guided your life. Even if you should chastise the one who has brought you up, as the Lord lives, do not hide from me whatever you have heard. PPhil 53:13Then Samuel was afraid and told him all the words that he had heard. And he said, Will the object formed answer back him who formed it? So I cannot answer back when he wishes to take away what he has delivered as a faithful giver. Holy is he who has prophesied, for I am under his power. Chapter fifty four PPhil 54:1And in those days the Philistines assembled their camp to attack Israel. And the sons of Israel went out to fight them. And when the people of Israel were put to flight in the first encounter, they said, Let us bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord,and perhaps he may fight along with us, because in it are PPhil 54:2the tablets of the Lord that he established with our fathers on Horeb. And when the ark went up with them and arrived at the camp, the Lord thundered and said, This hour will be like that which occurred in the wilderness when they took the ark without my command, and destruction befell them. So also in this hour the people will fall and the ark will be captured in order that i may destroy the enemies of my people on account of the ark and correct my people because PPhil 54:3they have sinned. And when the ark had come into the battle, the Philistines went out to meet the sons of Israel and killed them. And Goliath the Philistine was there, and he came up to the ark. And Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli and Saul the son of Kish were holding onto the ark. And Goliath took hold of it PPhil 54:4with his left hand and killed Hophni and Phinehas. But Saul, because he was swift on his feet, fled from him. And he tore his garments and put ashes on his head. And he came to Eli the priest, and Eli said to him, Tell me what happened in the camp. And Saul said to him, Why do you ask me these things? For the people are defeated, and God has rejected Israel, and even the priests have been PPhil 54:5killed by the sword, and the ark has been delivered to the Philistines. But when Eli had heard of the capture of the ark, he said, Behold Samuel prophesied about my sons and about me that we should die together, but he did not mention the ark to me then. And now the tablets of the Law have been delivered to enemies. What more can i say? Behold Israel departs from the truth, because the statutes have been taken away from it. And while Eli was in deep despair, he fell down from his seat. And there died on one day Eli and Hophni and Phinehas his sons. PPhil 54:6And the wife of Phinehas sat down to give birth. When she heard these things, all her insides were loosened. And the midwife said to her, Regain your strength, and let not your souls grow faint, because a son is born to you. And the woman said to her, Behold now this one person is born and four of us die, that is, the father and the two sons and his daughter-in-law. And she called his name where is glory, saying, Glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of the Lord has been captured. And when she had said these words, she gave up her spirit. Chapter fifty five PPhil 55:1Now Samuel knew nothing of all these matters, because three days before the battle God has sent him forth, saying to him, Go and look around Ramathaim where your dwelling will be. And when Samuel had heard what had happened to israel, he came and prayed to the Lord, saying, behold now in vain has understanding been denied me, that i should see the destruction of my people. And now I fear lest perhaps my days grow old in evil and my years reach an end in sorrow. Since the ark of the Lord is not with me, why should I go on living? PPhil 55:2And the Lord said to him, Do not be sad, Samuel, because the ark has been taken away. I will bring it back, and I will overturn those who have taken it away, and I will avenge my people from my enemies. And Samuel said, Behold even if you do take vengeance according to your long-suffering, nevertheless what will we who die now do? And God said to him, Before you die, you will see the end that I am bringing upon my enemies, in which the Philistines will be destroyed by scorpions and all evil creeping things and will perish. PPhil 55:3And when the Philistines had set up the captured ark of the Lord in the temple of Dagon, their god, and when they had come to inquire of Dagon concerning the outcome, they found that he had fallen on his face and his hands and feet were lying before the ark. And on the first morning they went out and crucified his priests. And the next day they came and found it as the day before, and there PPhil 55:4was a great massacre among them. And the Philistines gathered in Ekron and said, each to his neighbor, Behold now we see that destruction is great among us, and the fruit of our womb will perish because the creeping things that have been sent upon us will destroy those who are with child or sucklings and those who are nursing. And they said, Let us see why the hand of the Lord has been heavy upon us. Is it not because of the ark, for our god is found daily falling on his face before the ark? And we have destroyed the priests more than once in PPhil 55:5vain. And the wise men of the Philistines said, Behold now we can learn about this, if the Lord has sent destruction upon us on account of the ark or an PPhil 55:6evil power has come upon us by chance. And now because all who are pregnant and who are nursing are dead, and those who nurse are made childless and those who are nursed perish, let us take cows that give milk and yoke them to a new cart and put the ark on it and shut up their calves. And if the cows in going forth should go forth so as not to turn back to their calves, we will know that we have suffered these things on account of the ark. But if they do not want to go forth out of longing for their calves, we will know that the time of destruction has come PPhil 55:7upon us. And some of the wise men and diviners answered, Not only will we try this, but also we will set the cows at the juncture of the three roads that are around Ekron. For the middle road goes straight to Ekron and the right-hand one to Judah and the left-hand one to Samaria. And if they set out on the right-hand road and go straight to Judah, we will know indeed that the God of the Jews has destroyed us. But if they go forth by the other roads, we will know that this very violent time has come upon us because now we have denied our own gods. PPhil 55:8And the Philistines took the cows that gave milk and yoked them to the new cart and put the ark on it and set them at the juncture of the roads and shut up their calves at home. Now the cows, even though they lowed and yearned for their calves, nevertheless were going forth on the right-hand road, which leads to Judah. PPhil 55:9And then they knew they were being destroyed because of the ark. And all the Philistines gathered together and returned the ark to Shiloh with timbrels and pipes and dances. And in place of the evil creeping things that destroyed them PPhil 55:10they made golden tumors, and they consecrated the ark. And on that day the destruction of the Philistines took place. The number of those who were with child and died was seventy-five thousand, and the sucklings sixty-five thousand and those who were giving suck fifty-five thousand, and the men twenty-five thousand. And the land was at peace for seven years. Chapter fifty six PPhil 56:1And in that time the sons of Israel desired and sought for a king, and they gathered to Samuel and said, Behold now you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. And now appoint over us a king to govern us, because the word has been fulfilled that Moses said to our fathers in the wilderness, saying, PPhil 56:2Appoint from your brothers a ruler over you. And when Samuel heard talk of a kingdom, he was very sad in his heart and said, Behold now I see that it is the not yet the time for us to have an everlasting kingdom and to build the house of the Lord our God, for these people are seeking a king before the proper time. But even if the Lord so wished it, it seems to me that a king could not be PPhil 56:3appointed. And the Lord said to him by night, Do not be sad. For I will send them a king who will destroy them, and he himself will be destroyed afterward. Now he who will come to you tomorrow at the sixth hour; he is the one who will rule over them. PPhil 56:4And on the next day Saul the son of Kish came from the hill country of Ephraim in search of his father's asses. And when he came to Ramathaim, he went in to inquire from Samuel about the asses. Now he was walking around Bama. And Saul said to him, Where is he who sees? Now in that time a prophet was called one who sees. And Samuel said to him, I am the one who sees. And he said, van you tell me about my father's asses, because they are lost? And Samuel said to him, Rest yourself with me today, and I will tell you tomorrow PPhil 56:5that for which you have come to inquire. And Samuel said to the Lord, Direct your people, Lord, and tell me what you have planned for them. And Saul rested himself with Samuel on that day. And he rose up in the morning, and Samuel said to him, Behold may you know that the Lord has chosen you as ruler for his people in this time and has directed your ways, and your future will PPhil 56:6also be directed. And Saul said to Samuel, Who am I and what is the house of my father that my lord should say to me this word? For I do not understand what you are saying, because I am young. And Samuel said to Saul, Who will grant that your word be accomplished of itself to the end that you should have a long life? Nevertheless, consider this, that your words will be compared to the PPhil 56:7words of the prophet whose name will be Jeremiah. And Saul went away, and on that day the people came to Samuel, saying, Give us a king as you have promised us. And he said to them, Behold your king will come to you after three days. And behold Saul came, and all the signs that Samuel had told him happened to him. Are these not written in the Book of King? Chapter fifty seven PPhil 57:1 And Samuel sent and gathered all the people and said to them, Behold you PPhil 57:2and your king. But I am in your midst as God has commanded me. And so before your king I say to you as my lord Moses the servant of God said to your fathers in the wilderness when the company of Korah rose up against him. You know that I have not taken anything from you, nor have I harmed anyone of you. And because they lied then and said, You have taken, the earth swallowed them PPhil 57:3up. And now you, who have not been punished by the Lord, answer before the Lord and before his anointed, if you have sought a king because I have treated you badly; and the Lord will be the witness for you. But if now the word of the Lord has been fulfilled, I and the house of my father are free from blame. PPhil 57:4And the people answered, We are your servants; but we have a king, because we are not worthy to be governed by a prophet. Now appoint over us a king who will govern us. And all the people and the king wept with a great lamentation and said, Long live Samuel the prophet! And when the king was being PPhil 57:5appointed, they brought sacrifices to the Lord. And afterward Saul fought with the :philistines in a year of very successful combat. Chapter fifty eight PPhil 58:1And in that time the Lord said to Samuel, Go and say to Saul, You have been sent to destroy Amalek in order that the words that Moses my servant spoke may be fulfilled; I will destroy the name of Amalek from the earth. I have spoken in my anger. And do not forget to destroy everyone of them as has been PPhil 58:2commanded to you. And Saul went off and attacked Amalek. And he let Agag, the king of Amalek, live, because he said to him, I will show you hidden treasures. And on account of this he spared him and let him live and brought PPhil 58:3him to Ramathaim. And God said to Samuel, You have seen how in a short time the king has been corrupted with silver, and he has let the king of Amalek and his wife live. And now let them be, so that Agag may come together with his wife tonight; and you will kill him tomorrow. But his wife will keep safe until she bears a male child, and then she also will die. And he who will be born from her will become a stumbling block for Saul. Now may you rise up tomorrow PPhil 58:4and kill Agag, because Saul's sin is written before me all the days. And when Samuel rose up early in the morning, Saul went out to meet him and said to him, The Lord has delivered our enemies into our hands just as you have said. And Samuel said to Saul, How much harm Israel has done because they demanded you for themselves as a king before the time come that a king should rule over them! And you, who were sent to do the will of the Lord, have transgressed it. And so he who was let live by you will die now, and those hidden treasures that he talked about he will not show you, and one who will be born from him will be for you a stumbling block. And Samuel came to Agag, and he had a sword, and Samuel killed Agag and returned to his house. Chapter fifty nine PPhil 59:1And the Lord said to him, Go, anoint him whom I will tell you, because the time in which his kingdom will come to pass has been fulfilled. And Samuel said, Behold are you blotting out the kingdom of Saul? And he said, I am PPhil 59:2blotting it out. And Samuel went forth to Bethel and consecrated elders and Jesse and his sons. And Eliab, the firstborn son of Jesse, came. And Samuel said, Behold now is this the holy one, the anointed of the Lord? And the Lord said to him, Where is your vision that your heart sees? Are you not the one who said to Saul, I am the one who sees? And why do you not know whom you should anoint? And now this reproach is sufficient for you; seek out the least shepherd PPhil 59:3of all and anoint this one. And Samuel said to jesse, Send and bring your son from the flock, because God has chosen him. And Jesse sent and brought David, and Samuel anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Lord was PPhil 59:4with him from that day. Then David began to sing this song, and he said, From the ends of the earth I will begin my song of glory, and from the days long ago I will take up a hymn. When Abel first shepherded flocks, his sacrifice was more acceptable than that of his brother, and his brother was jealous of him and killed him. But for me it is not the same, because God has protected me and because he has delivered me to his angels and to his guardians that they should guard me. For my brothers were jealous of me, and my father and my mother neglected me. And when the prophet came, they did not call to me. And when the anointed of the Lord was to be designated, they forgot me. But God with his right hand and his mercy drew near to me. Therefore I will not cease singing praises all the days of my life. PPhil 59:5And while david was still speaking, behold a fierce lion from the forest and a bear from the mountain seized the sheep of David. And David said, Behold this will be a sign for me as a most striking beginning of my victory in battle. And I am going out after them and will rescue what has been snatched away and kill them. And David went out after them and took stones from the forest and killed them. And God said to him, Behold with stones I have delivered up these beasts for you. Now this will be a sign for you, because with stones you will kill the enemy of my people later on.
Chapter sixty
Chapter sixty five
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