Elkanah and His Wives
Now there was a certain man from aRamathaim-zophim from the bhill country of Ephraim, and his name was cElkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 Now he had atwo wives: the name of one was bHannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now that man would go up from his city ayearly bto worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in cShiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Yahweh there. 4 And the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, and he awould give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, abut Yahweh had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, however, awould provoke her bitterly to irritate her because Yahweh had closed her womb. 7 And so it would happen year after year, as often as she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? aAm I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of athe temple of Yahweh. 10 And she, bitter of soul, prayed to Yahweh and wept despondently. 11 And she amade a vow and said, “O Yahweh of hosts, if You will indeed blook on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a seed amongst men, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and ca razor shall never come on his head.”
12 Now it happened, as she multiplied her praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, ashe was speaking in her heart; only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “aHow long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I ahave poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16 Do not consider your maidservant as a vile woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great complaint and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “aGo in peace; and may the God of Israel bgrant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 18 And she said, “aLet your servant-woman find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and bher face was no longer sad.
The Birth of Samuel
19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh and turned back and came to their house in aRamah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and bYahweh remembered her. 20 Now it happened in due time that Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “aBecause I have asked him of Yahweh.”
21 Then the man Elkanah awent up with all his household to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go up until the young boy is weaned; then I will abring him, that he may appear before Yahweh and bstay there forever.” 23 aAnd Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Remain until you have weaned him; only bmay Yahweh establish His word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, ashe took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine and brought him to bthe house of Yahweh in Shiloh, although the boy was young. 25 Then athey slaughtered the bull and bbrought the young boy to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! aAs your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to Yahweh. 27 aFor this young boy I prayed, and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 aSo I have also dedicated him to Yahweh; as long as he lives, he is dedicated to Yahweh.” So bhe worshiped Yahweh there.
Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving
Then Hannah aprayed and said,
“My heart exults in Yahweh;
bMy horn is exalted in Yahweh;
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because cI am glad in Your salvation.
2 aThere is no one holy like Yahweh;
Indeed, bthere is no one besides You,
cNor is there any rock like our God.
3 Do not multiply speaking so very proudly;
aLet arrogance not come out of your mouth;
bFor Yahweh is a God of knowledge,
cAnd with Him actions are weighed.
4 aThe bows of the mighty are shattered,
bBut those who stumble gird on strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
aEven the barren gives birth to seven,
But bshe who has many children languishes.
6 aYahweh puts to death and makes alive;
bHe brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 aYahweh makes poor and rich;
bHe brings low; He also exalts.
8 aHe raises the poor from the dust;
bHe exalts the needy from the ash heap
cTo make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of glory;
dFor the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s,
And He set the world on them.
9 aHe keeps the feet of His holy ones,
bBut the wicked ones are silenced in darkness,
cFor not by power shall a man prevail.
10 aThose who contend with Yahweh will be dismayed;
bAgainst them He will thunder in the heavens;
cYahweh will render justice to the ends of the earth,
dAnd He will give strength to His king,
eAnd He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
11 Then Elkanah went to his home at aRamah. bBut the young boy ministered to Yahweh before Eli the priest.
The Sin of Eli’s Sons
12 Now the sons of Eli were avile men; they did not know Yahweh. 13 aAnd this was the legal judgment for the priests with the people: when any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s young man would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 Then he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot; all that the fork would bring up the priest would take for himself. Thus they would do in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before athey offered up the fat in smoke, the priest’s young man would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting; he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw.” 16 Then the man would say to him, “They must surely offer up the fat in smoke first, and then take as much as your soul desires,” then he would say, “No, you shall give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh, for the men aspurned the offering of Yahweh.
Samuel Before Yahweh as a Boy
18 Now aSamuel was ministering before Yahweh, as a young boy bgirded with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother would make him a little arobe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come up with her husband to offer bthe yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would abless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Yahweh establish for you a seed from this woman in place of the one she bdedicated to Yahweh.” And they went to their own home.
21 aYahweh indeed visited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And bthe young boy Samuel grew before Yahweh.
Eli Hears About His Sons’ Evils
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard aall that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with bthe women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 No, my sons; for the report is not good awhich I hear the people of Yahweh passing about. 25 If one man sins against another, aGod will mediate for him; but bif a man sins against Yahweh, who can pray for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for cYahweh desired to put them to death.
26 Now the young boy aSamuel was growing in stature and in favor both with Yahweh and with men.
Eli Honors His Sons Above Yahweh
27 Then aa man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘bDid I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, enslaved to Pharaoh’s house? 28 aAnd did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not bgive to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 Why do you akick at My sacrifice and at My offering bwhich I have commanded in My chabitation, and dhonor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, declares, ‘aI did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now Yahweh declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for bthose who honor Me I will honor, and those cwho despise Me will be cursed. 31 Behold, athe days are coming, and I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 And you will look upon athe distress of My habitation, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an bold man will not be in your house all the days. 33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will be put to death in the prime of life. 34 Now this will be athe sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: bon the same day both of them will be put to death. 35 But aI will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and bI will build him a faithful house, and he will walk before cMy anointed always. 36 And it will be that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”
Yahweh Calls Samuel
Now athe young boy Samuel was ministering to Yahweh before Eli. And bword from Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were infrequent.
2 And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now ahis eyesight had begun to fade, and he could not see well), 3 and athe lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of Yahweh where the ark of God was, 4 that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “aHere I am.” 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; go back, lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Then Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son; go back, lie down.” 7 aNow Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, nor had the word of Yahweh yet been revealed to him. 8 So Yahweh called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that Yahweh was calling the young boy. 9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh, for Your slave is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Then Yahweh came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your slave is listening.” 11 And Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, aI am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day aI will establish against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And aI have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for bthe iniquity which he knew because chis sons have been bringing a curse on themselves, but dhe did not rebuke them. 14 Now therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that athe iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he aopened the doors of the house of Yahweh. But Samuel was afraid to tell bthe vision to Eli. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. aMay God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “aIt is Yahweh; let Him do what seems good in His eyes.”
19 Thus aSamuel grew, and bYahweh was with him and clet none of his words fall to the ground. 20 So all Israel afrom Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of Yahweh. 21 And aYahweh appeared again at Shiloh, bbecause Yahweh revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.
The Philistines Take the Ark
Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside aEbenezer, and the Philistines camped in bAphek. 2 And the Philistines arranged themselves to meet Israel. Then the battle spread, and Israel was defeated before the Philistines who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield. 3 Then the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “aWhy has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? bLet us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts awho sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And it happened that as the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, aall Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth was thrown into confusion. 6 Then the Philistines heard the noise of the shout and said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they knew that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “aWoe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 aBe strong and become men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews, bas they have been slaves to you; therefore, become men and fight.”
10 So the Philistines fought, and aIsrael was defeated, and bevery man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel 30,000 foot soldiers. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and athe two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
The Death of Eli
12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with ahis robes torn and dust on his head. 13 And he came, and behold, aEli was sitting on his seat by the road eagerly watching because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. Now the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out. 14 Then Eli heard the noise of the outcry, and he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” So the man came hurriedly and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and ahis eyes had set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I fled from the battle line today.” And he said, “aHow did things go, my son?” 17 Then the one who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.” 18 And it happened that when he mentioned the ark of God, aEli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died, for the man was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was with child and about to give birth. And she heard the report that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, so she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “aDo not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “aThe glory has departed from Israel,” because bthe ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.”
Yahweh’s Hand Against the Philistines
Now the Philistines took the ark of God and abrought it from Ebenezer to bAshdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to athe house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 Then the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, and behold, aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they took Dagon and bset him in his place again. 4 But they arose early the next morning, and behold, aDagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house atread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 Now athe hand of Yahweh was glorious against the Ashdodites, and bHe made them desolate and struck them with ctumors, both Ashdod and its territories. 7 Thus the men of Ashdod saw that it was so and said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they sent and agathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the ark of the God of Israel around. 9 Now it happened after they had brought it around, that athe hand of Yahweh was against the city with very great confusion; and He struck the men of the city, both young and old, so that btumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us, to put us and our people to death.” 11 They asent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it will not put us and our people to death.” For there was a deadly confusion throughout the city; bthe hand of God was very glorious there. 12 Now the men who did not die were struck with tumors and athe cry of the city went up to heaven.
The Ark Returned to Israel
Now the ark of Yahweh had been in the fields of the Philistines seven months. 2 And athe Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Make us know how we shall send it to its place.” 3 So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, ado not send it empty; but you shall surely breturn to Him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not turned away from you.” 4 Then they said, “What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?” And they said, “Five golden atumors and five golden mice baccording to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5 So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that bring the land to ruin, and ayou shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps bHe will ease His hand from you, cyour gods, and your land. 6 Why then do you harden your hearts aas the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had abused them, bdid they not allow the people to go, and they went? 7 So now, take and amake a new cart and two milch cows on which there bhas never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them. 8 And take the ark of Yahweh and place it on the cart; and put athe articles of gold which you return to Him as ba guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away that it may go. 9 See, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to aBeth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then bwe will know that it was not His hand that smote us; it happened to us by chance.”
10 Then the men did so and took two milch cows and hitched them to the cart and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, as well as the box with the golden mice and the likenesses of their tumors. 12 And the cows took the straight way in the direction of aBeth-shemesh; they went along bthe highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
13 Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark and were glad to see it. 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there, and a large stone was there; and they split the wood of the cart and aoffered the cows as a burnt offering to Yahweh. 15 aAnd the Levites took down the ark of Yahweh and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to Yahweh. 16 So the afive lords of the Philistines saw it and returned to Ekron that day.
17 aNow these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to Yahweh: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; 18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, aboth of fortified cities and of country villages. bThe large stone on which they set the ark of Yahweh is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
19 aThen He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, “aWho is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of aKiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down and take it up to you.” And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought the ark of Yahweh up and abrought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill and set apart Eleazar his son as holy in order to keep the ark of Yahweh. 2 Now it happened from the day when the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
Samuel Judges Israel
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “aIf you are to return to Yahweh with all your heart, then bremove the foreign gods and the cAshtaroth from among you and dset your hearts toward Yahweh and eserve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served Yahweh alone.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to aMizpah, and bI will pray to Yahweh for you.” 6 And they gathered to Mizpah and drew water and apoured it out before Yahweh and bfasted on that day and said there, “cWe have sinned against Yahweh.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
7 Then the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah. And the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. Then the sons of Israel heard it and awere afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “aDo not cease to cry out to Yahweh our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 And Samuel took aa suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh; and Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and bYahweh answered him. 10 Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But aYahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and bconfused them, so that they were defeated before Israel. 11 So the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.
12 Then Samuel atook a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it Ebenezer. And he said, “Thus far Yahweh has helped us.” 13 aSo the Philistines were subdued, and bthey did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and athe Amorites.
15 Thus Samuel ajudged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he used to go annually on circuit to aBethel and bGilgal and cMizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17 But his return would be to aRamah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he bbuilt there an altar to Yahweh.
Israel Tells Samuel to Appoint a King
And it happened when Samuel was old that ahe appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in aBeersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and atook bribes and caused justice to turn aside.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at aRamah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now aappoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was aevil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And bSamuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for athey have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 So now, listen to their voice; ahowever, you shall solemnly testify to them and tell them of bthe custom of the king who will reign over them.”
The People Refuse Samuel’s Words
10 So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to athe people who had asked of him a king. 11 And he said, “aThis will be the custom of the king who will reign over you: bhe will take your sons and appoint them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and cthey will run before his chariots. 12 aAnd he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 aHe will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will also take your male slaves and your female slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 Then ayou will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but bYahweh will not answer you in that day.”
19 Nevertheless, the people arefused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 athat we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 So Samuel heard all the words of the people, and ahe repeated them in the hearing of Yahweh. 22 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “aListen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”