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they waged this stroke against the Israelites, but Samuel also recovered again for the Hebrews the country which they had taken away. And he judged the people and ruled over them. And now having grown old, he assigned the leadership of the people and the judging to his sons. The name of the elder was Joel, and of the younger, Abijah. They did not walk in the ways of their father, but turning aside for bribes they betrayed justice and judged cases for profit. And the people for these reasons, having gathered to Samuel, said, "Since you are not able to lead us on account of old age, make for us a king, who will both lead the nation and will campaign against our enemies." But when Samuel was grieved at these things, God said to him, "The people have not despised you, but me. Therefore, listen to them, and whomever I shall show you, anoint him as king." And having gathered the Hebrews, Samuel proposed 1.83 to appoint a king for them, and he prophesied to them that they would repent and be about to ask from God a release from their kings. But they insisted, seeking a king, and they demanded that he not be concerned with the things that would be. And the prophet said, "Go now, and when I learn whom God gives you as king, I will send for you." And a certain Benjaminite man, Kish was the man's name, having lost some donkeys, sent his son who was tall and handsome, called Saul, in search of the donkeys with one of the servants. And he, having gone about and searched and not found them, came to Samuel in Armathaim to ask about the donkeys. Therefore God reveals to Samuel that this is the one whom he wishes to reign over the people of the Hebrews. Therefore, having been asked about the donkeys, Samuel said that they had been saved, and having entertained Saul as a guest, he sent him off in the morning, and having gone with him outside the city, and having taken the young man aside alone, he pours oil over his head. And having kissed him, he said, "The Lord has anointed you ruler over his people Israel, and let this be a sign of the anointing: you will meet two men near the tomb of Rachel bringing you the good news of the finding of the donkeys." And he told him other signs of the truth, and that he would prophesy in Gibeah, being with the prophets there, and he commanded him to come to Gilgal when he should be summoned by him. Then he gathered the people and commanded the tribes to cast lots, so that it might be shown from which tribe the one who was to be king would be. So the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin, then on the family of Matri. And when the family was chosen by lot man by man, the lot fell on 1.84 Saul. But when he was sought and was not there, Samuel is informed by God where he was hidden, and having been brought, he stood him in the midst. And he was a head and shoulders taller than all, according to the height of his body. And the prophet said to the multitude, "This one the Lord has anointed for you as king, to whom there is no one like among all of you." And the people shouted their approval and said, "Long live the king." And so when Saul became king, many paid attention to him as king and honored him as was fitting, but many despised and mocked him. And after a month, Nahash the king of the Ammonites marches against Jabesh-gilead, saying he would not spare the men otherwise, unless they allow him to gouge out each one's right eye. And they asked for a truce of seven days; and having received it, they send messengers to Gibeah. And those there, having heard the words of the Ammonite, lamented; but Saul became very angry, and taking two oxen he cut them in pieces and sent them into every border of Israel, threatening to do so to those not campaigning with him against the Ammonites. And when the people ran together, he numbered them and found seventy myriads. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and he prophesied, saying that on the morrow there would be salvation for the men of Jabesh. And rising up, both he and the people marched through the whole night, and about the morning watch he came upon the Ammonites, having divided the army into three parts. And having surrounded them, he killed many and also king Nahash himself, and those who were saved into

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πληγὴν ταύτην ἐπὶ τοὺς ̓Ισραηλίτας ἐστράτευσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν χώραν ηνπερ ἀφείλοντο ἐπανεσώσατο αυθις τοῖς ̔Εβραίοις ὁ Σαμουήλ. εκρινε δὲ τὸν λαὸν καὶ ηρχεν αὐτοῦ. Ηδη δὲ γεγηρακὼς τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ προστασίαν καὶ τὸ δικάζειν διένειμεν. ονομα τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ ̓Ιωήλ, τῷ νεωτέρῳ δὲ ̓Αβιά. οι οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἐκκλίναντες δώρων τὸ δίκαιον προεδίδοσαν καὶ λήμμασι τὰς κρίσεις ἐδίκαζον. ὁ δὲ λαὸς διὰ ταῦτα πρὸς Σαμουὴλ ἀθροισθείς "ἐπεὶ μὴ οιός τε ει" εφασαν "σὺ προεστάναι ἡμῶν διὰ γῆρας, ποίησον ἡμῖν βασιλέα, ος καὶ τοῦ εθνους ἡγήσεται καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἀντιστρατεύσεται." λυπουμένου δ' ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῦ Σαμουὴλ ειπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ θεός "οὐ σὲ ἐξουθενήκασιν ὁ λαός, ἀλλ' ἐμέ. ακουσον τοίνυν αὐτῶν, καὶ ον αν ἀναδείξω σοι, εἰς βασιλέα χρῖσον αὐτόν." συναθροίσας δὲ τοὺς ̔Εβραίους ὁ Σαμουὴλ κατέθετο 1.83 χειροτονήσειν αὐτοῖς βασιλέα, μεταμελήσειν δὲ προέφη αὐτοῖς καὶ αἰτεῖσθαι παρὰ θεοῦ μέλλειν τῶν βασιλέων ἀπαλλαγήν. οἱ δὲ ἐνέκειντο βασιλέα ζητοῦντες, καὶ ἠξίουν αὐτὸν μὴ φροντίζειν τῶν ἐσομένων. ὁ δὲ προφήτης "απιτε νῦν" ειπεν, "οταν δὲ μάθω τίνα δίδωσιν ὑμῖν ὁ θεὸς βασιλέα, μεταπέμψομαι ὑμᾶς." ̓Ανὴρ δέ τις Βενιαμίτης, Κὶς ονομα τῷ ἀνδρί, ονους ἀπολέσας, τὸν υἱὸν ος ην αὐτῷ μέγας τε καὶ ὡραῖος, κεκλημένος Σαούλ, εἰς ἀναζήτησιν τῶν ονων σὺν ἑνὶ τῶν δούλων ἀπέστειλεν. ὁ δὲ περιελθὼν καὶ ζητήσας καὶ μὴ εὑρών, εἰς ̓Αρμαθαῒμ πρὸς τὸν Σαμουὴλ παραγέγονεν ἐρωτήσων περὶ τῶν ονων. δηλοῖ τοίνυν τῷ Σαμουὴλ ὁ θεὸς τοῦτον ειναι ον βούλεται βασιλεῦσαι τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν ̔Εβραίων. ἐρωτηθεὶς ουν περὶ τῶν ονων ὁ Σαμουὴλ σεσῶσθαι ειπεν αὐτάς, καὶ ξενίσας τὸν Σαοὺλ προέπεμψεν εωθεν, καὶ εξω τοῦ αστεος σὺν αὐτῷ πορευθείς, μόνον τε ἰδίᾳ τὸν νεανίσκον ἀπολαβών, ελαιον καταχέει τῆς αὐτοῦ κεφαλῆς. καὶ φιλήσας αὐτόν "κέχρικέ σε κύριος αρχοντα" εφη "ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ̓Ισραήλ, καὶ εστω σημεῖον τοῦ χρίσματος τὸ συναντῆσαί σοι περὶ τὸν τάφον ̔Ραχὴλ ανδρας δύο τὴν ευρεσιν τῶν ονων εὐαγγελιζομένους σοι." καὶ αλλα δὲ σημεῖα τοῦ ἀληθεύειν ειπεν αὐτῷ καὶ οτι προφητεύσει ἐν Γαβαθᾶ γεγονὼς μετὰ τῶν ἐκεῖ προφητῶν, καὶ ηξειν εἰς Γάλγαλα αὐτῷ ἐνετείλατο ἡνίκα μεταπεμφθῇ παρ' αὐτοῦ. συνήθροισε δ' επειτα τὸν λαὸν καὶ κλήρους ἐκέλευσε βαλεῖν τὰς φυλάς, ιν' ἀναδειχθείη ἐκ ποίας ὁ βασιλεύσων εσται. επεσεν ουν ὁ κλῆρος εἰς τὴν Βενιαμίτιδα, ειτα εἰς τὴν πατριὰν Ματταρί. κατ' ανδρα δὲ τῆς πατριᾶς κληρωθείσης, εἰς τὸν 1.84 Σαοὺλ ὁ κλῆρος επεσεν. ὡς δὲ ζητούμενος οὐκ ην, μυεῖται ὁ Σαμουὴλ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ οπου ἐκέκρυπτο, καὶ ἀχθέντα εστησε μέσον. καὶ ην ὑπερωμίας καὶ πάντων ὑπερέχων κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν τοῦ σώματος. καὶ πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος εφησεν ὁ προφήτης "τοῦτον εχρισεν ὑμῖν εἰς βασιλέα ὁ κύριος, ῳ οὐκ εστιν ομοιος ἐν πᾶσιν ὑμῖν." ὁ δὲ λαὸς ἐπευφήμησε καὶ ειπεν "ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς." ουτω δὲ τῷ Σαοὺλ βασιλεύσαντι πολλοὶ μὲν προσεῖχον ὡς βασιλεῖ καὶ κατὰ τὸ προσῆκον ἐτίμων αὐτόν, πολλοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν τε καὶ ἐχλεύαζον. Μετὰ δὲ μῆνα Νάας ὁ τῶν ̓Αμμανιτῶν βασιλεὺς στρατεύει ἐπὶ ̓Ιαβεὶς Γαλαάδ, μὴ αλλως λέγων φείσασθαι τῶν ἀνδρῶν, εἰ μὴ δῶσιν αὐτῷ τὸν ἑκάστου ἐξελεῖν ὀφθαλμὸν δεξιόν. οἱ δὲ ἀνοχὴν ἐζήτησαν ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν· καὶ λαβόντες πέμπουσιν ἀγγέλους εἰς Γαβαά. καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἐκεῖ τοὺς λόγους τοῦ ̓Αμμανίτου ἐθρήνησαν· ὁ δὲ Σαοὺλ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα, καὶ λαβὼν δύο βόας ἐμέλισεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς πᾶν οριον ̓Ισραήλ, ἀπειλῶν ουτω θήσειν τοὺς μὴ κατὰ τῶν ̓Αμμανιτῶν συνεκστρατεύσοντας αὐτῷ. συνδραμόντος δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ ἠρίθμησεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ευρε μυριάδας ἑβδομήκοντα. καὶ ἐφήλατο πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπὶ Σαούλ, καὶ προεφήτευσεν εἰπὼν ὡς αυριον εσται τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ̓Ιαβεὶς σωτηρία. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη αὐτός τε καὶ ὁ λαὸς δι' ολης τῆς νυκτός, καὶ περὶ τὴν πρωινὴν φυλακὴν ἐπῆλθε τοῖς ̓Αμμανίταις, τριχῇ τὸ στράτευμα διελών. καὶ κυκλωσάμενος αὐτούς, πολλοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτεινε καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν βασιλέα Νάας, τοὺς δὲ περισωθέντας εἰς