1 Samuel 13

JB begins with a statement that the first verse is absurd. And it records it only in a footnote since the first verse is not in the Greek. I feel great affinity for Saul and find myself very sorry for him for his mental illness. He had a mental age of 1 when he began to reign.

Did God love this prophet? Yes - but Saul could not respond and that evil spirit is also from Yahweh (1 Samuel 16). What is our responsibility for those whose mind is troubled? From whom is their trouble? How can we deal with it? The embodiment of love in our institutions is our only hope. Do not for a moment think that Religion or faith frees you from responsibility for the troubles of others. It does not. These hard questions must continue to be asked, until we get to the right questions.

Speaking of right questions, why, I wondered is צריח not related to the stem צרח scream? It just isn't. My gloss is a bit of a leap. Here is a note from my coach: the word צריח is unrelated to the word meaning scream. In all three instances (1 Samuel 13:6 and twice in Judges 9:46, 49), it refers to a round fortified and crenelated tower at the corner of the city wall (in chess it refers to the rook).

Verse 13. JB has the note text very doubtful and gives prices for sharpening each of the tools. Every word form is unique except for the first word in this sentence. A word form is prefixes+ stem+suffixes. It is rare to find this many unique forms in a row. I see it immediately since there is no guess for this word from my algorithm.

I could do a lot more work on the algorithm and make it guess based on stem + affixes, but if I did that, guess what, I wouldn't be reading much but programming instead. And the algorithm would still not be able to guess outside its bounds. (Can we guess outside our bounds?) Maybe when I am finished I will write a verification program so I can note all the places where I have ignored prefixes, suffixes and verb forms. I have all the pieces for such a routine. But like English, there are so many readings that are exceptions to the rules taught in grammar books! Just like there are so many readings that do not make complete sense to us and we should not expect them to.

Yonathan = Jonathan - The words are spelled in two different ways in the Hebrew. Same beloved. Same gift of Yah. (There is of course no J in any case).

1 Samuel 13		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בֶּן־שָׁנָ֖ה שָׁא֣וּל בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁתֵּ֣י שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	1		A child of one Saul was when he began to reign, and two years he reigned over Israel.	3e	4B	8 10
וַיִּבְחַר־ל֨וֹ שָׁא֜וּל שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֮ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיִּהְי֨וּ עִם־שָׁא֜וּל אַלְפַּ֗יִם בְּמִכְמָשׂ֙ וּבְהַ֣ר בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְאֶ֗לֶף הָיוּ֙ עִם־י֣וֹנָתָ֔ן בְּגִבְעַ֖ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וְיֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם שִׁלַּ֖ח אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו	2		And Saul chose for himself three thousand from Israel, and two thousand were with Saul in Mikmas, and on the hill of Bethel, and a thousand were with Yonathan on the hillock of Benjamin. And the remainder of the people he sent each to his tent.	3e	4B	46 12
וַיַּ֣ךְ יוֹנָתָ֗ן אֵ֣ת נְצִ֤יב פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּגֶ֔בַע וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וְשָׁאוּל֩ תָּקַ֨ע בַּשּׁוֹפָ֤ר בְּכָל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יִשְׁמְע֖וּ הָעִבְרִֽים	3		And Yonathan struck a monument of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard. And Saul sounded the shophar in all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.	3e	4C	23 21
וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֞ל שָׁמְע֣וּ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־נְצִ֣יב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְגַם־נִבְאַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיִּצָּעֲק֥וּ הָעָ֛ם אַחֲרֵ֥י שָׁא֖וּל הַגִּלְגָּֽל	4		And all Israel heard, saying, Saul struck a monument of the Philistines, and furthermore Israel stank among the Philistines. And the people were mobilized behind Saul at Gilgal.	3d	4C	29 15
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֞ים נֶאֶסְפ֣וּ ׀ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף רֶ֙כֶב֙ וְשֵׁ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ פָּרָשִׁ֔ים וְעָ֕ם כַּח֛וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־שְׂפַֽת־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְמִכְמָ֔שׂ קִדְמַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן	5		And the Philistines were gathered to fight the people of Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand cavalry, and people as the sand that is by the bank of the sea for abundance. And they came up and encamped at Mikmas east of Bethaven.	3d	4C	43 16
וְאִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל רָאוּ֙ כִּ֣י צַר־ל֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִגַּ֖שׂ הָעָ֑ם וַיִּֽתְחַבְּא֣וּ הָעָ֗ם בַּמְּעָר֤וֹת וּבַֽחֲוָחִים֙ וּבַסְּלָעִ֔ים וּבַצְּרִחִ֖ים וּבַבֹּרֽוֹת	6		And each of Israel saw that there was trouble for it, for the people were harassed. And the people camouflaged themselves in caves, and in thorns, and in cliffs, and in rookeries, and in pits.	3e	4C	15 26
וְעִבְרִ֗ים עָֽבְרוּ֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֶ֥רֶץ גָּ֖ד וְגִלְעָ֑ד וְשָׁאוּל֙ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ בַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם חָרְד֥וּ אַחֲרָֽיו	7		And Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead, but Saul was yet in the Gilgal and all the people were apprehensive following him.	3e	4B	15 18
וַיּ֣וֹחֶל ׀ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים לַמּוֹעֵד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וְלֹא־בָ֥א שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם מֵעָלָֽיו	8		And he waited in hope seven days for the appointed time for Samuel, but Samuel did not come to the Gilgal. And the people dispersed from him.	3e	4B	23 8
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל הַגִּ֣שׁוּ אֵלַ֔י הָעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים וַיַּ֖עַל הָעֹלָֽה	9		And Saul said, Bring close to me the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. And he offered up the burnt offering.	3e	4B	17 6
וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְהַעֲל֣וֹת הָעֹלָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בָּ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א שָׁא֛וּל לִקְרָאת֖וֹ לְבָרֲכֽוֹ	10		And it happened as he finished offering up the burnt offering, that behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to encounter him to bless him.	3d	4B	20 12
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֡וּל כִּֽי־רָאִיתִי֩ כִֽי־נָפַ֨ץ הָעָ֜ם מֵעָלַ֗י וְאַתָּה֙ לֹא־בָ֙אתָ֙ לְמוֹעֵ֣ד הַיָּמִ֔ים וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נֶאֱסָפִ֥ים מִכְמָֽשׂ	11		And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I had seen that the people were dispersed from me, and you had not come for the appointed time of the days, and the Philistines were gathered at Mikmas,	3e	4B	10 35
וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֠תָּה יֵרְד֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֵלַי֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֣א חִלִּ֑יתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה הָעֹלָֽה	12		And I said, Now the Philistines will descend to me at the Gilgal, and before Yahweh I had not entreated, so I took charge, and I offered up the burnt offering.	3e	4C	23 11
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוַ֞ת יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י עַתָּ֗ה הֵכִ֨ין יְהוָ֧ה אֶת־מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־עוֹלָֽם	13		And Samuel said to Saul, You have been silly. You did not keep the commandments of Yahweh your God that he commanded you. For now Yahweh would have established your kingdom with Israel for evermore.	3c	4C	12 36
וְעַתָּ֖ה מַמְלַכְתְּךָ֣ לֹא־תָק֑וּם בִּקֵּשׁ֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֜וֹ אִ֣ישׁ כִּלְבָב֗וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֨הוּ יְהוָ֤ה לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶֽׁר־צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָֽה	14		But now your kingdom will not arise. Yahweh has sought for himself a person according to his own heart. And Yahweh has commanded him as herald over his people, for you did not keep what Yahweh commanded you.	3e	4C	9 33
וַיָּ֣קָם שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל וַיַּ֛עַל מִן־הַגִּלְגָּ֖ל גִּבְעַ֣ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וַיִּפְקֹ֣ד שָׁא֗וּל אֶת־הָעָם֙ הַנִּמְצְאִ֣ים עִמּ֔וֹ כְּשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ	15		And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to the hillock of Benjamin. And Saul took a census of the people that were found with him, about six hundred men.	3d	4B	18 19
וְשָׁא֞וּל וְיוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנ֗וֹ וְהָעָם֙ הַנִּמְצָ֣א עִמָּ֔ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים בְּגֶ֣בַע בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים חָנ֥וּ בְמִכְמָֽשׂ	16		And Saul and Yonathan, his son, and the people who were found with them, were sitting in Geba of Benjamin. And the Philistines encamped in Mikmas.	3e	4B	25 8
וַיֵּצֵ֧א הַמַּשְׁחִ֛ית מִמַּחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֑ים הָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֥ד יִפְנֶ֛ה אֶל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ עָפְרָ֖ה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ שׁוּעָֽל	17		And the destroyer went out from the camp of the Philistines, three gangs. The head of one faced in the direction of Ophrah, to the land of the fox.	3c	4B	18 16
וְהָרֹ֤אשׁ אֶחָד֙ יִפְנֶ֔ה דֶּ֖רֶךְ בֵּ֣ית חֹר֑וֹן וְהָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֤ד יִפְנֶה֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַגְּב֔וּל הַנִּשְׁקָ֛ף עַל־גֵּ֥י הַצְּבֹעִ֖ים הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה	18		And the head of another faced the direction of Beth-Horon, and the head of another faced the direction of the border that looks down over the gorge of the carpet of colour towards the wilderness.	3d	4C	12 23
וְחָרָשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יִמָּצֵ֔א בְּכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּ֚ן יַעֲשׂ֣וּ הָעִבְרִ֔ים חֶ֖רֶב א֥וֹ חֲנִֽית	19		And one could not find a smith in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.	3e	4C	14 18
וַיֵּרְד֥וּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים לִ֠לְטוֹשׁ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־מַחֲרַשְׁתּ֤וֹ וְאֶת־אֵתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־קַרְדֻּמּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת מַחֲרֵשָׁתֽוֹ	20		And all Israel would descend to the Philistines, to hone each its plough or its plowshare and its wedge and its edged tools.	3e	4C	10 24
וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה הַפְּצִ֣ירָה פִ֗ים לַמַּֽחֲרֵשֹׁת֙ וְלָ֣אֵתִ֔ים וְלִשְׁלֹ֥שׁ קִלְּשׁ֖וֹן וּלְהַקַּרְדֻּמִּ֑ים וּלְהַצִּ֖יב הַדָּרְבָֽן	21		And there was a cost of edges, for a plough or plowshare and for the three pronged fork, and for wedges, and to make the goads stand firm.	3e	4B	26 6
וְהָיָה֙ בְּי֣וֹם מִלְחֶ֔מֶת וְלֹ֨א נִמְצָ֜א חֶ֤רֶב וַחֲנִית֙ בְּיַ֣ד כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־יוֹנָתָ֑ן וַתִּמָּצֵ֣א לְשָׁא֔וּל וּלְיוֹנָתָ֖ן בְּנֽוֹ	22		So it was in the day of battle, and no sword was found, nor spear in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Yonathan, but there was found for Saul, and for Yonathan, his son.	3e	4C	32 13
וַיֵּצֵא֙ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֶֽל־מַעֲבַ֖ר מִכְמָֽשׂ	23		And the Philistines went out to stand firm at the ford of Mikmas.	3e	4B	14