#mechon raid

[peopleofmechonis]

I booted up another XCDE save and I'm still getting the goosebumps at the Mechon raid in ch 2.

Its probably one of the best chapters in the earlygame imo. Ch 1 is peaceful and you get plenty of time to learn the game somewhat, do some sidequests etc.

Fiora's comment on wishing days were this peaceful forever gives off a foreboding feeling but dunno what.

And boom! The Mechon raid pops up. NPCs are killed off and eaten brutally. Dunban tries and fails to wield the Monado, and Shulk picks it up in an amazingly executed way.

Only to conclude with introducing an invincible Mechon who promptly kills one of the party members you grew attached to...

I remember going holy fuck at these reveals during my first run, and it's still spine-chilling the fourth time around.

Holy damn. This game doesn't play around.

Boy do I wish I could just erase my memory of this game and play it blind again.

[rainbowwing251]

New World, Old Traditions (Xenoblade Chronicles Tickle Fic)

A/N: SURPRISE! I decided to write a shorter fic for the 1-year anniversary of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition!

While I couldn’t finish “WARNING: Beware of Grins” in time for the anniversary, I couldn’t stomach the idea of not doing anything for it. So I sat there, wondering if I could do anything to celebrate this milestone, when I thought to myself, “Hey! I should write a fic based on two of the headcanons that I have about the birthdays of the main party members in Xenoblade Chronicles!”

What are those two headcanons? Well, allow me to describe them to you!

Headcanon #1: The birthdays of each of the main party members correspond to a date that matches up with either one of two things:

The release date of a specific entry in the Xenoblade series, including ports.

A date on which major news for a specific entry in the Xenoblade series was announced. An example would be March 26th, the date of the Nintendo Direct Mini that announced the release date for XC:DE and the Future Connected epilogue that came with it.

While I would love to list off all of the birthdays, I don’t want this Author’s Note to drag on and on, so I’ll just list off the birthdays of the characters who will be the main stars of this fic.

#1- Shulk’s birthday is June 10th (the release date of the original Xenoblade Chronicles in Japan).

#2- Reyn’s birthday is March 26th. I already explained the significance of this date earlier, so I won’t repeat myself.

#3- Fiora’s birthday is May 29th (the release date of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, A.K.A today!)

If you want to know the birthdates of Dunban, Sharla, Melia, and Riki, let me know!

As for headcanon #2, this is what it is: Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora have a tradition of tickling each other on their birthdays. It doesn’t matter whose birthday it is, they will all get the chance to tickle each other. If you would like to learn more about this headcanon, check out this post!

Now that I have explained my two headcanons, I would like to give one last bit of information before we move on to the fic.

Normally, when I write a fic, Shulk is the lee. However, I wanted to try something different with this fic.

This time, it’s Fiora’s turn to be the lee. Shulk will be one of the two lers in this fic, the other being Reyn (though I suppose that’s obvious, given the fact that I told you my headcanon for Reyn’s birthdate). This is going to be fun to write.

Oh, and one last thing: There are major spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles in this fic. Do not read this fic if you haven’t beaten the game yet.

Alright, I think it’s about time that we get to the fic. So without further ado, let’s go! Happy 1-year anniversary, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When was the last time she had slept like this?

When was the last time she had a good night's rest with no nightmares or monsters to keep her up at night? When was the last time she dreamed of her friends and the wholesome mischief they would get themselves into? When was the last time she slept in in the morning?

And most importantly, when was the last time she had slept in her Homs body?

For months on end, she was afraid. Afraid of how others would view her in her mechanical body. Afraid that both her friends and brother would betray her. Afraid of losing control over herself once more (even though Meyneth was careful with her body, never putting it in harm's way). Afraid that at any moment, she would fall asleep forever.

But now… she was free. Free from the cold metal that once gave her a second chance at life. Free from the sorrow that filled her heart every time she thought about her shortening life span. Free from the emptiness that came with the inability to feel the physical touch of an organic life form. Free from the gods that once ruled the world.

She thanked them. She thanked everyone and everything that made her life as a Mechon more bearable. She thanked those who gave her the courage to fight on, even with the threat of Zanza and the constant feeling that death was coming for her.

But most of all, she thanked Shulk, Melia, and Linada for finding the Biotic Regeneration Device, the very machine that saved her life.

The sudden loss of her mechanical body meant that she could feel certain physical sensations again. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had felt hunger, thirst, or extreme fatigue. Sure, she had felt tired as a Mechon, but that paled in comparison to the exhaustion she had been feeling since the day that she woke up from the chamber. She hadn’t felt this tired since the day that her brother returned home from the Battle of Sword Valley.

She had felt this way for at least a week now. She knew that some of it came from all of the walking she did when she was tasked to find those who needed help with the reconstruction efforts in New Colony 9, but when she thought about all of the times that she had helped people in the old world prior to the Mechon raid on the old Colony 9, she knew that the majority of her fatigue came from an entirely different source.

She didn’t know for sure what the cause was, but she figured that it had something to do with the fact that she was in a mechanical body for months. She was still adjusting to the body she never thought she would be in again, so it wouldn’t surprise her if the fatigue went away on its own in about a month. For now, she would have to deal with the excessive amount of sleepiness.

Right now, she was asleep, burned out from her walks across the new yet all-so-familiar colony she called home. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue with any of her companions. All of them knew that she was much more tired than she had ever been in her life, and they would usually let her be when she slept into the late hours of the morning.

However, today was a little bit different.

Today was Fiora’s birthday, and she had slept in. Shulk and Reyn were having none of this.

“What do you say we do to wake her up?” Reyn asked the former visionary.

“Hm… We could gently shake her until she wakes up, but she won’t be happy about that…”

“Should we spook her?”

“No! We are not doing that!”

“Sorry, sorry. Just wanted to propose an idea.”

Shulk glared at him for a bit before he put his hand on his chin in thought.

“Scaring her isn’t a good idea, but maybe we’ll have to do something that will jolt her awake…”

“Seems like it’s the only way to wake her these days…”

Reyn mulled over a possible solution. After a few seconds of silence between him and his closest friend, he was suddenly hit with an idea.

“Wait, I got it!”

“Oh dear Bionis… what is it, Reyn?” Shulk said, playfully teasing the older Hom.

“First of all, don’t give me that attitude,” He poked the younger male in the bicep, “second of all, do you remember a certain tradition that you, Fiora and I used to have?”

Shulk rummaged his brain for a memory that would provide the answer to the soldier’s question. Eventually, he found it.

“Are you talking about… that tradition?”

“Huh? Can you be more specific?” Reyn was a bit confused, not understanding the vagueness of the heir’s response, before he noticed the blush that was forming on his face.

“Oh, so you do remember that tradition?”

“Yeah…”

Reyn ruffled his hair before he asked him, “So what do you think? Should we do it?”

“It might work… And even if it doesn’t, we’ll tickle her anyway at some point in the day. Tradition and that.”

“So is that a yes?”

Shulk nodded and said, “Yeah, it’s a yes.”

The auburn-haired male gave him a thumbs up. “Alrighty then, let’s go and wake up Fiora!”

The two of them left the Weapons Development Lab and strolled through the streets of New Colony 9. As they walked by, Dunban, Sharla, Melia, and Riki all greeted them, asking if they could wish Fiora a “Happy Birthday” on their behalf (all four of them were busy with the reconstruction, and Dunban didn’t have the heart to wake his sister up from a well-deserved sleep). They told them that they would, and kept on walking.

Eventually, they arrived at Dunban’s House. Reyn went up to the front door and turned the knob. He wasn’t surprised to find that the door was unlocked. He quietly pushed the door open and tip-toed inside the house. He waited in the kitchen for a few seconds, listening for the blonde woman’s footsteps, before he turned to Shulk to tell him that she was still asleep. The scientist carefully stepped inside the room.

They sneaked up the stairs, careful to avoid the spots that made the steps creak, and found the young girl sleeping in the bed.

“Ready?” Reyn whispered to his fellow Hom.

“Ready.” He answered

The older male slowly lifted the blanket off of Fiora’s body, revealing that she was wearing a Dyed Top and Dyed Bottoms. She usually put these two pieces of clothing on when she was about to go to bed, and wore her normal outfit during the day.

Reyn looked over at Shulk and whispered, “You go for the knees, and I’ll go for the sides, alright?”

“Got it.” The heir whispered back.

Reyn carefully reached over to pull Fiora’s shirt up and slowly drifted his hands towards her sides, while Shulk made his fingers walk up to her knees.

As soon as their fingers made contact with her skin, they lightly wiggled them.

At first, she didn’t react to the touch, far too deep in her sleep to notice anything that came from the real world, but in ten seconds, she finally let out a couple of giggles.

“Hehehehe… Stahahahahahp…” She made an attempt to swat at the boys’ hands, but she didn’t put enough strength into the swats, and was therefore unable to stop the sensation.

Soon enough, her eyes fluttered open, still giggling at the sensation that was coursing through her body. Shulk and Reyn took their hands off of her as she drifted towards wakefulness.

“Shulk…? Reyn…?”

“Good morning, sleepy head!” Reyn sang, ruffling Fiora’s hair exactly like he did with Shulk’s back at the Weapons Development Lab.

“Hands off, you big oaf…~” She teased, earning a pout from the soldier and a laugh from the scientist.

“Happy Birthday, Fiora!” Shulk said, pulling her up into a sitting position before hugging her.

“Aw, thank you, Shulk!” She replied cheerfully, then turned her attention over to Reyn.

“No, Fiora, I didn’t forget your birthday this year.” Reyn said with a faint blush and an exasperated tone.

Fiora had every reason to doubt him. Normally, Reyn would forget about her birthday for at least half of the day before someone would remind him.

“Heheheh… I don’t believe you one bit- ah!” Fiora was about to sass her muscular friend, but she was cut off by Shulk pushing her onto the bed.

“You can laugh at him later, Fiora. For now, we have a tradition to attend to.”

He quickly lost the former Mechon, “What? What are you talking about?”

“What? You don’t remember our old tradition?” A tinge of dismay flashed across Reyn’s face, but in a split second, it had vanished. “What do you think, Shulk? Should we help her remember?”

The younger blonde nodded as a smirk grew on his lips. “Yeah, let’s do it!”

Reyn was about to tickle her underarms, but Shulk stopped him.

“Hang on, do you know how long we’re supposed to tickle her?”

Fiora heard that second-to-last word and immediately began to panic. “Wait, what did you say?”

Reyn ignored her (as did Shulk) and answered the heir’s question. “Yeah, she’s nineteen years old now, so we’ll tickle her for nineteen minutes, correct?”

“You got it! Now, are you ready?”

“You bet I am! Let’s bring this tradition back!”

Fiora could only squirm and giggle as Reyn grabbed her wrists and pinned them down with his left hand. Meanwhile, Shulk sat down on her legs and moved his body until he knew for sure that his weight would keep her legs pinned.

“Nohohoho, guhihihihihiys!”

Shulk tsked at her and slipped into his role as a ler, “You should save your breath, Fiora, because you’re going to need it~”

The unexpected tease from the former visionary was the last thing she heard before she was suddenly attacked by two pairs of hands. One pair went for her underarms, while the other snuck up her shirt and pinched at her ribs.

“Ahahahahahahaha! Nohohohohohohohoho!” She quickly fell into a laughing fit and tried her hardest to pull her arms down. Unfortunately, Reyn’s grip was far too strong, so she had no choice but to surrender herself to the tickles. Even worse, while she made her attempt to escape, the soldier took advantage of the situation and sped up the tickling every time she stretched her arms out.

“Eep! Reheheheheheyn, stahahahahahahap! Lehehehehehet mehehehe gohohohoho!”

“Sorry, Fiora, but you’re out of luck. There’s still eighteen minutes to go~!”

Fiora squealed as the older male raked his fingers back and forth in her underarms and teased her at the same time. Since when did he become an intimidating tickle monster?

Knowing that she was helpless under Reyn’s hold, she decided to focus her efforts on her legs. Shulk was a bit weaker than Reyn, so she figured that it would be easy for her to knock him off. She laughed and laughed for another two minutes before she made an attempt at lifting her right leg.

However, as soon as she tried to lift it, Shulk countered her by launching an all-out attack on her knees.

“Oh no you don’t! You’re not getting away from us~!”

“Whahahahahahahaha! Sihihihihihihihihincehehehehe whehehehehehen dihihihihi yohohohou gehehehehet sohohohoho bohohohohohold?”

“Trust me, if Reyn wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be doing this right now. But since he’s here with me, I’m feeling rather brave.” He moved his right hand to the back of her right knee and began to scratch at the spot, while his left hand skittered across her left kneecap. “Soon, you will fear me~!”

The teasing and tickling from the youngest member of the group nearly broke the helpless woman underneath him.

“Ihihihihihihihihi’m nohohohohohohohot ahahahahahfraihihihihihihid ohohohohohof yohohohoHOHOHO! REHEHEHEHEHEYN, NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!” Reyn broke the laughter dam within her by blowing raspberries into her neck.

“No? No what? What am I doing wrong, Fiora~? Tell me!”

“QUIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIT THEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE RAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASPBEHEHEHEHEHEHERRIHIHIHIHIES!”

Reyn let out a chuckle, “Sorry, what did you say? I can’t understand you!”

“YOHOHOHOHOHOHOU KNOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOW WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHT IHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI SAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHID!”

Shulk shook his head and made his hands jump up to her sides. “Fiora, Reyn doesn’t speak ticklish.”

“Yeah, I don’t understand the ticklish language! I haven’t even studied it, yet!”

Fiora’s mind was about to be lost in the raging river of laughter that spilled from her mouth.

“SHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUT IHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIT!” She accidentally yelled.

Reyn stopped tickling her and put his hand over his heart in mock offense, while Shulk let out an exaggerated gasp and sped his tickling up to the max.

“Fiora! That wasn’t necessary! Shulk, I think we need to punish this rude little birthday girl!”

“I agree, Reyn, but we should save the punishment for the last five minutes. That will straighten her out for sure!”

Fiora had never shivered at Shulk’s words before, but even though all of the tickling, she felt a powerful chill run down her spine.

“WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAT DOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOES THAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAT MEHEHEHEHEHEAN, SHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHULK?!”

The scientist let out the most threatening laugh she had ever heard from him in her life, “You’ll see~” Then he zipped his hands onto her stomach, releasing a shriek from the back of her throat.

“EEEEE! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP IHIHIHIHIHIHIHIT! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!” She was getting dangerously close to breaking as she endured the barrage of tummy tickles that rained down upon her.

“Ten minutes left, Reyn! Don’t let up just yet!”

“Got it, but we might want to slow it down so Fiora can breathe!”

“Good idea. If my hypothesis is correct, her laughter will turn silent in two minutes, so we should ease up on her so that doesn’t happen.”

Reyn had to laugh at that. Even when he’s tickling someone to death, Shulk would always find a way to be geeky. Fiora probably laughed at that too, but right now, it was impossible to differentiate between her normal laugh and her tickle laugh.

The two boys slowed their fingers down until they were only tracing over her skin, and although she was tittering, she was able to take a dozen, much-needed breathers.

“Yohohohou guys ahahahahare much mohohohohore ehehehvil than Ihihihi thohohohought…”

Reyn took this moment to revel in her words, “Don’t mess with this tickle monster! You’ll regret it when you do, right Fiora?”

Fiora did her best to give him a death stare, but only succeeded in making herself look silly (if Reyn laughing at her was anything to go by).

As per usual, Shulk took the smart route and just facepalmed at Reyn’s behavior.

“That’s a dangerous thought process, Reyn. Don’t forget that she can dish out  punishments more dangerous than Zanza.”

That got a shocked response out of the other male, “You sure about that? I don’t think a tickle monster would have anything on a god!”

“I didn’t defeat Zanza on my own, Reyn! Fiora helped, and so did you and the others!”

Reyn wanted to argue back, but found that he couldn’t. Shulk had a point.

“Anyway, we have five minutes left, and you know what that means~”

“Dear Bionis! How did he transition back into his role so effortlessly?!” Well Shulk was right, Fiora would learn to fear him at some point. If he can return to the role of a ler in no time flat, then she would be terrified to know how he would act if he was playing the role of a tickle monster.

“Ohoho, I’ve been waiting for this! Ready for the grand finale, Fiora~?” Reyn asked with an unnervingly innocent tone in his voice.

“N-nohohohoho!”

“Well too bad!” Reyn nearly shouted out at her. He made his hands hover over her neck, while Shulk had his hands over her hips.

“This is part of the tradition, Fiora. When we reach the five-minute mark, we will target the lee’s worst spots until this time is up. We will not make any exceptions, no matter how much you protest against us or beg for us to reconsider.” Shulk explained to her in the most nonchalant and calm voice she had ever heard from the former visionary. The voice was so haunting that even Reyn was shuddering in fear.

“Now, any last words before you meet your end~?” He asked her. Silence was the only thing he got in response.

“Nothing? Very well, then. Reyn, on the count of three.”

“A-alright then…”

Shulk looked over and raised an eyebrow at his slight stutter before he returned his attention to the poor woman beneath him.

“Three.” The two of them brought their hands closer to her in perfect sync with each other.

“Two.” They finally made contact with her skin.

“One.” Fiora was once again in an anticipatory giggle fit.

“Now!” All hell broke loose.

At long last, Fiora broke under the intense tickling that shook her to the core.

“NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO! WHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIY WOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOULD YOHOHOHOHOHOHOU GUHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIYS DOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO THIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIS?!”

Reyn was going to answer her, but Shulk butted in and only said the word, “Tradition.”

They both knew that any further teasing would send the former Face unit into a fit of silent laughter, so they stayed silent for the remaining five minutes. The only sound that could be heard in the house was Fiora’s uncontrollable laughter.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to her, they let up. The tickling abruptly ended, Reyn let go of her wrists, and Shulk got off of her legs.

She laid there, chest heaving up and down as she struggled to regain her composure, while the scientist checked on her legs.

“Can you feel this, Fiora?” he asked as he squeezed her leg in a way that would not be painful or tickly.

“Yes… I can... feel it.” She told him in between breaths.

“You alright?” Reyn questioned her. “Feeling woozy?”

“No, I’m… fine.”

All three of them sat there in near-silence as Fiora’s breathing returned to normal. When it did, she spoke.

“That was impressive. I didn’t think you two had it in you to tickle and tease me like that.”

Reyn objected, “Hey, I’ve had that potential for years! If there’s anyone you should be impressed by, it would be him!” He pointed at Shulk, “I had no idea he could speak like that! It creeped me out!”

The younger boy couldn’t help the prideful smile on his face. “I learned it from watching and listening to all of you guys.”

“So that’s why you sounded like Melia towards the end there!” Fiora exclaimed, “I was trying to figure that out!”

“Oh, uh… That wasn’t intentional.” Shulk professed, feeling slightly embarrassed. He often imitated those that he loved on an unconscious level, and apparently, that’s exactly what he did when he teased Fiora.

“Sure it wasn’t.��� she countered.

“Hey guys,” Reyn spoke up, “I think we should go and find the others. They might need help with the reconstruction.”

Fiora was a little concerned about the possibility of them working all day today, considering what day it was. “Do you think we’ll have time to celebrate my birthday today?”

“I think so,” he answered, “They told us to tell you that they said ‘Happy Birthday’, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought about that.”

“Oh! Well, I think we should go and find them so we can talk about it! Just give me a few minutes to change!”

“Okay then! Shulk and I will be downstairs waiting!” He turned to the other boy, only to find him staring at the bottom of the staircase.

“Shulk?” He didn’t get an answer. 

Reyn didn’t notice it (or perhaps he might have forgotten it), but Shulk knew what was coming next. According to the tradition, once the birthday boy/girl was free from his or her tickle session, then…

“But first…” Yep, he called it.

He turned around and found that she was still sitting on the bed, looking at him and Reyn with an evil glint in her eyes. He knew what was coming.

“W-what?” Reyn stammered out. He was about to turn and make a run for it, but Fiora’s reflexes were too fast, and she caught his arm before he even had the chance to take a single step away from her.

“If I remember correctly, it’s your turn to be tickled.”

The soldier’s eyes widened, “W-wait, so you DO remember our tradition?”

“Yep, I was just pretending to not know about it. I’ll admit, the results I got from that were surprising,” She glanced at the younger Hom, who was as still as a statue, “...but I knew that the reveal would rile you guys up. I know that this will make you ten times more ticklish, so I figured that I would go for it.”

She got up off of the bed and tugged at Reyn’s arm, trying to pull him onto the spot that she was in mere minutes ago. “Shulk, can you help me?”

“On it.”

In no time at all, Reyn’s laughter would fill the home. After that, it would be Shulk’s turn.

They may be in a new world, but they knew that they would adjust to it just fine, because even though everything has changed, the past would never be forgotten.

[tanach-929]

#262: Shmuel/Samuel 1 Chapter 30

929 chapter link: http://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/262

Mechon Mamre link: https://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et08a30.htm

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 and had taken captive the women and all that were therein, both small and great; they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way. 3 And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. {S} 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech: 'I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod.' And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, saying: 'Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them?' And He answered him: 'Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and shalt without fail recover all.' 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink; 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit came back to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. {S} 13 And David said unto him: 'To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou?' And he said: 'I am a young Egyptian, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. 14 We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.' 15 And David said to him: 'Wilt thou bring me down to this troop?' And he said: 'Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.' 16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and feasting, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled. 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them; David brought back all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said: 'This is David's spoil.' 21 And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him; and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. {S} 22 Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, and said: 'Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.' {S} 23 Then said David: 'Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. 24 And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as is the share of him that goeth down to the battle, so shall be the share of him that tarrieth by the baggage; they shall share alike.' {S} 25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. {P}

26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying: 'Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD'; 27 to them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the South, and to them that were in Jattir; 28 and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa; 29 and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites; 30 and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were in Bor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach; 31 and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt. {P}

Have any thoughts, opinions, feelings or insights on this chapter?  Please share!

[sentientgenesis]

Monado Expedition

14 years ago, Shulk, his father, his mother, Dickson, and some other scientists journeyed out to an ice covered land in search of the Monado. They were able to find it sealed in a tower however, everyone on the team mysteriously died inside except for Shulk and Dickson. Dickson was lagging behind everyone else and found Shulk inside the tower and brought him back to the colony.

In present time, Shulk and Reyn decide to check out Colony 6 instead of just running around looking for Metal Face. Colony 6 is the only other Homs colony left and is on the path to Sword Valley, where there is supposed to be a Mechon base. They’re hoping that maybe the people in Colony 6 saw something before the attack, or know something about Metal Face. Colony 6 is on the Bionis’ waist, connected to the right thigh. Reyn and Shulk are going to have to go through Tephra Cave to reach the Bionis’ right kneecap.

Before doing so however, there are quite a bit of things in the colony that have changed that I’ll be going over.

First off is gem crafting. There are 5 different ranks of crystals that you can collect (I, II, III, IV, and V). When crafting, you can only put in the furnace the same rank of crystal, meaning for example, you can’t put a rank I and a rank II in the furnace at the same time. Each crystal has their own quality or qualities, which is basically its effect and is indicated by a percentage. When combining crystals to make gems, any quality that exceeds 100% will become a gem. Only 8 crystals can be in the furnace at a time and once a quality exceeds 100% during the selection, you can also not add anymore crystals. After the crystals are selected, you then choose which 2 party members you want to take part in creating the gem. One party member serves as a Shooter, the other serves as the Engineer. All party members have an ability for both. There are also 3 different types of flame during the process which change randomly. Strong flames will greatly increase the strength of one quality, medium will slightly increase the strength of multiple qualities, and gentle will fill up the cylinder gauge. Qualities that don’t exceed 100% during gem crafting will become cylinders, one for each time the cylinder gauge was filled. These cylinders can be used with crystals for crafting. The affinity of the two characters will determine the amount of craft terms. Gem crafting becomes vital later on but for now, you probably won’t be able to make a decent gem since most crystals you can obtain are I rank. For crafting a gem for the first time, you’ll get the achievement, “Learning the Craft”. Lastly, the voice acting during gem crafting is super awkward and funny sounding.

Next, Colony 9 and the people living in it have changed a little. Colony 9 has some rubble here and there and there are now two holes in the metal wiring of the bridge connecting the Central Plaza and Residential District. New quests have also been opened up in Colony 9. This is going to be reoccurring multiple times, where some big story event is going to affect an area and the people living in it. This time, all of the previously obtainable quests are still around, but later on, some quests will be locked to certain times before a certain events. This is also a good time to mention that having a higher affinity between your party and an area will open up new quests. There are also a couple new quests in Tephra cave too.

The shop in the Commercial District has new equipment and art books. Art books allow a character to increase the level of an art above 4. Many art books can’t be bought from shops and must be obtained from fighting unique monsters or some other harder method. These harder to find art books allow an art to be increased to an even higher level.

Today’s track: Plays during the cutscene of the day after the Mechon raid, but changes as to a different track as Reyn and Shulk leave to find Metal Face. Its also played several other times later since a lot of sad stuff happens in Xenoblade Chronicles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgyOc_wMOU8

Screenshot from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO5peEfHVA8

[artemis-griffin]

Solitude.

Los claros mechones se enredan en sus dedos conforme juega con ellos, a conciencia pero sin prestarle más atención que a aquellos cálidos recuerdos que lo abrumaban, aquellos relacionados a un mago de rubia melena.

Respira hondo tras un rato de intentar suprimir sus emociones, dispuesto a dejar que las lágrimas resbalen por su rostro ante las memorias de la ya extinta luz, más no lo hacen, y en pura frustración su mano derecha golpea la fría piedra contra la que descansa su espalda. Algunas piedras se desprenden con pequeñas estelas de polvo, amenazando un derrumbe.

Sus brazos se llenan de sangre rápidamente al igual que su ropa cuando comienza a herirse a sí mismo por debajo de la fina tela de la camisa, más el dolor físico no hace nada contra el vacío que siente, y como si fuese un castigo rememora aquel día en que la magia blanca se unió a sus sombras de forma permanente como una sola magia, y viaja más atrás, al primer encuentro de sus magias, cuando se habían conocido, y avanza desde allí de forma dolorosa, cuando se habían vuelto hermanos más que amigos, su llegada a Sabertooth, «dragones gemelos» los habían llamado en aquel entonces. Su primer unison raid, lo recuerda como si acabase de suceder, la emoción, alegría y orgullo de ambos cuando las masas de energía blanca y negra se habían unido al fin en un mortífero ataque, después de aquello juntar sus magias había sido pan comido.

Una lágrima solitaria resbala finalmente mientras los recuerdos avanzan, las uñas enterrándose en sus muñecas y los dientes en su ya abusado labio inferior.

Lo siguiente que recuerda es cuando empezaron a distanciarse por Jiemma y su estúpido ideal, seguido de una noche que cataloga como horrible, cuando había finalmente caído en cuenta de sus sentimientos, de la profundidad de los mismos, lo poco fraternales que eran. Los recuerdos de los juegos mágicos y el cambio del gremio pasaron como un huracán, y allí estaban, tal vez los más dolorosos. Podía recordar lo nervioso que Sting se veía aquella tarde y como él mismo quería salir huyendo de la incómoda situación, pero cuando tras cinco minutos de silencio simplemente lo había besado…

Un ligero lloriqueo deja su boca aún con la fuerza con la que aprieta su labio inferior, haciéndose sangrar, porque, demonios, puede recordar cada maldito y hermoso momento que tuvieron tras esa tarde de invierno, y es como si estuvieran apuñalándolo con miles de agujas.

Y finalmente vuelve al punto de inicio, cuándo lo había asesinado para tener su poder, y por todos los demonios, le había sonreído, en el borde de la muerte, le había sonreído de la misma forma que aquella primera vez.

Profiere un grito con la voz quebrada finalmente, un rugido agónico y doloroso. No le importa si los dragones lo encuentran en ese momento, todo lo que le importa es que finalmente está llorando, dejando salir toda la tristeza y soledad que siente y que tanto tiempo había retenido para si mismo.

Para el resto de la Stingue week: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12227483/1/A-week-to-fall-in-love

[poetryofchrist]

1 Chronicles 7

It is difficult after a break of three days to get back to work and begin with a chapter full of names. I have not been very creative. There are several unique names here and several that are repeated in some other lists. KJV has Gaza in verse 28 for Ayyah (JB), Aiah (Mechon-Mamre). I don't see any reason for the KJV rendering. This reads with many variations. I have tried to reflect the variations in the English - like the plural or singular for forces. Also as usual I keep Hebrew word order for the sake of the music. (Yes - the recitations are set to music. See here. Print it and do the English underlay for fun. If you would like the XML for a music program they are all - all 929 chapters - available here. Just copy the XML file and open it with a music program.) The music for this chapter is surprisingly elaborate with ornaments as if each child's name was being celebrated.

1 Chronicles 7 Fn Min Max Syll וְלִבְנֵ֣י יִשָׂשכָ֗ר תּוֹלָ֧ע וּפוּאָ֛ה יָשׁ֥וּב וְשִׁמְר֖וֹן אַרְבָּעָֽה 1 And to the children of Issachar, Tola and Puah, Yeshuv and Shimron, four. 3c 4B 19 וּבְנֵ֣י תוֹלָ֗ע עֻזִּ֡י וּרְפָיָ֡ה וִֽ֠ירִיאֵל וְיַחְמַ֨י וְיִבְשָׂ֜ם וּשְׁמוּאֵ֗ל רָאשִׁ֤ים לְבֵית־אֲבוֹתָם֙ לְתוֹלָ֔ע גִּבּ֥וֹרֵי חַ֖יִל לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֑ם מִסְפָּרָם֙ בִּימֵ֣י דָוִ֔יד עֶשְׂרִֽים־וּשְׁנַ֥יִם אֶ֖לֶף וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת 2 And the children of Tola, Uzzi, and Rephayah, and Yeriel, and Yaxmi, and Yibsam, and Samuel, heads for the house of their ancestors of Tola, valiant of force of their successions, their count in the days of David, twenty two thousand six hundred. 3e 4C 40 17 וּבְנֵ֥י עֻזִּ֖י יִֽזְרַֽחְיָ֑ה וּבְנֵ֣י יִֽזְרַֽחְיָ֗ה מִֽיכָאֵ֡ל וְ֠עֹבַדְיָה וְיוֹאֵ֧ל יִשִּׁיָּ֛ה חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה רָאשִׁ֥ים כֻּלָּֽם 3 And the children of Uzzi, Yizraxiah. And the children of Yizraxiah, Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Yeshiah, five, heads all of them. 3c 4B 7 25 וַעֲלֵיהֶ֨ם לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֜ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבוֹתָ֗ם גְּדוּדֵי֙ צְבָ֣א מִלְחָמָ֔ה שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף כִּֽי־הִרְבּ֥וּ נָשִׁ֖ים וּבָנִֽים 4 And to them of their successions, for the house of their ancestors, raiding parties, a host of war, thirty six thousand, for many were their wives and children. 3e 4B 29 8 וַאֲחֵיהֶ֗ם לְכֹל֙ מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת יִשָׂשכָ֔ר גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חֲיָלִ֑ים שְׁמוֹנִ֤ים וְשִׁבְעָה֙ אֶ֔לֶף הִתְיַחְשָׂ֖ם לַכֹּֽל 5 And their kin, for all the families of Issachar were valiant of forces, eighty seven thousand enrolled by genealogy, for all. 3e 4C 18 13 בִּנְיָמִ֗ן בֶּ֧לַע וָבֶ֛כֶר וִידִֽיעֲאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשָֽׁה 6 Benjamin, Bela and Beker and Jediael, three. 3c 3g 15 וּבְנֵ֣י בֶ֗לַע אֶצְבּ֡וֹן וְעֻזִּ֡י וְ֠עֻזִּיאֵל וִירִימ֨וֹת וְעִירִ֜י חֲמִשָּׁ֗ה רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית אָב֔וֹת גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חֲיָלִ֑ים וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֗ם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים וְאַרְבָּעָֽה 7 And the children of Bela, Etsbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Yerimoth, and Eiri, five heads of the house of the ancestors, valiant of forces, and enrolled by genealogy, twenty two thousand thirty four. 3e 4C 33 17 וּבְנֵ֣י בֶ֗כֶר זְמִירָ֡ה וְיוֹעָ֡שׁ וֶ֠אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְאֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֤י וְעָמְרִי֙ וִירֵמ֣וֹת וַאֲבִיָּ֔ה וַעֲנָת֖וֹת וְעָלָ֑מֶת כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־בָֽכֶר 8 And the children of Beker, Zemira, and Yoash, and Eliezer, and Elyoeinai, and Omri, and Yarmut, and Abijah, and Anathoth, and Alamit. All these were the children of Beker. 3e 4C 38 6 וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֣ם לְתֹלְדוֹתָ֗ם רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית אֲבוֹתָ֔ם גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חָ֑יִל עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וּמָאתָֽיִם 9 And their genealogy of their successions, the heads of the house of their ancestors, valiant of force, twenty thousand two hundred. 3e 4B 19 8 וּבְנֵ֥י יְדִיעֲאֵ֖ל בִּלְהָ֑ן וּבְנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֗ן יְע֡וּשׁ וּ֠בִנְיָמִן וְאֵה֤וּד וּֽכְנַעֲנָה֙ וְזֵיתָ֔ן וְתַרְשִׁ֖ישׁ וַאֲחִישָֽׁחַר 10 And the children of Jediael, Bilhan, and the children of Bilhan, Yeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Kenaanah, and Zeitan, and Tarshish, and Axishaxar. 3e 4C 8 28 כָּל־אֵ֜לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י יְדִֽיעֲאֵל֙ לְרָאשֵׁ֣י הָאָב֔וֹת גִּבּוֹרֵ֖י חֲיָלִ֑ים שִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֙לֶף֙ וּמָאתַ֔יִם יֹצְאֵ֥י צָבָ֖א לַמִּלְחָמָֽה 11 All these are the children of Jediael for the heads of the ancestors, valiant of forces, seventeen thousand two hundred, who came forth as host to battle. 3e 4C 21 17 וְשֻׁפִּ֤ם וְחֻפִּם֙ בְּנֵ֣י עִ֔יר חֻ��ִׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י אַחֵֽר 12 And Shepham, and Xuppim, the children of Eir. Xushim, the children of Axer. 3e 4C 15 בְּנֵ֣י נַפְתָּלִ֗י יַחֲצִיאֵ֧ל וְגוּנִ֛י וְיֵ֥צֶר וְשַׁלּ֖וּם בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָֽה 13 The children of Naphtali, Yaxitsiel, and Guni, and Yetser, and Shallum, the children of Bilhah. 3c 4B 22 בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה אַשְׂרִיאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָלָ֑דָה פִּֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּיָּ֔ה יָלְדָ֕ה אֶת־מָכִ֖יר אֲבִ֥י גִלְעָֽד 14 The children of Manasseh, Asrael, to whom she gave birth. (His courtesan, the Aramaean, gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. 3e 4B 13 17 וּמָכִ֞יר לָקַ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לְחֻפִּ֣ים וּלְשֻׁפִּ֔ים וְשֵׁ֤ם אֲחֹתוֹ֙ מַעֲכָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י צְלָפְחָ֑ד וַתִּהְיֶ֥נָה לִצְלָפְחָ֖ד בָּנֽוֹת 15 And Makir had taken a wife of Xuppim and of Shuppim and the name of his sister was Makah.) The name of the second, Tselofexad. And Tselofexad had daughters. 3e 4C 29 9 וַתֵּ֨לֶד מַעֲכָ֤ה אֵֽשֶׁת־מָכִיר֙ בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמוֹ֙ פֶּ֔רֶשׁ וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו שָׁ֑רֶשׁ וּבָנָ֖יו אוּלָ֥ם וָרָֽקֶם 16 And the wife of Makir gave birth to Makah, a son, and she called his name Cavalier, and the name of his brother, Rootstock, and his children Ulam and Reqem. 3e 4C 24 8 וּבְנֵ֥י אוּלָ֖ם בְּדָ֑ן אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד בֶּן־מָכִ֖יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּֽׁה 17 And the children of Ulam in Dan. These were the children of Gilead, child of Makir, child of Manasseh. 3e 4C 6 13 וַאֲחֹת֖וֹ הַמֹּלֶ֑כֶת יָלְדָה֙ אֶת־אִישְׁה֔וֹד וְאֶת־אֲבִיעֶ֖זֶר וְאֶת־מַחְלָֽה 18 And his sister Hammoleketh, gave birth to Ishod, and Abiezer, and Maxelah. 3e 4A 8 15 וַיִּהְי֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י שְׁמִידָ֑ע אַחְיָ֣ן וָשֶׁ֔כֶם וְלִקְחִ֖י וַאֲנִיעָֽם 19 And were the children of Shemida, Axian, and Shechem, and Liqxi, and Aniam. 3e 4B 8 12 וּבְנֵ֥י אֶפְרַ֖יִם שׁוּתָ֑לַח וּבֶ֤רֶד בְּנוֹ֙ וְתַ֣חַת בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֶלְעָדָ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ וְתַ֥חַת בְּנֽוֹ 20 And the children of Ephraim, Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Taxat his son, and Eladah his son, and Taxat his son. 3e 4C 7 21 וְזָבָ֥ד בְּנ֛וֹ וְשׁוּתֶ֥לַח בְּנ֖וֹ וְעֵ֣זֶר וְאֶלְעָ֑ד וַהֲרָג֗וּם אַנְשֵׁי־גַת֙ הַנּוֹלָדִ֣ים בָּאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֣י יָרְד֔וּ לָקַ֖חַת אֶת־מִקְנֵיהֶֽם 21 And Zebad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer and Elad. And the men of Gath slew those born in the land, because they came down to take their livestock. 3d 4B 17 24 וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֛ל אֶפְרַ֥יִם אֲבִיהֶ֖ם יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶחָ֖יו לְנַחֲמֽוֹ 22 And Ephraim their father lamented many days. And his kin came to comfort him. 3d 4B 13 9 וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־��ְׁמוֹ֙ בְּרִיעָ֔ה כִּ֥י בְרָעָ֖ה הָיְתָ֥ה בְּבֵיתֽוֹ 23 And he came in to his wife, and she became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son, and he called his name Beriah, because in an evil state was his house. 3e 4C 13 18 וּבִתּ֣וֹ שֶׁאֱרָ֔ה וַתִּ֧בֶן אֶת־בֵּית־חוֹר֛וֹן הַתַּחְתּ֖וֹן וְאֶת־הָעֶלְי֑וֹן וְאֵ֖ת אֻזֵּ֥ן שֶׁאֱרָֽה 24 And his daughter was Sherah, and she built BethHoron, the lower part and the upper part, and Sherah's Ear. 3c 4B 21 7 וְרֶ֣פַח בְּנ֗וֹ וְרֶ֧שֶׁף וְתֶ֛לַח בְּנ֖וֹ וְתַ֥חַן בְּנֽוֹ 25 And Repax his son, and Fire-Brand, and Telax his son, and Taxan his son. 3c 4B 18 לַעְדָּ֥ן בְּנ֛וֹ עַמִּיה֥וּד בְּנ֖וֹ אֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע בְּנֽוֹ 26 Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son. 3d 3g 15 נ֥וֹן בְּנ֖וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ בְּנֽוֹ 27 f Nun his son, Joshua his son. 3e 3g 9 וַאֲחֻזָּתָם֙ וּמֹ֣שְׁבוֹתָ֔ם בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבְנֹתֶ֑יהָ וְלַמִּזְרָ֣ח נַעֲרָ֔ן וְלַֽמַּעֲרָ֗ב גֶּ֤זֶר וּבְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ וּשְׁכֶ֣ם וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ עַד־עַיָּ֖ה וּבְנֹתֶֽיהָ 28 And their holdings and settlements, Bethel and her built-up areas, and toward the sunrise, Naaran, and westward, Gezer and her built-up areas, and Shechem and her built-up areas, to Ayyah and her built-up areas. 3e 4C 15 31 וְעַל־יְדֵ֣י בְנֵי־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה בֵּית־שְׁאָ֤ן וּבְנֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ תַּעְנַ֣ךְ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יהָ מְגִדּ֥וֹ וּבְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ דּ֣וֹר וּבְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ בְּאֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָשְׁב֔וּ בְּנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֖ף בֶּן־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל 29 And adjacent to the children of Manasseh, the house of Shean and her built-up areas, Taanah and her built-up areas, Megiddo and her built-up areas, Dor and her built-up areas. In these settled the children of Joseph child of Israel. 3e 4C 34 13 בְּנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֥רַח אֲחוֹתָֽם 30 The children of Asher, Yimnah and Yishua, and Yishui, and Beriah and Serax, their sisters. 3c 4B 21 וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵ֑ל ה֖וּא אֲבִ֥י בִרְזָֽיִת 31 And the children of Beriah, Xeber and Malchiel. He is the father of Birzavit. 3e 4B 11 6 וְחֶ֙בֶר֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יַפְלֵ֔ט וְאֶת־שׁוֹמֵ֖ר וְאֶת־חוֹתָ֑ם וְאֵ֖ת שׁוּעָ֥א אֲחוֹתָֽם 32 And Xeber had Yaphlet and Shomer and Hothan, and Shua their sister. 3e 4B 16 7 וּבְנֵ֣י יַפְלֵ֔ט פָּסַ֥ךְ וּבִמְהָ֖ל וְעַשְׁוָ֑ת אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י יַפְלֵֽט 33 And the children of Yaphlet, Pesak and Bimhal, and Ashvat. These are the children of Yaphlet. 3e 4B 12 6 וּבְנֵ֖י שָׁ֑מֶר אֲחִ֥י וְרָהְגָּ֖ה וְחֻבָּ֥ה וַאֲרָֽם 34 And the children of Shomer, Axi and Rohgah and Xubbah and Aram. 3e 4A 4 11 וּבֶן־הֵ֖לֶם אָחִ֑יו צוֹפַ֥ח וְיִמְנָ֖ע וְשֵׁ֥לֶשׁ וְעָמָֽל 35 And the child of Helem, his brother, Tsophax and Yimna and Three and Toil. 3e 4A 6 11 בְּנֵ֖י צוֹפָ֑ח ס֧וּחַ וְחַרְנֶ֛פֶר וְשׁוּעָ֖ל וּבֵרִ֥י וְיִמְרָֽה 36 Are the children of Tsophax, Suax and Xarnepher and Shual and Beri and Yimra, 3c 4A 4 15 בֶּ֣צֶר וָה֗וֹד וְשַׁמָּ֧א וְשִׁלְשָׁ֛ה וְיִתְרָ֖ן וּבְאֵרָֽא 37 B Betser and Hod and Shamma and Yitran and Beera. 3c 4B 16 וּבְנֵ֖י יֶ֑תֶר יְפֻנֶּ֥ה וּפִסְפָּ֖ה וַאְרָֽא 38 And the children of Yeter, Jepunah and Pispah and Ara. 3e 4A 4 8 וּבְנֵ֖י עֻלָּ֑א אָרַ֥ח וְחַנִּיאֵ֖ל וְרִצְיָֽא 39 And the children of Ulla, Arax and Xanniel and Retsya. 3e 4A 4 9 כָּל־אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־אָ֠שֵׁר רָאשֵׁ֨י בֵית־הָאָב֤וֹת בְּרוּרִים֙ גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י חֲיָלִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֖י הַנְּשִׂיאִ֑ים וְהִתְיַחְשָׂ֤ם בַּצָּבָא֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה מִסְפָּרָ֣ם אֲנָשִׁ֔ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה אָֽלֶף 40 All these are the children of Asher, heads of the house of the ancestors, pure, valiant of forces, heads of the principals, and enrolled by genealogy in the host into the battle, their count, twenty six thousand men. 3e 4C 26 24

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[tanach-929]

#259: Shmuel/Samuel 1 Chapter 27

929 chapter link: http://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/259

Mechon Mamre link: https://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et08a27.htm

1 And David said in his heart: 'I shall now be swept away one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand.' 2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath; and he sought no more again for him. {S} 5 And David said unto Achish: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?' 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day; wherefore Ziklag belongeth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. {P}

7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gizrites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel. And he returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said: 'Whither have ye made a raid to-day?' And David said: 'Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.' 11 And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying: 'Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.' 12 And Achish believed David, saying: 'He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.' {P}

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[tanach-929]

#255: Shmuel/Samuel 1 Chapter 23

929 chapter link: http://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/255

Mechon Mamre link: https://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et08a23.htm

1 And they told David, saying: 'Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.' 2 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying: 'Shall I go and smite these Philistines?' {S} And the LORD said unto David: 'Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.' 3 And David's men said unto him: 'Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?' {S} 4 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said: 'Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.' 5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. {S} 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said: 'God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.' 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 And David knew that Saul devised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest: 'Bring hither the ephod.' {S} 10 Then said David: 'O LORD, the God of Israel, Thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as Thy servant hath heard?' O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech Thee, tell Thy servant.' {S} And the LORD said: 'He will come down.' {S} 12 Then said David: 'Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul?' And the LORD said: 'They will deliver thee up.' {S} 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth. 14 And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. {S} 16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him: 'Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.' 18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. {S} 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.' 21 And Saul said: 'Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have had compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye back to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.' 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying: 'Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.' 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi. {S}

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