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§ The story of Hannah¤1 °1
There was a man from Ramathaim, in the hills of Ephraim, whose name
was Elkanah. He was son of Tohu, son of Jeroham, of the clan of Zuph. °2 He had two wives, Hannah
and Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. °3 Every year Elkanah went to
worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts at Shiloh. The priests there were
the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. °4 Whenever Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave
portions to his wife, Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. °5 To Hannah, however, he
gave the more delightful portion because he loved her more, although she had
no child. °6 Yet Hannah’s
rival used to tease her for being barren. °7 So it happened every year
when they went to Yahweh’s house. Peninnah irritated Hannah and she would
weep and refuse to eat. °8 Once Elkanah,
her husband, asked her, “Hannah, why do you weep instead of eating? Why are
you sad? Are you not better off with me than with many sons?” °9 After they had eaten and
drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not far from Eli, the priest: his seat was
beside the doorpost of Yahweh’s house. °10 Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to Yahweh °11 and made this vow, “O Yahweh
of hosts, if only you will have compassion on your maidservant and give me a
son, I will put him in your service for as long as he lives and no razor
shall touch his head.” °12 As she prayed before
Yahweh, Eli observed the movement of her lips. °13 Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips
but uttered no sound and Eli thought Hannah was drunk. °14 He, therefore, said to
her: “For how long will you be drunk? Let your drunkenness pass.” °15 But Hannah answered: “No,
my lord, I am a woman in great distress, not drunk. I have not drunk wine or
strong drink, but I am pouring out my soul before Yahweh. °16 Do not take me for a bad
woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed continuously.” °17 Then Eli said, “Go in
peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.” °18 Hannah answered, “Let your
maidservant deserve your kindness.” Then she left the temple and when she was
at table, she seemed a different woman. °19 Elkanah rose early in the
morning and worshiped before Yahweh with his wives. Then they went back home
to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, Yahweh took compassion on
her, °20 and she became
pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said: “I
have asked Yahweh to give him to me.” °21 Once more Elkanah went to
the temple with his family to offer his yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow
to Yahweh. °22 Hannah would
not go along but she said to her husband, “I will bring the child there as
soon as he is weaned. He shall be presented to Yahweh and stay there
forever.” °23 Her husband
answered, “Do what seems best to you. Stay here until you have weaned the
child and may Yahweh confirm your vow.” So Hannah stayed behind and continued
to nurse her son until he was weaned. °24 When the child was weaned,
Hannah took him with her along with a three-year-old bull, a measure of flour
and a flask of wine, and she brought him to Yahweh’s house at Shiloh. The
child was still young. °25 After they had slain the
bull, they brought the child to Eli. °26 Hannah exclaimed: “Oh, my lord, look! I am the
woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to Yahweh. °27 I asked for this child and
Yahweh granted me the favor I begged of him. °28 Now, I think, Yahweh is asking for this child. As
long as he lives, he belongs to Yahweh.” And they worshiped Yahweh there. § Hannah’s Prayer¤2 °1
And this is the song of Hannah, “My heart exults in Yahweh, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for you came with power to save me. °2 Yahweh alone is
holy, no one is like you; there is no Rock like our God. °3 Speak proudly
no more; no more arrogance on your lips, for Yahweh is an all-knowing God, he it is who weighs the deeds of all. °4 The bow of the
mighty is broken but the weak are girded with strength. °5 The well-fed
must labor for bread but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone. °6 Yahweh is Lord
of life and death; he brings down to the grave and raises up. °7 Yahweh makes
poor and makes rich, he brings low and he exalts. °8 He lifts up the
lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honor. The earth to its pillars belongs
to Yahweh and on them he has set the world. °9 He guards the
steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for no one succeeds by his own strength. °10 The enemies of Yahweh are
shattered, against them he thunders in heaven. Yahweh rules over the whole world, he will raise his own king. His anointed feels strong in Him.” °11 After that Elkanah went
home to Ramah while the boy served Yahweh in the presence of Eli, the priest. § The story of Eli°12 The sons of Eli were
worthless men who had no regard for Yahweh. °13 This is how they acted with the people. When
someone offered sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come while the
meat was still boiling. °14 With a fork, he
would reach into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot, and all that the
fork brought up would be for the priests. This is how these priests treated
the Israelites who went to Shiloh. °15 Sometimes the priest’s servant would come before
the fat was burned and would say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat
for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you, only
raw.” °16 And if the man
answered, “Let the fat be burned first and then take as much as you wish,” he
would say, “No, give it to me now or else I will take it by force.” °17 The sin of these young
priests was very great in the sight of Yahweh because they defiled the
offering of Yahweh. °18 Meanwhile Samuel, now a
boy wearing a priest’s garment, was ministering before Yahweh. °19 From time to time his
mother made him a little robe which she handed to him when she went up with
her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. °20 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife with these words,
“May Yahweh give you more children by this woman for the sake of the boy she
asked for and then gave to Yahweh.” °21 After the man
had gone back home, Yahweh blessed Hannah with more children. She had three
sons and two daughters while the boy Samuel grew in the presence of Yahweh. °22 Eli was now
very old. He heard how his sons dealt with the Israelites and how they slept
with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. °23 So he told them, “How can
you do the things I hear about you from everyone? °24 No, my sons, what I hear from the pilgrims of
Yahweh’s people is really bad news for me. °25 When anyone sins against another person, God will
mediate for him. But if he sins against Yahweh, who can intercede for him?”
Yet the two would not listen to their father for Yahweh had already decided
that they should die. °26 The boy Samuel,
in the meantime, was growing in stature and worth before Yahweh and the
people. °27 One day,
a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is Yahweh’s word: I revealed
myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. °28 I chose
them out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priests, to go up to my altar,
to burn incense and to wear a priest’s robe in my presence, and I gave them
all the burnt offerings of Israel. °29 Why do you now despise my
sacrifice and the offerings that I myself ordered? Why do you give more
importance to your sons than to me and fatten yourselves on the choicest
parts of every offering made by my people Israel? °30 Therefore, Yahweh, the God of
Israel declares: I promised that your family and that of your father should
go on ministering before me forever; but now, far be it from me! Those who
honor me I shall honor, those who despise me will be despised. °31 The days
are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of all your
relatives. °32 No
one will live to a ripe old age. °33
Those of your household that I do not reject from my
service will be spared only to weep bitterly and live in grief; but the rest
shall die by the sword. °34 What
will happen to your sons Hophni and Phinehas shall be a sign to you: both of
them shall die on the same day. °35 I will
raise up for myself a faithful priest who shall act according to my heart and
mind. I will give him a lasting succession that will serve me and my anointed
one forever. °36 And
everyone that is left of your family shall ask him for some money or a loaf
of bread, saying: Appoint me, I beg you, for a priestly function so that I
may have something to eat.” § God calls Samuel¤3 °1
The boy Samuel ministered to Yahweh under Eli’s care in a time in
which the word of Yahweh was rarely heard; visions were not seen. °2 One night Eli
was lying down in his room, half blind as he was. °3 The lamp of God was still lighted and Samuel also
lay in the house of Yahweh near the ark of God. °4 Then Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered,
“I am here!” °5 and ran to Eli
saying, “I am here, did you not call me?” But Eli said, “I did not call, go
back to sleep.” So he went and lay down. °6 Then Yahweh
called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel stood up and went to Eli saying, “You
called me; I am here.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back
to sleep.” °7 Samuel did not yet know
Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. °8 But Yahweh called Samuel
for the third time and, as he went again to Eli saying, “I am here for you
have called me,” Eli realized that it was Yahweh calling the boy. °9 So he said to Samuel, “Go,
lie down, and if he calls you again, answer: “Speak, Yahweh, your servant
listens.” °10 Then Yahweh came and stood
there calling as he did before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered,
“Speak, for your servant listens.”
°11 Then Yahweh
spoke to Samuel, “Look, I am about to do something in Israel which will scare
everyone who hears about it. °12 On that day I
will carry out what I told Eli regarding his family. All will be fulfilled
from beginning to end. °13 For I told him
that I was about to sentence his family forever. He himself knew that his
sons were blaspheming God, but he did not stop them. °14 This is why I have cursed
the family of Eli. Their sin shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or by any
offering.” °15 Samuel lay down until
morning and rose up early. Then he opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel
was afraid to tell the vision to Eli, °16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “I am here.” °17 Eli asked,
“What did Yahweh tell you? Do not hide it from me. Fear the punishment of God
if you hide from me even one thing he told you.” °18 So Samuel told
him everything to the end and Eli said, “He is Yahweh. Let him do what seems
good to him.” °19 Samuel grew; Yahweh was
with him and made all his words become true. °20 All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that
Samuel was really Yahweh’s prophet. °21 Yahweh would appear at Shiloh; there he revealed
himself to Samuel by giving him his word. § The Philistines capture the ark¤4 °1 At that time Samuel was a
prophet of Israel. The Israelites went out to battle against the Philistines.
They encamped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek. °2 The Philistines then drew
up in battle formation. They attacked Israel and after a fierce struggle,
Israel was defeated, leaving about four thousand men dead on the battlefield.
°3 When the troops retreated
to their camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has Yahweh allowed us to be
defeated by the Philistines? Let us take the ark of God from Shiloh and bring
it here so that Yahweh may be with us and save us from our enemies.” °4 So the people sent
messengers to Shiloh to take the ark of Yahweh who is seated on the cherubim.
Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark. °5 As soon as the ark of
Yahweh entered the camp, the Israelites began to cheer so loudly that the
earth resounded. °6 The Philistines heard the
shouting and asked, “What does this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews
mean?” And they were told that the ark of Yahweh had been brought to the
camp. °7 The Philistines were
overcome with fear. They exclaimed, “A god has come into the camp. °8 Woe to us! For nothing
like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can save us from the power of
these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts
of plagues – and in the desert. °9
Take courage and conduct yourselves like men, O Philistines, lest you
become slaves to the Hebrews the way they have been slaves to you. Be manly
and fight.” °10 So the
Philistines fought and Israel was defeated. Everyone fled to his home. It was
a disastrous defeat; thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel were killed. °11 The ark of God was
captured and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. °12 A man
from the tribe of Benjamin fled from the battle line and arrived that same
day in Shiloh. His clothes were torn and his head was covered with dust. °13 When this
man arrived, Eli was on his seat by the road, watching, for his heart
trembled for what might happen to the ark of God. When the people heard the
news the man brought, all the city cried out. °14 Eli heard their outcry and asked,
“What is all this noise?” The man came to Eli at once and told him what
happened. °15 Eli
was by then ninety-eight years old and was already blind. °16 The man
said to him, “I came from the battle, for I was able to flee from it.” Then
Eli asked him, “How did the battle go, my son?” °17 The newsbearer answered, “Israel
fled before the Philistines. There has been a disaster for our men; your
sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are among the dead and the ark of God has been
taken.” °18 As
soon as the man mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his
seat by the side of the gate. He broke his neck and died for he was an old
and heavy man. Eli judged Israel for forty years. °19 Eli’s
daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and was about to give birth.
When she heard that the ark of God was taken and that both her father-in-law
and her husband were dead, she gave birth prematurely. °20 As she
lay dying, the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid for you
have given birth to a son.” But she neither answered nor listened. °21 She then
named the child Ichabod, saying: “The glory has departed from Israel!” °22 And she
said “the glory,” meaning the ark of God that had been captured. ¤5
°1 After
they had taken the ark of God, the Philistines carried it from Ebenezer to
Ashdod. °2 There
they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it up beside him. °3 Rising up
early the following day, the people saw that Dagon had fallen face downward
on the ground before the ark of Yahweh. So they picked up Dagon and put him
back in his place. °4 But
when they rose the following morning, the people saw Dagon on the ground
again, face downward before the ark of Yahweh. His head and hands were broken
off and lay at the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left where he fell.
°5 This is
why the priests of Dagon and his worshipers do not tread on the threshold of
his temple in Ashdod up to this day. °6 The hand
of Yahweh was heavy upon the people of Ashdod. Yahweh afflicted the people of
Ashdod and its vicinity with hemorrhoids. °7 Seeing this, the people of Ashdod
said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel not remain with us. His hand is heavy
on us and on Dagon, our god.” °8 So
they had all the chiefs of the Philistine cities gathered together to ask
them, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered,
“Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought to Gath.” So they brought the
ark of the God of Israel there. °9
But as soon as they had brought it to Gath, Yahweh
raised his hand against the city, causing a very great panic. He afflicted
the people there, both young and old, with hemorrhoids. °10 So they
moved the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark entered Ekron, the people
there cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel to slay
us all.” °11 So
they gathered the chiefs of the Philistine cities together to tell them,
“Send away the ark of the God of Israel. Let it return to its own place lest
we all die.” For there was deadly panic throughout the city because of God’s
heavy hand. °12 Those
who did not die were stricken with hemorrhoids and the cry of the city
reached to heaven. ¤6
°1 The
ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines for seven months. °2 The
Philistines called their priests and diviners and asked them, “What shall we
do with the ark of Yahweh? Tell us how we shall send it back to its place.” °3 The
priests and diviners answered, “If you send away the ark of the God of
Israel, do not send it away empty. Instead, provide him with a guilt
offering. Then you may be healed and you will know why God dealt with you so
severely.” °4 The
chiefs then asked, “What guilt offering shall we provide him with?” The
priests and diviners answered, “Make five golden figures of hemorrhoids and
five golden figures of mice corresponding to the number of Philistine cities,
for the same plague was on all of you and on your chiefs. °5 So you
must make images of your hemorrhoids and images of your mice that ravage the
land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will remove his hand
from you, your gods and your land. °6 But do not harden your hearts as
the Egyptians and Pharaoh did. After Yahweh had afflicted them, did they not
have to let the people go? °7 Now,
then, prepare a new cart and take two milking cows which have never carried a
yoke. Yoke the cows to the cart but take their calves away from them. °8 Then,
take the ark of Yahweh and place it on the cart. Put in a box beside it the
golden figures which you are giving him as a guilt offering. Then send it off
and let it go its way. °9 Then,
watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, through Beth-Shemesh, then
it is he who has done us this great harm. If not, then we shall know that it
is not his hand that struck us, that all these things happened to us by
chance.” °10 The
people carried out these instructions. They took two milking cows and yoked
them to the cart and shut their calves in their shed. °11 They then
put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, along with the box with the golden mice
and the images of their hemorrhoids. °12 The cows went straight in the
direction of Beth-Shemesh along the way; they went mooing and they turned
neither to the right nor to the left. Meanwhile, the chiefs of the Philistine
cities followed them as far as the border of Beth-Shemesh. °13 The
people of Beth-Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley when they
saw the ark drawing near, and they rejoiced greatly. °14 The cart
arrived in Beth-Shemesh in Joshua’s field and stopped there. A big stone lay
nearby, so the people split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows over
the stone as a burnt offering to the Lord. °15 Meanwhile, the Levites took down
the ark of Yahweh and the box containing the golden figures, and they set
these up on the big stone. That day the people of
Beth-Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to Yahweh. The five
chiefs of the Philistine cities, however, °16 upon seeing what happened,
immediately returned to Ekron. °17 These are
the Philistine cities which gave golden figures of hemorrhoids as a guilt
offering to Yahweh: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Akron. °18 Similarly,
there were golden figures of mice corresponding in number to all the cities
of the Philistines belonging to the five leaders, counting fortified cities
and unwalled villages. The big stone beside which the people set down the ark
of Yahweh in the field of Joshua of Beth-Shemesh, is a witness to this day. °19 Yahweh
caused the death of seventy men of Beth-Shemesh who had looked at the ark of
Yahweh. On seeing this, the people mourned greatly. °20 The
people of Beth-Shemesh then said, “Who can stand before Yahweh, this holy
God? And where can we send the ark away from us?” °21 So they sent messengers to the
inhabitants of Kiriath-Jearim with this word, “The Philistines have returned
the ark of Yahweh. Come down and take it up with you.” ¤7 °1 The
people of Kiriath-Jearim came for the ark of Yahweh. They brought it into the
house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated his son, Eleazar, to take
charge of it. § Samuel awakens Israel°2 A very long time passed
from the day the ark was lodged at Kiriath-Jearim. For some twenty years, all
Israel mourned and longed for Yahweh. °3 Then Samuel told the
Israelites, “If you turn back to Yahweh in all sincerity, get rid of the
foreign gods and your Ashteroth. When you have set your heart on Yahweh and
serve no one but him, he will deliver you from the Philistines.” °4 So the Israelites got rid
of the Baals and the Ashteroth and began serving no one but Yahweh. °5 Then Samuel said, “Gather
all Israel in Mizpah and I will pray to Yahweh on your behalf.” °6 And so they gathered at
Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted on that
day and said, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” It was Samuel who led this
assembly of Israel at Mizpah. °7 When the Philistines heard
that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the chiefs of the
Philistine cities went up to Israel’s land. The Israelites became afraid when
they learned this °8 and they said
to Samuel, “Pray without ceasing to Yahweh our God on our behalf so that he
may save us from the Philistines.” °9 Samuel then took a suckling lamb and offered it to
Yahweh as a whole burnt offering, appealing to him on behalf of the people.
And Yahweh answered him. °10 At the very time Samuel
was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines launched an attack against
Israel. But Yahweh’s voice thundered loudly in the midst of the Philistines;
they were suddenly confused and defeated by Israel. °11 The Israelites left
Mizpah, pursuing and slaying the Philistines to a point beyond Bethcar. °12 Samuel,
then, took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah and named it
Ebenezar, for he said, “Unto this place Yahweh has helped us.” °13 After
this defeat, the Philistines did not dare enter the territory of Israel and
Yahweh held them in check for as long as Samuel lived. °14 The
Israelites recovered the towns from Ekron to Gath which the Philistines had
seized from Israel. Israel rescued their territories. And there was peace,
even between the Israelites and the Amorites. °15 Samuel
was judge in Israel for the rest of his life. °16 Every year he went around to
Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and judged Israel in all these places. °17 After
that he returned to Ramah for his home was there. There he judged Israel and
there he built an altar to Yahweh. § The people ask for a king¤8 °1
When Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges over Israel. °2 His elder son was Joel and
the second was Abijah, and both of them were judges in Beersheba. °3 But they were not like
their father; they had their vested interests, taking bribes and perverting
justice. °4 Because of this, all the
chiefs of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel in Ramah. °5 They said to him, “You are
already old and your sons are not following your ways. Give us a king to rule
over us as in all the other nations.” °6 Samuel was very
displeased with what they said, “Give us a king to rule us,” and he prayed to
Yahweh. °7 And Yahweh told
him, “Give to this people all that they ask for. °8 They are not rejecting you but they have rejected
me as their king. They are now doing to you what they did to me from the day
I brought them out of Egypt until now, forsaking me and serving other gods. °9 Nevertheless, listen to
them, and give them a serious warning. Tell them how they will be treated by
their king.” °10 So Samuel
answered those who were asking him for a king, °11 and he told them all that Yahweh said to him,
“Look, these will be the demands of your king: he will take your sons and
assign them to his chariot and his horses and have them run before his
chariot. °12 Some he will
assign as commanders over a thousand men and commanders over fifty. Others
will till his ground and reap his harvest, make his implements of war and the
equipment for his chariots. °13 He will take
your daughters as well to prepare perfumes, to cook and to bake for him. °14 He will take the best of
your fields, your vineyards and your olive orchards and give them to his
officials. °15 He will take a
tenth portion of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers
and to his servants. °16 He will take
your menservants and maidservants, the best of your cattle and your asses for
his own work. °17 He will take
the tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves. °18 When these things happen,
you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. But
by then, Yahweh will not answer you.” °19 The people paid no
attention to all that Samuel said. They insisted, “No! We want a king to
govern us as in all the other nations. °20 Our king shall govern us, lead us and go ahead of
us in our battles.” °21 Upon hearing
all that his people said, Samuel repeated it to Yahweh. °22 But Yahweh said to him,
“Listen to them and give them a king.” Samuel then said to the Israelites,
“Go back, all of you, to your own cities.” § The story of Saul¤9 °1
There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He
was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a valiant
Benjaminite. °2 Kish had a son
named Saul, a handsome young man who had no equal among the Israelites, for
he was a head taller than any of them. °3 It happened
that the asses of Kish were lost. So he said to his son Saul, “Take one of
the boys with you and go look for the asses.” °4 They went all over the hill country of Ephraim and
the land of Shalishah but did not find them. They passed through the land of
Shaalim and the land of Benjamin, but the asses were nowhere to be found. °5 When they
reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his boy, “Let us go back, lest my
father be more worried about us than about the asses.” °6 But his servant said to
him, “Look, there is a man of God in this city. He is a highly respected man.
All that he says comes true. Let us see him for he may be able to help us
find what we are looking for.” °7 Saul replied,
“But if we go, what can we bring him? We have no more bread in our sacks and
we have no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” °8 The servant answered, “I
still have with me a quarter silver coin. I will give it to the man of God to
tell us our way.” °10 And Saul said
to his boy, “Well said! Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the
man of God was. § Samuel anoints Saul
°11 As they went up
the hill to the city, they met young girls coming out to draw water and asked
them, “Is the seer here?” °9 (Formerly,
people in Israel who went to consult God, would say, “Come, let us go to the
seer,” for they did not speak of prophets, but of seers.) °12 The maidens answered, “The
seer is straight ahead. He has just arrived because they have a sacrifice
today on the high place. °13 As soon as you
enter the city, you shall find him before he goes up to the high place to
eat. The people will not eat until he comes because he must first bless the
sacrifice, and then those who are invited may eat. Now go up; you will meet
him immediately.” °14 So they went up to the
city and entered it, and saw Samuel coming out towards them on his way up to
the high place. °15 The day before Saul came,
Yahweh had already disclosed this to Samuel, °16 “Tomorrow, about this time, I will send you a man
from the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him to rule over my people
Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines for I have
seen the affliction of my people and their cry has come to me.” °17 So, when Samuel saw Saul,
Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I spoke to you about! He shall rule over my
people.” °18 Saul approached Samuel in
the gateway and said, “Tell me, where is the house of the seer?” °19 Samuel answered Saul, “I
am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you shall eat
with me. In the morning, before you leave, I will tell you all that is in
your heart. °20 As for your
asses that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them for they have
been found.” Samuel added, “For whom is the first place in Israel?
Isn’t it for you and for all your father’s kin?” °21 Saul answered, “I am a Benjaminite, from the least
of the tribes of Israel, and my family is the lowliest of all the families of
the tribe of Benjamin. Why do you speak to me in this way?” °22 Samuel took
Saul and his boy, brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the
head of the table, before some thirty guests. °23 Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring in the portion
which I asked you to put aside.” °24 The cook brought in the
leg with the tail portion and set it before Saul, saying to him, “This has
been set aside for you. Please eat.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. °25 Then they went
down from the high place and entered the city. On the terrace they prepared a
bed for Saul where he lay down to sleep. °26 Early the next morning, Samuel called to Saul,
“Get up, for I must send you on your way.” Saul got up and began to walk down
the street with Samuel. °27 As they were
going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your
servant to walk ahead. You stay here for a while and I shall give you a
message from God.” ¤10 °1 Then Samuel took a vial of
oil and poured it on Saul’s head. And kissing Saul, Samuel said, “Yahweh has anointed
you to rule over and to lead his people Israel. And this will be Yahweh’s
sign to you that he has anointed you.
°2 After we part
today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, in the territory of
Benjamin. They will say to you: ‘The asses you were looking for have been
found. But your father is now worried about you, and what may have happened
to you.’ °3 When you go on
to the oak of Tabor, you will meet three men going up to see God at Bethel.
One will be carrying three kids; another, three loaves of bread; and another,
a skin of wine. °4 They will greet
you and give you two loaves of bread which you are to accept from them. °5 After that, you will come
to Gibeath-Elohim where the garrison of the Philistines is. At the entrance
of the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high
place, and a choir with harp, tambourine, flute and lyre going before them.
They will be in a trance as the prophets used to be. °6 Then the Spirit of Yahweh
will seize you. You shall prophesy with them and become another man. °7 Now when these
signs are fulfilled, do whatever seems good to you for God is with you. °8 You shall go down to
Gilgal ahead of me, and I shall join you there to offer burnt offerings and
peace offerings. Wait there seven days until I come and tell you what you
have to do.” °9 As soon as Saul
parted from Samuel, God transformed him into a different person and all the
signs Samuel mentioned to Saul were fulfilled that day. °10 Upon entering Gibeah, a
band of prophets met Saul; then the Spirit of God seized him and he began to
prophesy with them. °11 Those who
knew him and saw him prophesying with the prophets asked one another, “What
has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also one of the prophets?” °12 One of
them exclaimed, “And who is his father!” This, therefore, became a saying,
“Is Saul also one of the prophets?” °13 When Saul finished prophesying,
he arrived with them at the sanctuary. °14 Saul’s
uncle asked him and his boy, “Where did you go?” Saul answered, “To look for
the asses. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel.” °15 His uncle
said, “Please, tell me what Samuel told you.” °16 Saul replied, “He merely told us
that the asses had been found.” But Saul did not tell his uncle what Samuel
had said about the kingship. § Saul is elected king
°17 After
that, Samuel called the people together before Yahweh at Mizpah. °18 He then
spoke to the Israelites, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: I brought
Israel out of Egypt and I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and
from all the kingdoms oppressing you. °19 But you have this day rejected
your God who saves you from all your calamities and your distress. You have
said, ‘No! Give us a king to rule over us.’ So now present yourselves before
Yahweh, grouping yourselves into tribes and clans.” °20 Then
Samuel made all the tribes of Israel come near him and when they cast lots,
the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. °21
He made the families of the tribe of Benjamin come
near him, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. He made the members of
the family of Matrites come near him, and the lot fell to Saul, son of Kish.
They looked for him but could not find him. °22 So they asked Yahweh again, “Did
the man come here?” Yahweh answered, “He has hidden himself among the baggage.”
°23 They
ran to fetch him and when Saul stood among the people, they saw that he was a
head taller than the others. °24 Samuel
spoke and said, “Do you see the one Yahweh has chosen? There is none like him
among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” °25 Samuel
then told the people the rights and duties of the king. He wrote all these in
a book and presented it before Yahweh. Then Samuel sent all the people home. °26 Saul
himself went home to Gibeah with these valiant men whose hearts God had
touched. °27 Some
evil people, however, remarked; “How can this man save us?” And they ignored
Saul and brought him no gift. § Saul rescues the city of Jabesh
¤11 °1 One month later, Nahash the Ammonite went to
Jabesh-Gilead and surrounded the city. The people of Jabesh told Nahash,
“Make an agreement with us and we will serve you.” °2 Nahash answered, “I will make an agreement with
you on this condition: I will pluck out the right eye of all of you, so that
Israel will be left disgraced.” °3
The elders of Jabesh then told him, “Give us seven days so we may
send messengers through all the territories of Israel. If none of them comes
to save us, we will surrender to you.” °4 So the
messengers went to Gibeah of Saul, breaking the news to the people. And all
the people wept aloud. °5 Just then Saul
came from the field with his oxen. He asked, “What has happened to make the
people weep?” And they told him what the men of Jabesh had said. °6 At once, the spirit of God
seized Saul and he was greatly angered.
°7 He took a yoke
of oxen, cut them into pieces and gave them to the messengers to be taken
through all the territories of Israel with this warning, “I will do the same
with the oxen of anyone who does not come out after Saul and Samuel.” Then a holy fear came upon the
people and they set out as one man. °8 When Saul
inspected them at Bezek, the men of Israel were three hundred thousand; those
of Judah, thirty thousand. °9 And they sent
the messengers with this answer to the people of Jabesh, “Tomorrow, by
noontime, we shall come to you.” When the messengers returned, the people of
Jabesh were very comforted °10 and they told
Nahash, “Tomorrow we will surrender and you may do to us whatever you
please.” °11 The following morning,
Saul divided the people into three groups. They broke into the enemy camp
early in the morning and slew the Ammonites until noontime. Those who could
escape were scattered, each one running his own way. °12 Then the people asked
Samuel, “Who are these who said: Saul will never reign over us? Bring the men
and we shall put them to death.” °13 But Saul said, “No man
shall be put to death today, for this day Yahweh has saved Israel.” °14 Samuel told the people,
“Come, let us go to Gilgal and officially proclaim the kingdom.” °15 So all the people went to
Gilgal and there they proclaimed Saul king before Yahweh. They sacrificed
peace offerings and Saul and all Israel celebrated. § Samuel gives way to Saul
¤12 °1 Samuel spoke to the Israelites, “Listen, I have
paid attention to all that you have told me and have given you a king. °2 From now on, the king is
here to lead you. As for me, I am old and my hair gray. My sons are with you.
I have led you from my youth, and I have done so until this day. °3 Now, I am here. Answer me
before Yahweh and his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? Whose ass have I
stolen? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? Have I taken a bribe from
anyone? If so, tell me, and I will restore it to you.” °4 But they said, “You have
not cheated or oppressed us; you have not stolen anything from anyone.” °5 Then Samuel said, “Yahweh
is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have
not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.” °6 Samuel
then said to the people, “Yahweh is witness, he who sent Moses and Aaron and
brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt. °7 Now, stand still, that I may
confront you with all the deeds of Yahweh who saved you and your ancestors. °8 Jacob
went to Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed your ancestors. Then they cried to
Yahweh and he sent Moses and Aaron. They brought your ancestors out of Egypt
and brought them to this land. °9 But
they forgot Yahweh, their God, and he delivered them into the hands of
Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin, king of Hazor, into the hands of the
Philistines, and into the hands of the king of Moab who fought against them. °10 Then your
ancestors cried to Yahweh and said: ‘We have sinned, forsaking Yahweh and
serving the Baals and the Ashteroth. But now, deliver us out of the hands of
our enemies and we will serve you.’ °11 And Yahweh sent Jerubbaal and
Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hands of your
enemies from all sides, so that you lived in safety in your land. °12 Now, when
you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, attacked you, you said to me:
‘No! Let a king rule over us,’ although Yahweh your God was your king. °13 Yet
Yahweh has given you the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for. °14 May you
fear Yahweh and serve him! May you listen to him and not go against his
commandments! May both you and the king who reigns over you follow Yahweh,
your God! °15 But
if you will not listen to Yahweh and if you break his commandments, his hand
will be against you and your king. °16 Now wait
awhile that you may see the wonder which Yahweh will do before you. °17 Is it not
wheat harvest today? I will call on Yahweh that he may send thunder and rain.
So you shall know and see that you have gone very wrong in asking for another
king.” °18 So Samuel
called on Yahweh who sent thunder and rain on that day. Then all the people
greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. °19 The
people said to Samuel, “Pray to Yahweh, your God, for your servants so we may
not die. For we have added to our sins this evil of asking for a king.” °20 Samuel
told the people, “Fear not! You have done evil, but now you must not turn
away from Yahweh. Serve him, instead, with all your heart. °21 Do not go
after these useless and vain idols that are unable to save. °22 Yahweh
will not cast away his people because of his great Name, since he has been
pleased to make you his people. °23
As for me, how can I commit the sin of ceasing to
pray for you? I will continue to instruct you in the good and right way. °24 Only fear
Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for you have seen the
wonderful things he has done for you. °25 But if you still persist in
wickedness, both you and your king shall be swept away.” ¤13 °1 Saul
became king and he ruled over Israel. °2 Saul chose three thousand men of
Israel. Two thousand were with him in Michmash and in the hills of Bethel,
and a thousand with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul sent the rest of the
people away, every man to his home. °3 Jonathan killed the Philistine
governor in Geba and the Philistines heard of this. Saul then blew the
trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” °4 And the
news spread throughout Israel, “Saul has killed the Philistine governor and
now Israel is at war with them.” And they called everyone out to join Saul at
Gilgal. § The “sin” of Saul
°5 The Philistines gathered
to fight with Israel – three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and
troops as many as the sand on the seashore. They went up and encamped in
Michmash, east of Bethaven. °6 When the people
of Israel saw that they were in trouble, they hid themselves in caves, in
holes, in rocks, in tombs and in cisterns, °7 or crossed the fords of the Jordan River to the
land of Gad and Gilead. °8 Saul was still
at Gilgal and all the people with him were afraid. He waited seven days – the
time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal and the people
were beginning to disperse. °9 So Saul said,
“Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings as well.” Saul then
offered the burnt offering. °10 He had just
finished offering it when Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet Samuel °11 who threw him this
question, “What have you done?” Saul answered him, “When I saw the people
beginning to disperse because of your failure to arrive on time, and
considering that the Philistines have mustered their forces at Michmash, °12 I said to myself, ‘The
Philistines will launch their attack against me before I get Yahweh’s
blessings and so I decided to offer the burnt offerings.” °13 Samuel told Saul, “You
have done a foolish thing by not obeying the command of Yahweh your God who
would have established your rule forever. °14 But now your kingship will not last, for Yahweh
has chosen someone else more pleasing to him, whom he has appointed to be
commander over his people because you have not done what Yahweh commanded
you.” °15 Samuel then
left Gilgal and went on his way. Meanwhile the people went up from Gilgal
with Saul to join the warriors at Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul reviewed his men numbering some six hundred. °16 While Saul and his son
Jonathan stayed in Gebah of Benjamin with the men, the Philistines pitched
camp in Michmash. °17 Raiders came
out of the Philistine camp in three companies – one company turned to Ophrah,
to the land of Shual; °18 the other, to
Bethoron; and the third, to the border overlooking the valley of Zeboim,
toward the wilderness. °19 The Israelites
had no smith anywhere in their land, for the Philistines did not want the
Hebrews to make swords or spears. °20
To have their plowshare, mattock, axe or sickle sharpened, the
Israelites had to go down to the Philistines °21 who would charge them two thirds of a shekel for
plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening axes and
setting goads. °22 And so, on the
day of battle, the Israelites had neither sword nor spear. Only Saul and
Jonathan had them. °23 Yet the
Philistine raiders had moved on toward the pass of Michmash. ¤14 °1 The same
day, Jonathan, son of Saul, said to his armor-bearer, “Let us go over to the
Philistine garrison on the other side. Jonathan did not inform his father
about this. °2 Saul
was at that time on the outskirts of Gibeah, at Migron, under the pomegranate
tree with about six hundred men. °3
Also with Saul was Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of
Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, and he was
wearing the ephod to consult Yahweh. Not even the soldiers knew that Jonathan
had left them. °4 The pass
through which Jonathan planned to go to reach the Philistine garrison was
flanked on each side by a rocky crag: one called Bozez, the other, Seneh. °5 One of
the crags was to the north in the direction of Michmash; the other to the
south, in the direction of Giba. °6 Jonathan
said to his shield-bearer, “Let us go over to the garrison of those
uncircumcised fellows. It may be that Yahweh will help us, for it is as easy
for Yahweh to give victory with a few men as with many.” °7 His
armor-bearer replied, “Do whatever you think best. As for me, I follow and
obey you.” °8 Jonathan
said, “Look, we will draw near and show ourselves to those men. °9 When they
see us, if they cry out: ‘Stay there and we shall go over to you,’ we shall
stay quiet and go no further. °10 But
if they say: ‘Come up to us,’ we shall go up because that will be a sign that
Yahweh has delivered them into our hands.” °11 When the
two were seen by the Philistines, the latter exclaimed, “Look! Hebrews coming
out of their hiding places!” °12 And
they challenged Jonathan and his shield-bearer, “Come over here and we will
teach you a lesson!” Jonathan then told his armor-bearer, “Follow me, for
Yahweh has delivered them into the hands of Israel.” °13 Then
Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, his armor-bearer following him.
The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer finished them off.
°14 In
that first slaying by Jonathan and his armor-bearer, about twenty men lost
their lives within half a furlong. °15 Panic struck in the camp and in
the countryside, sowing terror in the garrison. Even the band of raiders was
disturbed. It was like an earthquake and they were filled with a holy terror. °16 Saul’s
watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin saw the commotion in the camp: the Philistines
were running and scattering in all directions. °17 Saul then told those who were
around him, “Count our men and see who is missing.” And they discovered that
Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not with them. °18 Saul ordered Ahijah: “Bring the
ephod,” because Ahijah had taken it with him. °19 But while Saul was talking to the
priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp increased. Saul then told the
priest, “Withdraw your hand,” °20 and
after consulting his men, he went with them to the camp. They saw that there
was complete confusion and the soldiers were striking each other with their
swords. °21 Moreover,
the Hebrews who had joined the Philistines turned around and sided with the
Israelites under Saul and Jonathan. °22 When the Israelites who were
hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were
fleeing, they came out from hiding and pursued them. °23 And so
Yahweh delivered Israel that day in a battle that extended beyond Beth-Horon. °24 On that
day, however, as the Israelites became weary, Saul took an oath putting the
people under the ban, “Cursed be the man who takes food before evening,
before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” Because of this oath, no one
dared touch any food. °25 As
the men wandered into the forest, they saw honey on the ground and °26 although
it was freely dripping from the honeycomb, no one tasted it for fear of the
oath. °27 But
Jonathan, who had not heard of this oath, dipped the tip of the rod he was
holding in the honeycomb and put it to his lips. And he felt fortified. °28 At this,
someone said, “Though the people were tired, your father bound them with this
oath: cursed be the man who takes food today.” °29 Then Jonathan said, “My father
did you wrong. See how I have been fortified by tasting a little of this
honey. °30 If
only our men had freely eaten today of the spoil of their enemies, the
Philistines would have suffered an even greater defeat.” °31 Nevertheless
they pursued the Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. Then the
people, extremely worn out, °32 rushed
to the spoils and took sheep, oxen, and calves and, after they had
slaughtered them on the ground, they ate over the blood. °33 Saul was
told that the people were sinning against Yahweh by eating over the blood. He
said, “You have acted like pagan people! Roll a large stone here in front of
me.” °34 Then
he added, “Go around and tell the people to bring their oxen or their sheep
to me. Slaughter them here and eat, but do not offend Yahweh by eating over
the blood.” So that night, everyone brought what he had of the spoils and slaughtered
it there. °35 Then
Saul built an altar to Yahweh – the first he ever built to Him. °36 Then Saul
said, “Let us pursue and spoil the Philistines by night and finish them off
by morning without leaving a single man alive.” To this the people replied,
“Do what you think is best.” But the priest said, “We must consult Yahweh.” °37 So Saul
asked, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hands
of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day. °38 Saul said, “Call all the army
officers here. We must find out who is responsible for the sin that has been
committed today. °39 I
swear before Yahweh, who has just saved Israel, that he shall surely die even
if it happens to be my son Jonathan.” No one answered Saul. °40 He told
the people, “Go, stand on one side while I and my son Jonathan, stand on the
other.” The people answered, “Do what you think is good.” °41 Then Saul
said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, why did you not answer your servant this
time? If it is my son Jonathan or I who have sinned, O Yahweh, God of Israel,
let the casting of lots show Urim; if it is your people Israel who have
sinned, let it show Thummin.” The lot cast pointed to Jonathan and Saul, not
to the people. °42 Saul
then said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” The lot singled out
Jonathan. °43 Saul then
said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan replied, “All I
did was to taste a little honey from the tip of the rod that I dipped in the
honeycomb! Am I to die for this?” °44
Saul said, “May God strike me down if you are not
put to death, Jonathan.” °45 But
the people protested, “By no means shall Jonathan die, he who has brought
this resounding victory to Israel! Not at all! By Yahweh’s life not one hair
of his head will fall, for he has acted today with God’s assistance.” So the
people rescued Jonathan from certain death. °46 After that, Saul ceased to pursue
the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own country. °47 When Saul
felt secure as king of Israel, he began to fight against all his surrounding
enemies: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah and the Philistines,
routing his enemies wherever he went. °48 He crushed the Amalekites, and
delivered Israel out of the hands of those who were plundering them. °49 The sons
of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchishua; his two daughters were Merab,
his firstborn, and Michal. °50 His
wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. The general of his army was Abner, son
of Ner who was Saul’s uncle. °51 Kish
was the father of Saul and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel. °52 Saul
struggled fiercely against the Philistines all the days of his life, so
whenever he discovered a strong and brave man, he recruited him into his
service. § Saul is rejected as king¤15
°1 Samuel
told Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel. So now
listen to what he has to say to you: °2 I will punish Amalek for having
stood in the way of the Israelites when they were leaving Egypt. °3 Now
attack Amalek and destroy completely all that he has. Do not spare them –
man, woman, infant or suckling, ox or sheep, camel or ass.” °4 Saul
called his men to Telaim and reviewed two hundred thousand foot soldiers and
ten thousand men from Judah. °5 He
went to the city of Amalek, set an ambush in the valley and °6 proceeded
to warn the Kenites, “Leave the Amalekites! I do not want to punish you with
them since you showed kindness to the people of Israel when they left Egypt.”
After the Kenites had left, °7 Saul
defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt.°8 He took
Agag, king of the Amalekites alive, but put the rest of the people to the
sword. °9 Saul
and his men spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings and lambs
and everything that was good, but destroyed all that was worthless. °10 Then
Yahweh spoke to Samuel: °11 “I
feel sorry that I made Saul king because he has turned his back on me and has
not kept my command.” Samuel was troubled and cried to Yahweh all night. °12 Early
next morning, he went looking for Saul, but was told that Saul had set off
for Carmel to erect a monument to himself and then had gone on his way to
Gilgal. °13 When
finally they met, Saul greeted Samuel, “May Yahweh bless you,” and added, “I
have done what Yahweh told me to do.” °14 Samuel then asked him, “Why do I
still hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen?” °15 Saul
replied, “We have brought them from the Amalekites, because the people spared
the best sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Yahweh, your God. But the rest have
been destroyed.” °16 Samuel
then told Saul, “Enough! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.”
Saul replied, “Please tell me.” °17
So Samuel went on and said, “Though you had no
confidence in yourself, you became chief of the tribes of Israel, for Yahweh
wanted to anoint you king over Israel. °18 Then he sent you with this
command, ‘Go. Completely crush the Amalekite offenders, engaging them in
battle until they are destroyed.’ °19
Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh but
instead swooped down on the spoil, doing what was evil in his sight?” °20 To this,
Saul replied, “I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and have carried out the
mission for which he sent me. I have captured Agag, king of Amalek and
completely destroyed the Amalekites. °21 If my men spared the best sheep
and oxen from among those to be destroyed, it was in order to sacrifice them
to Yahweh, your God, in Gilgal.” °22
Samuel then said, “Does Yahweh take as much delight
in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to his command? Obedience
is better than sacrifice, and submission better than the fat of rams. °23 Rebellion
is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness like holding onto idols.
Since you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king.” °24 Saul then
told Samuel, “I have sinned in disobeying Yahweh’s command and your
instructions. I feared my own men and obeyed them instead. °25 Please
forgive my sin and return with me so I may worship Yahweh.” °26 Samuel
refused and said, “I will not return with you because you have rejected the
word of Yahweh and he has rejected you as king of Israel.” °27 As Samuel
turned to leave, Saul held onto the end of his robe, which tore. °28 Then
Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day
and has given it to someone better than you. °29 The Glory of Israel does not
change or repent as man does.” °30 Saul then
said, “I have sinned. But please honor me now before the elders of my people
and before Israel. Return with me so that I may worship Yahweh, your God.” °31 And
Samuel returned with Saul who went to worship Yahweh. °32 Samuel
said, “Bring me Agag, king of the Amalekites.” Agag stood before him with a
cheerful face, thinking that he was now out of danger. °33 But
Samuel told him, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your
mother be childless among women.” Then Samuel dealt a mortal blow to Agag
before Yahweh in Gilgal. °34 Samuel
left for Ramah while Saul went home to Gibeah of Saul. °35 From that
day Samuel did not see Saul again until he died, but he was grieving over
Saul because Yahweh regretted having made him king over Israel. § Samuel anoints David
¤16 °1 Yahweh asked Samuel, “How long will you be
grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn
with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have chosen my
king from among his sons.” °2 Samuel asked, “How can I
go? If Saul hears of this, he will kill me!” Yahweh replied, “Take a heifer
with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ °3 Invite Jesse to the
sacrifice and I will let you know what to do next. You shall anoint for me
the one I point out to you.” °4 Samuel did what Yahweh
commanded and left for Bethlehem. When he appeared, the elders of the city
came to him asking, fearfully, “Do you bring us peace?” °5 Samuel replied, “I come in
peace; I am here to sacrifice to Yahweh. Cleanse yourselves and join me in
the sacrifice.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleansed and invited them to
the sacrifice. °6 As they came, Samuel
looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be Yahweh’s anointed.” °7 But Yahweh told Samuel,
“Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. Yahweh
does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; Yahweh sees the
heart.” °8 Jesse called his son
Abinadab and presented him to Samuel who said, “Yahweh has not chosen this
one either.” °9 Jesse presented
Shammah and Samuel said, “Nor has Yahweh chosen this one.” °10 Jesse presented seven of
his sons to Samuel who said, “Yahweh has chosen none of them. °11 But are all your sons
here?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just
now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit
down to eat until he arrives.” °12
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was
a handsome lad with ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And Yahweh spoke,
“Go, anoint him for he is the one.” °13 Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him
in his brothers’ presence. From that day onwards, Yahweh’s Spirit took hold
of David. Then Samuel left for Ramah. °14 The
spirit of Yahweh had left Saul and an evil spirit sent by Yahweh tormented
him. °15 Saul’s
servants said to him, “We know that an evil spirit sent by God is tormenting
you. °16 If
you so wish, your servants who stand before you will look for someone who can
play the lyre so when the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play
and you will feel better.” °17 So Saul
answered them, “Get someone who can play the lyre well.” °18 One of
them said, “A son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, plays very well. He is,
moreover, a courageous man, intelligent and pleasant to talk with and Yahweh
is with him.” °19 So Saul
sent messengers to Jesse and asked for his son David who tended the sheep. °20 Jesse
loaded an ass with bread, a wineskin and a kid and had David take all these
to Saul. °21 David
then left and entered Saul’s service. Saul grew very fond of David and made
him his armor-bearer. °22 Then
he sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service for I am very
pleased with him.” °23 So,
whenever the evil spirit from God overpowered Saul, David would play on the
lyre and Saul would feel better for the evil spirit would leave him. ¤17 °1 The
Philistines prepared their forces for battle and gathered together at Socoh,
a territory of Judah. They encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim. °2 Saul and
the Israelites, meantime, assembled and pitched camp in the valley of Elah,
ready for their encounter with the Philistines. °3 The Philistines took their
position on one hill while the Israelites took theirs on another hill, with a
valley separating the two forces. § David and Goliath
°4 Then a
champion named Goliath came out from the Philistine camp. He was from Gath
and was about three meters tall. °5
He wore a helmet of bronze, and a coat covered with
bronze scales. His armor weighed sixty kilos. °6 He had bronze greaves strapped on
his legs and a bronze spear slung between his shoulders. °7 The shaft
of his spear was the size of a weaver’s rod; its head weighed seven kilos.
His shield-bearer went before him. °8 He stood in front of the
Israelite ranks and shouted, “Why have you come out in battle array? I am a
Philistine and you are Saul’s men! Choose a man from among yourselves who can
challenge me. °9 If he fights
better and kills me, we shall be subject to you; but if I overpower him and
kill him, you shall be subject to us.” °10 The Philistine added,
“This is my challenge to the Israelite troops this day. Give me a man who can
fight with me alone!” °11 When they heard
this challenge of the Philistine, Saul and his men were afraid and greatly
terrified. °12 Now,
David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah who had eight
sons. Jesse was already old during Saul’s reign but he had sent men to the
army. °13 Three of
his eldest sons had joined Saul in battle: Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab,
the second and Shammah, the third. °14 David was Jesse’s youngest and,
while the three eldest followed Saul, °15 he would alternate his goings and
comings to the army with the care of his father’s flock in Bethlehem. °16 Every
morning and again in the evening, the Philistine would come out to throw his
challenge; this he did for forty days. °17 One day, Jesse told his son
David, “Bring a measure of this roasted grain and these ten loaves to your
brothers; °18 and
take these ten cheeses to the field officer. Find out how your brothers are
and bring me back some token from them.” °19 David’s brothers and the field
officer were with Saul and the Israelites in the valley of Elah, facing the
Philistines. °20 David
woke up early the next morning and entrusted the sheep to a shepherd. Taking
the food along with him, he left in obedience to Jesse’s command and arrived
at the encampment just when the army was leaving for the battleground,
shouting out their battle cry. °21
Israel and the Philistine drew up facing one
another. °22 On
seeing this, David entrusted his load to the baggage keeper and rushed to the
ranks to greet his brothers. °23 While
he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion of Gath, came up
from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted out the same challenge as
before, this time reaching David’s ears. °24 When the
Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him terrified °25 and one
of them said, “Have you seen this man who comes up challenging Israel?
Whoever succeeds in killing him will be richly rewarded by the king. He will
give him his daughter in marriage and set his family free of every
contribution.” °26 David
asked those who were around him, “What will be the reward for the person who
kills this Philistine and lifts this disgrace from Israel? And who is this
uncircumcised Philistine who defies the armies of the living God?” °27 The
people answered him in the same way, “This will be the reward of whoever
kills him.” °28 When he
saw David talking to the men, his eldest brother Eliab was angry and said,
“Why did you come here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the
desert? I know you are an insolent fellow. You have come only to see the
battle.” °29 David
asked, “What have I done this time? I was merely asking something!” °30 Leaving
his brother, David turned to another man and asked him the same question, and
the people answered him the same way as before. °31 David’s
remarks spread around and reached Saul, who asked for him. °32 David said to
Saul, “Let no one be discouraged on account of this Philistine, for your
servant will engage him in battle.” °33 Saul told David, “You cannot fight with this
Philistine for you are still young, whereas this man has been a warrior from
his youth.” °34 But David said,
“When I was tending my father’s sheep, whenever a lion or bear came to snatch
a lamb from the flock, °35 I would run
after it, kill it and rescue the victim from its mouth. If it attacked me, I
would hold it by its beard and slay it. °36 I have killed lions and bears and will do the same
with this uncircumcised Philistine, for he has defied the armies of the
living God.” °37 David
continued, “Yahweh, who delivered me from the paws of lions and bears, will
deliver me from the hands of the Philistine.” Saul then told David, “Go and may Yahweh be with you!” °38 Saul fitted his armor on
David, put a bronze helmet on his head, clothed him with a coat of mail. °39 David secured his sword
over the armor but could not walk because it was his first time. So he said
to Saul, “I cannot move with all these trappings on me because I am not
accustomed to wearing them.” David got rid of all this armor, °40 took his staff, picked up
five smooth stones from the brook and dropped them inside his shepherd’s bag.
And with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine. °41 The Philistine moved
forward, closing in on David, his shield-bearer in front of him. °42 When he saw that David was
only a lad, (he was of fresh complexion and handsome) he despised him °43 and said, “Am I a dog that
you should approach me with a stick?” Cursing David by his gods, °44 he continued, “Come and I
will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field!” °45 David answered the
Philistine, “You have come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I
come against you with Yahweh, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have
defied. °46 Yahweh will
deliver you this day into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off
your head. I will give the corpses of the Philistine army today to the birds
of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth shall know
that there is a God of Israel. °47
All the people gathered here shall know that Yahweh saves not by
sword or spear; the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will deliver you into
our hands.” °48 No sooner had
the Philistine moved to attack him, than David rushed to the battleground. °49 Putting his hand into his
bag, he took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead;
it penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. °50 David triumphed over the
Philistine with a sling and a stone, felling him without using a sword. °51 He rushed forward, stood
over him, took the Philistine’s sword and slew him by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead,
they scattered in all directions.
°52 The men of
Israel and Judah raised the battle cry and pursued the Philistines as far as
Gath and the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines fell on the way from
Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron. °53 Returning from
their pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites plundered their camp. °54 David took the head of the
Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem but left the armor in his tent. °55 When Saul saw David come
out to oppose the Philistine, he asked his general, Abner, “Abner, whose son
is that young man?” Abner answered, “I swear, O king, I do not know.” °56 The king said, “Ask whose
son that lad is.” °57 So when David
returned after killing the Philistine, Abner took him to Saul. °58 Saul asked David, who
stood before him holding the head of the Philistine, “Whose son are you,
young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite.” § David, Saul and Jonathan
¤18
°1 When
David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan felt a deep affection for
David and began to love him as himself.
°2 Saul
kept David with him from that day and did not allow him to return to his
father’s house. °3 Then
Jonathan made an agreement with David because he loved him as himself. °4 Jonathan,
taking off the cloak he was wearing, gave it to David; he also gave him his
own armor, sword, bow and belt. °5 Wherever
Saul sent David, he went and succeeded. For this reason, Saul put David in
charge of the soldiers – a move which pleased Saul’s men and his officers as
well. °6 When
they arrived after David had slain the Philistine, the women came out from
the cities of Israel to meet King Saul singing and dancing with timbrels and
musical insruments. °7 They
were merrily singing this song: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David, his
tens of thousands.” °8 Saul was
very displeased with this song and said, “They have given tens of thousands
to David but to me only thousands! By now he has everything but the kingdom!”
°9 From then
on, Saul became very distrustful of David. °10 The
following day, an evil spirit from God seized Saul, causing him to rave in
his house. David then played on the lyre as he used to do, while Saul had his
spear in hand. °11 Then
Saul pointed it at David thinking, “I will nail David to the wall.” But David
escaped on two occasions. °12 Saul saw
that Yahweh was with David and had left him. And he was afraid. °13 So he
removed David from his presence by making him chief of a thousand men. David
went ahead of his troops °14 and
was successful each time because Yahweh was with him. °15 The more
successful David was, the more afraid Saul became. °16 But all Israel and Judah loved
David because he led them in their expeditions. °17 Saul said
to David, “You know my eldest daughter, Merab. I will give her to you as your
wife; be brave and fight Yahweh’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let the
Philistines strike him instead of myself.” °18 David answered Saul, “Who am I?
And what is my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s
son-in-law?” °19 Yet
when it was time for Merab to be married to David, she was given instead to
Adriel the Meholathite. °20 Now,
Saul’s daughter, Michal, fell in love with David. When this came to Saul’s
knowledge, he was very pleased °21
for he thought, “I shall promise her to him and it
will be a snare to him. The Philistines will kill him.” So, Saul said to
David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” °22 Then he
commanded his servants to talk to David privately and say, “The king and all
his servants like you. You should become the king’s son-in-law!” °23 Saul’s
servants repeated these words to David who replied, “Do you think it is easy
to become the king’s son-in-law, poor and unknown as I am?” °24 When
Saul’s servants repeated to the king what David had said, °25 Saul
ordered them to tell David, “The king wants no marriage gift other than a
hundred Philistine foreskins to take revenge on his enemies.” For Saul wanted
David to fall into the hands of the Philistines. °26 Saul’s
servants told this to David and it seemed to him that he could easily become
the king’s son-in-law. °27 David
and his men set out and killed two hundred Philistines. And they brought the
king the foreskins so that David could become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul
had to give his daughter Michal to David to become his wife. °28 Saul
feared David for he knew that Yahweh was with him. But Michal, Saul’s
daughter, loved him. °29 Saul
feared David more and more and was his enemy until the end. °30 Whenever
the Philistine chiefs engaged David in battle, he succeeded more than any of
Saul’s officers, in earning great fame for himself. ¤19 °1 Saul told
his son Jonathan and his servants of his intention to kill David. But
Jonathan, who liked David very much, °2 said to David, “My father Saul
wants to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning and hide yourself in a
secret place. °3 I
will go out and keep my father company in the countryside where you are and I
will speak to him about you. If I find out something, I will let you know.” °4 Jonathan
spoke well of David to his father Saul and said, “Let not the king sin
against his servant David for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary,
what he has done has benefited you.
°5 He
risked his life in killing the Philistine and Yahweh brought about a great
victory for Israel. You yourself saw this and greatly rejoiced. Why then sin
against innocent blood and kill David without cause?” °6 Saul
heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to
death.” °7 So
Jonathan called David and told him all these things. He then brought him to
Saul and David was back in Saul’s service as before. °8 War broke
out again and David set out to fight the Philistines. David crushed them so
badly that they had to flee. °9 Then
an evil spirit from Yahweh seized Saul as he sat in his house holding his
spear while David was playing on the lyre. °10 Saul made an attempt to pin David
to the wall with his spear. David, however, dodged the blow and the spear hit
the wall instead. David fled and escaped. °11 That
night Saul sent messengers to David’s house to keep an eye on him as he
intended to kill him the following morning. But David’s wife, Michal, told
him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” °12 So Michal
let David down through the window, allowing him to escape. °13 Next
Michal took the household idol, laid it in the bed and put a bundle of goat’s
hair on its head. She then covered this with a blanket. °14 When Saul
sent messengers to capture David, Michal told them, “He is sick.” °15 Saul sent
messengers back to David and said, “Bring him up to me on his bed for me to
kill him.” °16 But
when the messengers entered, they saw the household idol in the bed with the
bundle of goat’s hair at its head. °17 Saul, therefore, asked Michal,
“Why did you deceive me and allow my enemy to escape?” Michal answered, “He
threatened to kill me if I did not let him go!” § Saul and the prophets
°18 David had fled and was in
safety. He went to Samuel at Ramah and related all that Saul had done to him.
He and Samuel then went to live at Naioth. °19 Saul was told that David stayed at Naioth in
Ramah, °20 so he sent messengers to
capture David. But when they saw the band of prophets prophesying (signifying
that they had fallen into a trance) with Samuel leading them, the spirit of
Yahweh came upon them and made them prophesy. °21 Upon hearing what
happened, Saul sent more messengers who also began to prophesy. Saul sent
more the third time and the same thing happened. °22 Then Saul himself went to
Ramah and arrived at the deep well in Secu. He asked, “Where can I find
Samuel and David?” The people answered, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.” °23 So Saul proceeded to
Naioth in Ramah but the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him as well. And he walked
along prophesying until he reached the entrance of Naioth in Ramah. °24 He took off his clothes
and prophesied in Samuel’s presence. Then he fell down naked, remaining in
that position all day and all night. Hence sprang the saying, “Is Saul also
among the prophets?” ¤20 °1 David fled from Naioth in
Ramah and went to Jonathan to ask him, “What have I done? What am I guilty
of? What sin have I committed against your father that he wants to kill me?” °2 Jonathan, however, assured
him, “No! You shall not die. My father does nothing small or great without
informing me. Why should he hide this from me? No, this cannot be.” °3 But David replied, “Your
father knows very well that you are pleased with me, so he thinks it is
better not to tell you and grieve you. But I swear there is but one step
between death and me!” °4 Then Jonathan
told David, “What can I do for you?”
°5 David answered,
“Tomorrow is the new moon and I should be dining with the king. But let me
hide myself in the open country until the evening of the third day. °6 If your father looks for
me, say to him: ‘David asked me to let him go over to Bethlehem because they
have their yearly sacrifice there with the entire family.’ °7 If he says, ‘Good’ then I
am in no danger. But if he gets angry, then you can be certain that he wants
to harm me. °8 Do this for me
according to our agreement. But if I am guilty, kill me yourself. Why hand me
over to your father to be killed?” °9 Jonathan answered,
“Nonsense! If I knew that my father wanted to harm you, would I not warn
you?” °10 David then
asked him, “Who will tell me if your father answers you angrily?” °11 Jonathan said, “Come, let
us go into the open country.” So they both left for the open country. °12 Then
Jonathan said to David, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, be our witness. About
this time tomorrow or the following day, I shall be sounding out my father.
If he is well-disposed toward you, I shall send you word. °13 But if my
father intends to do you harm, may Yahweh punish me if I do not warn you that
you may escape safely. Surely Yahweh will be with you as he has been with my
father. °14 If I live, always be kind to me. But if I die, °15-°16 never cut
off your friendship with my family even when Yahweh takes vengeance on
David’s enemies and wipes them out from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with
the family of David. °17 And
he made David swear once more because of the affection he felt for him for he
loved David as himself. °18 Then
Jonathan said, “Tomorrow is the new moon. Your absence will be noticed
because your seat will be vacant. °19
On the third day it will be noticed all the more. So
go and hide yourself where you hid before and stay beside the heap of stones
there. °20 I
will shoot three arrows near the stones as if I were aiming at a target. °21 I will
then send a lad with this instruction: ‘Go, look for the arrows.’ If I say to
the lad: ‘The arrows are on this side, pick them up,’ then you may come out
for, I swear, you are not in danger. °22 But if I say to the lad: ‘The
arrows are beyond you,’ leave, for Yahweh is sending you away. °23 But as to
our covenant, Yahweh is our witness forever.” °24 So David
hid himself in the open country. On the day of the new moon the king came to
dine. °25 He
took his usual place on the seat against the wall while Jonathan sat facing
him and Abner was beside him. David’s seat remained vacant. °26 Saul did
not say anything on that day, thinking that something may have happened and
David was unclean. °27 On
the second day of the new moon, David’s seat was still vacant and Saul asked
his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to table yesterday and
today?” °28 Jonathan
answered, “David asked leave to go over to Bethlehem for he said, °29 ‘Our
family is offering a sacrifice in the city and my brothers insisted that I be
present. So please allow me to go and visit my brothers.’ This is why he has
not come to the king’s table.” °30 Saul
became very angry at Jonathan and told him, “You son of a perverse and
rebellious woman! Do I not know that you prefer the son of Jesse to your
shame and your mother’s shame? °31 For as
long as the son of Jesse lives, neither you nor your Kingdom can stand. Send
for him and bring him to me for he is doomed to die!” °32 Then
Jonathan asked his father, “Why should he die? What has he done?” °33 At this,
Saul pointed his spear at him and Jonathan understood that his father
intended to kill David. °34 Jonathan
rose angrily from the table and did not eat that second day of the month,
grieving for David, because of what his father said against him. °35 The next
morning, Jonathan went to the open country with a young man, according to
what he and David had agreed on. °36
He told the lad, “Run, fetch the arrows.” While the
lad was running, Jonathan shot an arrow that flew beyond the lad. °37 When the
lad reached the spot where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called after
him and said, “The arrow is beyond you! °38 Run quickly and do not waste
time!” The lad picked up the arrow and ran back to his master. °39 The lad
knew nothing of Jonathan and David’s agreement. °40 After
that, Jonathan gave his weapons to the lad and commanded him to take them to
the city. °41 When
the lad had gone, David came out from behind the mound and lay on the ground.
The two embraced each other and wept with one another until David was
through. °42 Then
Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have made an oath to one another
in Yahweh’s name when we said: Yahweh shall be between you and me and between
your descendants and mine forever.” § David and the priest Ahimelech¤21 °1 David went on his way while Jonathan returned
home. °2 David came to
Nob to the priest Ahimelech. Ahimelech came to meet him and asked trembling,
“Why are you alone?” °3 David replied,
“The king sent me on a mission and strictly ordered me not to tell anyone
about it. Because of this I have decided on a place where I shall meet my
men. °4 What do you
have here? Can you give me five loaves of bread or whatever you have?” °5 The priest answered David,
“I do not have ordinary bread at hand; there is only holy bread. If your men
have had no relations with women they may eat it.” °6 David answered, “Indeed we have abstained from
women these days since I set out. The young men remained sexually clean
though it was an ordinary expedition and today they are clean.” °7 So the priest gave him
holy bread for there was no other bread. This was the bread of Presence which
had been replaced by fresh bread on the day it was removed. °8 Yet one of Saul’s men was
there on that day. He was Doeg, the Edomite, and Saul’s chief shepherd. °9 David asked Ahimelech, “Do
you have a spear or a sword with you? I did not take my arms with me because
the king’s order was urgent.” °10 The priest
replied, “I have here, wrapped in a piece of cloth behind the ephod, the
sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah. You
can take this if you wish, for I have nothing else here.” David said, “There
is none like it. Give it to me.” °11 That same day, David fled
far from Saul. He went to Achish, king of Gath. °12 Achish’s servants remarked, “O king, is this not
David? Did the people not dance on his account and sing: ‘Saul has slain his
thousands and David his ten thousands?’”
°13 David
understood these words and began to fear Achish, king of Gath. °14 So he pretended to be mad,
making marks on the doors of the gate as he let his spittle run down his
beard. °15 At this Achish
told his servants, “Look, it is a madman. Why did you bring him to me? °16 Am I short of madmen that
you have to bring this fellow to act foolishly in my presence? Will this
fellow come into my house?” § David begins his wanderings¤22
°1 David
left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adulam where his brothers and his
father’s family came down to him. °2
Then those who had problems or debts or were
embittered joined him there. Thus he became their chief; he had with him
about four hundred men. °3 From
there, David went to Mispeh in Moab and asked the king of Moab to let his
father and mother stay with him until he found out what God would do for him.
°4 So David
left them with the king of Moab and they stayed there as long as David
remained in the refuge. °5 The
prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the refuge; go to the land of
Judah.” So David left and entered the forest of Hereth. °6 Saul
heard that David and his men had been seen. Saul was in Gibeah at the time,
sitting under the tamarisk tree on the high place, his spear in hand, while
his servants were standing by. °7 Saul
addressed them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give every
one of you fields of vineyards? Will he make each one of you a commander over
a thousand or over a hundred men that you should all be conspiring against
me? °8 Why,
then, did no one tell me that my son made an agreement with the son of Jesse?
No one among you had mercy on me and told me that my own son had stirred up
my servant to conspire against me as is the case today.” °9 At this,
Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with the officers of Saul, spoke up, “I
saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, in Nob. °10 Ahimelech
consulted Yahweh for him, provided him with food and gave him the sword of
Goliath the Philistine as well.” °11 On
hearing this, the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all
his family who were priests in Nob. They all came to the king. °12 Then Saul
said, “Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Yes, my lord.” °13 Saul
asked him, “Why did you conspire with the son of Jesse, giving him food and a
sword and consulting Yahweh for him so that he could rebel against me as is
the case today?” °14 Ahimelech
answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the
king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house? °15 Is today
the first time that I have consulted Yahweh for him? By no means! Let not the
king accuse me or any member of my family of such a thing for I knew nothing
at all about the entire matter.” °16
But the king said, “You and your entire family shall
die, Ahimelech.” °17 And
the king at once commanded the guards who were standing by, “Turn and kill
the priests of Yahweh for having assisted David. They knew very well that
David was a fugitive but they did not tell me anything at all.” The king’s
servants, however, refused to lift their hands against the priests of Yahweh.
°18 And
so the king turned to Doeg and commanded him, “Come and stab the priests.”
And so Doeg the Edomite drew near and stabbed the priests. On that day he killed eighty-five
persons who were wearing the linen ephod. °19 After that, Saul put Nob, the
city of priests, to the sword, killing men and women, children and infants,
oxen, asses and sheep. °20 A son of
Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David. °21 Abiathar
told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh. °22 David
said to him, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would
surely tell Saul. So I am responsible for the death of all your family. °23 Stay with
me and do not be afraid for he who wants to kill you must also kill me. You
will be safe with me.” § How David consulted God¤23
°1 David
received a report that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and plundering
the threshing floors. °2 He,
therefore, consulted Yahweh and asked, “Shall I go and fight with these
Philistines?” The answer was, “Go and attack the Philistines and rescue
Keilah.” °3 But
David’s men protested and said, “Look, here in Judah we are in danger and
afraid. What then if we go to Keilah and face the Philistines?” °4 So David
consulted Yahweh again and got this answer, “Go down to Keilah for I will
deliver the Philistines into your hands.” °5 David went with his men to Keilah
and fought with the Philistines, seizing their cattle and causing a great
slaughter among them; and he rescued the inhabitants of the place. °6 When
Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, fled to David at Keilah, he took along the ephod.
°7 When Saul
was told that David had come to Keilah he said, “God has delivered him into
my hands for he has shut himself in by entering a city with gates and bars.” °8 He then
called on all the people to go down to Keilah and engage David and his men in
battle. °9 When
David found out that Saul meant to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar to
bring the ephod. °10 Then
he consulted Yahweh, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, listen to your servant for I
have heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my
account. °11 Will
Saul come down as I heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, speak to your servant.”
Yahweh answered, “He will come down.” °12 Then David asked, “Will the lords
of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” Yahweh answered, “They will hand
you over to him.” °13 So
David set out with his six hundred men. He left Keilah and wandered from one
place to another. When Saul was informed that David had escaped from Keilah,
he abandoned the expedition. °14 Meanwhile
David stayed in the strongholds in the hill country of the desert of Ziph.
Saul, however, kept on searching for him but God did not deliver David into
his hands. °15 David
knew that Saul had come out to kill him. And he remained at Horesh in the
desert of Ziph. °16 Saul’s
son, Jonathan, went to him and encouraged him in God’s name with these words,
°17 “Have
no fear, for my father Saul will not harm you. Even my father Saul knows that
you shall be king over Israel and that I shall be second to you.” °18 The two
made an agreement before Yahweh in Horesh, after which David remained there
while Jonathan returned home. °19 Some of
the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David is hiding among
us in the refuges of Horesh on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon. °20 Come
down, therefore, O king, whenever it may please you and we shall deliver him
into your hands.” °21 Saul
replied, “May Yahweh bless you for you have had mercy on me. °22 Go and
make sure where he has been and who has seen him there for I am told that he
is very cunning. °23 Check
all the places where he may be hiding and come back to me, and I will go with
you. If he is in the region, I will search him out among all the clans of
Judah.” °24 So they went off to Ziph
ahead of Saul. At this time, David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in
the valley south of Jeshimon. °25 When David learned that
Saul and his men were looking for him, he went down to a ravine in the desert
of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David into the desert of Maon. °26 Saul moved along one side
of the mountain, and David along the other. David was hurrying to escape from
Saul who with his forces was closing in on him and his men. °27 It was then that a
messenger came to Saul and said, “Come quickly because the Philistines have
invaded the land!” °28 Saul then left
off pursuing David and went to face the Philistines. This is how that place
came to be called the Ravine of Parting. § David spares Saul¤24 °1 David then went up from there and stayed in the
hiding places at Engedi. °2 When Saul
returned from his pursuit of the Philistines, he was told that David was in
the desert of Engedi. °3 So Saul took
three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his
men to the east of the Wild Goat crags. °4 When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he
entered a cave to relieve himself. °5 Now David and his men were
far back in the cave. David’s men said to him, “This is the day which Yahweh
spoke of: look I will deliver your enemy into your hands and you will do with
him as you see fit.” So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of
Saul’s robe. °6 But afterward,
David regretted having cut off an end of Saul’s robe, °7 and he said to his men,
“Let me not lay my hands on my master, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.” °8 With these words, David
restrained his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. Saul then left the
cave and went on his way. °9 Then David himself stepped
out of the cave and called after Saul, “My master, the king!” When Saul
looked back, David knelt and then bowed to the ground in homage and asked
him, °10 “Why do you
listen to those who say that I want to harm you? °11 Look, today you have seen that Yahweh delivered
you into my hands in the cave, and I was told to kill you but I held myself
back and I said: ‘I will not lift my hands against my master who is Yahweh’s
anointed.’ °12 My father, look
at this end of your robe which I am holding! I cut off the end of your robe
but did not kill you. Now you may know that I mean you no harm or treason. I
have done you no wrong and yet you are hunting me down to kill me. °13 May Yahweh be judge
between you and me and may he exact justice from you in my case, but I shall
do you no harm. °14 As the
saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness’; as for me, my hand shall not
harm you. °15 But
who is it you are after, O king of Israel? Are you pursuing a dead dog? A
flea? °16 May
Yahweh be judge between you and me. May he see and uphold my cause and
deliver me from your hands.” °17 After
David had spoken these words, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?”
He wept aloud °18 and
said to David, “You are right and I am wrong, for you have repaid with
kindness the harm I have inflicted on you. °19 This day you have shown your
righteousness to me by not taking my life when Yahweh put me into your hands. °20 For if a
man finds his enemy, will he let him go unharmed? May Yahweh reward you for
what you have done for me today. °21
Now I know for certain that you shall reign and the
kingdom of Israel will be firm in your hand. °22 Now swear to me by Yahweh that
you will not wipe out my descendants and erase the name of my family.” °23 David
swore to this before Saul after which Saul went home while David and his men
went up to the hiding place. § David and Abigail
¤25
°1 The
day Samuel died, all Israel gathered together to mourn him; after which they
buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went down to the
desert of Maon. °2 A
very rich man, owner of three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, lived
there and had his farm in Carmel. °3 This man
was named Nabal; his wife, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful;
but the man himself, a Calebite, was rough and ill-mannered. He was at the
time shearing his sheep in Carmel. °4 When
David heard in the desert that Nabal was shearing his sheep, °5 he sent
ten young men to the farm with this instruction, “Go to Nabal in Carmel and
greet him for me °6 in these
words: peace be with you and your family; peace be with all that is yours. °7 I hear
that you have shearers with you. Now when your shepherds were with us, we did
not harm them; neither did they miss anything while they were in Carmel. °8 Ask your
servants and they will tell. So be kind to my servants since we come on a
festive day; please give them and your son David whatever you can.” °9 When
David’s young men arrived, they delivered this message to Nabal in David’s
name and then waited. °10 But
Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? Many
nowadays are the servants who run away from their masters. °11 Must I
take my bread, my wine, my meat which I have slaughtered for my shearers and
give it to men who come from I don’t know where?” °12 At this, David’s young men left
and returned to him, reporting everything Nabal had said. °13 David
then said to his men, “Let every man strap on his sword!” And every one of
them, including David, strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed
David while two hundred remained with the baggage. °14 One of
Nabal’s servants told Abigail, his wife, “David sent messengers from the
desert to greet our master but he shouted at them. °15 Yet these men were very good to
us. We suffered no harm and did not miss anything while we were living among
them during our stay in the open country. °16 They were like a wall for us
night and day while we were tending the sheep in their midst. °17 Now think
over what you should do; for our master and his entire family are surely
doomed to die, but he is so wicked no one can speak to him.” °18 Abigail
hurriedly prepared two hundred loaves, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep,
five measures of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of pressed raisins, and two
hundred cakes of pressed figs and loaded them on asses. °19 Then she
said to her servants, “Go on ahead and I shall follow you.” But she told her
husband nothing of this. °20 As she
rode down the mountain on her ass, David and his men were coming down from
the other direction. When she met them, °21 David was reflecting, “It was
useless guarding all that this fellow has in the desert. Although he lost
nothing belonging to him, he has returned me evil for good. °22 May God
do so to David and more if by morning I leave a single male alive among those
who belong to him.” °23 On seeing
David, Abigail quickly dismounted from the ass and threw herself on the
ground before him. °24 As
she fell at his feet she said, “My lord, let the blame be on me! Let your
handmaid speak to you; listen to her words. °25 Let not my lord pay attention to
this ill-mannered man, Nabal, for he is just what his name says: he is a
fool. I, your handmaid, did not see the young men whom you sent. °26 Now, my
lord, as Yahweh lives and as you live, it is Yahweh who prevents you from
shedding blood and avenging yourself. Let your enemies and those who seek to
harm my lord become like Nabal! °27
And now let this present which I have brought you,
my lord, be given to the young men who follow you, °28 and please forgive me. Yahweh will certainly give you a
lasting family because you are fighting the battles of Yahweh and no evil
shall be found in you as long as you live. °29 Should anyone make an attempt on
your life, may the life of my lord be bound in the bundle of the living in
the care of Yahweh, your God. May he hurl away the lives of your enemies as
from the hollow of a sling. °30 So when
Yahweh fulfills his promises and appoints you as commander over Israel, °31 you shall
have no reason to grieve or to feel any grief or regret for having
unrightfully shed blood or taken revenge yourself. May Yahweh bless you, and
you, my lord, remember your handmaid.” °32 David then
said to Abigail, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet
me today! °33 Blessed
be your good judgment and may you yourself be blessed, for you have prevented
me from shedding blood and avenging myself today! °34 For as Yahweh, the God of Israel,
lives, he has prevented me from hurting you. If you did not hurry to meet me,
not a single male belonging to Nabal would have been alive by morning.” °35 David
accepted what she had brought him and told her, “Go back home in peace. I
have listened to you and granted your request.” °36 Abigail
went back to Nabal and found him holding a feast in his house. He was joyful and very drunk so
Abigail did not mention anything to him until the following day. °37 When
morning came and Nabal had slept it off, his wife spoke to him about all
these things. On hearing it Nabal had a stroke and remained paralyzed. °38 Ten days
later, Yahweh let him die. °39 When
David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be Yahweh who has avenged
the insult I received at the hand of Nabal and has prevented me from doing
wrong. Yahweh himself has made Nabal’s wrongdoings fall on his own head.” °40 David
then sent his servants to Abigail in Carmel to propose marriage to her
saying, “David has sent us to you to say that he wants you to be his wife.” °41 Rising
and bowing to the ground, Abigail answered, “May I be as a slave to wash the
feet of my lord’s servants.” °42 She
quickly rose and mounted an ass and, attended by five of her servants, she
left with David’s messengers and became his wife. °43 David
also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, making both her and Abigail his wives. °44 Saul, in
the meantime, had given Michal, his daughter and David’s wife, to Palti, son
of Laish who was from Gallim. ¤26 °1 Ziphites
came to Saul in Gibeah to tell him that David was hiding on the hill of
Hachilah, east of Jeshimon. °2 On
hearing this, Saul went down with three thousand picked men of Israel to the
desert of Ziph in search of David. °3 He encamped on the hill of
Hachilah beside the road east of Jeshimon. °4 When David who was in the desert
saw that Saul had come after him, he sent out spies who confirmed Saul’s
arrival. °5 David
came to Saul’s place of encampment and saw where Saul was resting with Abner,
son of Ner, chief of his army. Saul was sleeping in the center and his men
were around him. °6 David
then asked Ahimelech the Hittite, and Abishai, son of Zeruiah and Joab’s
brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” Abishai answered,
“I will go down with you.” °7 So,
that night, David and Abishai went into the camp and found Saul sleeping in
the center, his spear thrust into the ground at his head, while Abner and the
rest of the soldiers were sleeping around him. °8 Abishai said to David, “God has
delivered your enemy into your hands this day. Let me nail him to the ground
with one thrust of the spear; I will not repeat it.” °9 But David
answered Abishai, “Do not harm him. For who could harm Yahweh’s anointed and
not be punished? °10 As
Yahweh lives, only Yahweh may strike him; either he dies on the day appointed
or is killed in battle. °11 Don’t
let me harm Yahweh’s anointed! Instead take the spear that is at his head and
the water jug and let us be on our way.” °12 So David
took the spear and the water jug from near Saul’s head and they left. Nobody
saw, nobody knew, nobody woke up. All remained asleep, for a deep sleep from
Yahweh had fallen on them. °13 On the
opposite slope David stood at a distance, on top of the hill, °14 and
called out to both Abner son of Ner and the soldiers, “Why don’t you answer,
Abner?” Abner answered back, “Who are you to awaken the king?” °15 David
said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then did
you not closely guard your lord the king? An ordinary man has broken into the
camp and made an attempt on the life of the king your lord. °16 Is this
the way you fulfill your duties? You deserve to die because you did not guard
your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Now look for the king’s spear and the water jug
that were at his head.” °17 Saul
recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” David
answered, “It is my voice, my lord, O king! °18 Why does my lord pursue me? What
have I done? What am I guilty of? °19
Now, let my lord the king hear my words. If it is
Yahweh who has incited you against me, may an offering appease him; but if
men have done so, may they be cursed before Yahweh, for they have made me an
exile to this day and have driven me from my share of the inheritance of
Yahweh as if saying to me: ‘Go and serve other gods.’ °20 Let not
my blood flow to the ground far from the presence of Yahweh! For the king of
Israel has come to seek out a flea as a man hunts a partridge in the
mountains.” °21 Then Saul
said, “I have done wrong. Come back, David my son. I will not harm you
anymore since you valued my life this day. I have acted like a fool and have
made a great mistake.” °22 David
answered, “I have your spear with me, O king! Let one of your servants come
over to fetch it. °23 Yahweh
rewards a righteous and loyal man. Today he delivered you into my hands but I
refused to harm Yahweh’s anointed. °24 As I valued your life today, may
Yahweh value my life and deliver me from all distress.” °25 Finally
Saul told David, “Blessed are you, David my son! You shall succeed in
everything you do.” Then David went his way and Saul went home. § David among the Philistines
¤27
°1 David
thought, “Some day I shall die at the hand of Saul. It is better for me to
escape to the land of the Philistines where I shall be beyond his reach and
Saul will get tired of searching for me within the borders of Israel.” °2 So David
went with his six hundred men to Achish, son of Maoch, king of Gath. °3 He and
his men lived with Achish in Gath; each one had his family with him and David
had his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. °4 When Saul
was informed that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. °5 David
said to Achish, “If I meet with your approval, let me have a place to live in
one of the country towns. Why should your servant live in the royal city with
you?” °6 That
very day, Achish gave David Ziklag, which since then and up to the present
time has belonged to the kings of Judah.
°7 David
lived one year and four months in the country of the Philistines. °8 David and
his men raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites – all these
lived in the land extending from Telem to Shur and the land of Egypt. °9 David
would attack the land leaving neither man nor woman alive and carrying off
their sheep, oxen, asses, camels and garments. Then he would come back to
Achish. °10 Whenever
Achish asked, “Whom did you raid this time?” David would answer, “The Negeb
of Judah,” or “The Negeb of the Jarahmeelites,” or “The Negeb of the Kenites.”
°11 David
left neither man nor woman alive. For he said, “If I brought them to Gath,
they could talk against us and say: This is what David did.” Such was his
practice as long as he lived in the country of the Philistines. °12 Achish
trusted David and said to himself, “David is now hated by his own people. He
shall be my servant forever.” § Saul consults the witch of Endor¤28 °1 In those days, the
Philistines mustered their forces to fight against Israel, and Achish told
David, “I want you to know that you and your men must join me to fight this
battle.” °2 David answered, “Then you
will see for yourself what your servant can do.” Achish said to David, “I
will make you my permanent bodyguard.” °3 Now Samuel had died and
when all Israel had mourned for him, they buried him in his own city, Ramah.
Meanwhile, Saul had driven those who consult spirits of the dead and
fortunetellers out of the land. °4 As the Philistines
gathered together and encamped in Shunem, Saul also mustered the Israelite
forces and encamped in Gilboa. °5 But on seeing
the Philistine camp, Saul was afraid and his heart failed him. °6 Saul consulted Yahweh but
Yahweh gave no answer whether in dreams or by the Urim or through prophets. °7 Then Saul said to his
servants, “Find me a woman who consults the spirits of the dead, that I may
go and consult her.” His servants told him, “There is a medium at Endor.” °8 Saul disguised himself,
putting on other clothes, and left with two men. He arrived at night and said
to the woman: “Tell my fortune through a ghost and call the spirit I shall
name.” °9 But the woman
answered him, “Do you not know that Saul has driven medium and fortunetellers
out of the land? Why do you set a trap for me to bring about my death?” °10 But Saul swore to her by
Yahweh, “As Yahweh lives, you will not be in trouble for this.” °11 Then the woman asked him,
“Whom do you want me to call up?” Saul said, “Call up Samuel.” °12 When the woman saw Samuel,
she screamed and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” °13 The king then told her,
“Have no fear. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see him rising from the ground. He
is a god.” °14 Saul asked her,
“What does he look like?” She replied, “The one rising is an old man clothed
in a mantle.” Saul knew that it was Samuel. He knelt and bowed face to the
ground in homage. °15 Samuel spoke to Saul, “Why
did you disturb me by summoning me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great
distress, for the Philistines are waging war against me and God has abandoned
me. He no longer answers me either through prophets or in dreams. Because of
this I have called you to tell me what I should do.” °16 Samuel said, “Why do you
ask me, if Yahweh has abandoned you and turned against you? °17 Yahweh has done to you
what he foretold through me. He has torn the kingdom from your hand and has
given it to your neighbor, David. °18
Remember that you disobeyed Yahweh by not executing his fierce anger
against Amalek; that is why Yahweh has done this to you today. °19 Now Yahweh will deliver
Israel, together with you, into the hands of the Philistines. By tomorrow,
you and your sons shall be with me when Yahweh delivers the army of Israel
into the hands of the Philistines.” °20 Immediately Saul fell full
length on the ground, terrified by what Samuel said. He had no strength left
because he had not eaten anything all that day and night. °21 The woman drew close to
Saul and, seeing how frightened he was, said to him, “Look, your maidservant
has obeyed you and risked her life doing what you have asked her to do. °22 Now it is your turn to
listen to me. Let me give you something to eat so you may have strength when
you go on your way.” °23 Saul refused
and said, “I will not eat.” But on the insistence of his servants and the
woman, he agreed, rose from the ground and sat on the bed. °24 The woman had a fattened
calf in the house which she immediately butchered. She also took some flour,
kneaded it and baked unleavened bread, °25 and set it before Saul and his servants. They then
ate and left that night. ¤29
°1 Now
the Philistines mustered all their forces at Aphek; the Israelites were
encamped beside the spring in Jezreel. °2 While the Philistine rulers went
ahead of their groups of thousands and hundreds, David and his men were
marching at the rear with Achish. °3
The Philistine chiefs asked, “Who are these
Hebrews?” Achish replied to the Philistine chiefs, “This is David, servant of
Saul, king of Israel. He has been with me for over a year and since he fled
to me up to the present day I have found no fault in him.” °4 But the
Philistine chiefs were angered at this and said to him, “Send that man back!
Let him return to the place where you assigned him. He must not go down into
battle with us lest during the battle he turn against us. How better could
this fellow regain his master’s favor than by bringing him the heads of our
men? °5 Is
this not the David for whom they danced and sang: Saul has slain his
thousands, but David his tens of thousands?” °6 So Achish
called David and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you are honest and I would
like you to be with me in the camp for I have found nothing wrong in you
since you came to me up to the present day. But you displease the lords. °7 So it is
better for you to leave and go back quietly and do nothing to displease the Philistine
lords.” °8 David
asked Achish, “But what have I done? Have I done anything since I entered
your service until the present time that would bar me from joining the fight
against the enemies of my lord the king?” °9 Achish replied to David, “I myself
hold nothing against you, but the Philistine chiefs are determined not to
allow you to join us in battle. °10
Now, therefore, get up early tomorrow morning and
leave with the soldiers who came with you.” °11 So David and his men left early
in the morning and returned to the land of the Philistines. The Philistines,
in the meantime, went on to Jezreel. § The sack of Ziklag¤30 °1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day,
but the Amalekites had just raided the Negeb and Ziklag, storming it and burning
it to the ground. °2 They had taken
captive the women and all who were in the city, young and old. They killed no
one but carried them off when they left. °3 When they reached the
town, David and his men found it burned to the ground and their wives, sons
and daughters taken captive. °4 Then David and
those with him wept aloud until they could weep no more. °5 David’s two wives, Ahinoam
of Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal of Carmel had also been taken captive.
°6 Now David was greatly
distressed because the people were talking of stoning him; for they were
embittered because of what had happened to their sons and daughters. But
David found strength in Yahweh his God. °7 David told Abiathar the
priest, son of Ahimelech, to bring him the ephod. So Abiathar brought the
ephod to David °8 who then
consulted Yahweh, “Shall I go after these raiders? Can I overtake them?” The
answer was, “Go after them for you shall surely overtake them and recover the
captives.” °9 David set out with his six
hundred men and they reached the brook of Besor. There, two hundred men
stayed behind, for they were too exhausted to cross the brook, °10 and David continued the
chase with four hundred men. °11 They found an Egyptian in
the open country and brought him to David. They gave him food, which he ate,
and water to drink. °12 They gave him a
piece of fig cake and two pieces of raisin cake. The Egyptian ate and
recovered his strength, for he had been three days and three nights without
eating or drinking. °13 David then
questioned him, “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” He
answered, “I am an Egyptian, slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me
because I fell sick three days ago. °14 We raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, the
territory of Judah and the Negeb of Caleb and set Ziklag on fire.” °15 David then asked him,
“Will you lead me to this raiding band?” He replied, “Swear to me by God that
you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master and I
will lead you to this raiding band.” °16 So the Egyptian led David
to the raiding band whom they found scattered all over the ground, eating,
drinking, dancing and feasting with the spoils they had taken from the land
of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. °17 David fought them from early morning to the
evening of the following day, allowing no one to escape except four hundred
young men who mounted their camels and fled. °18 David recovered everything
the Amalekites had taken and rescued his two wives. °19 Nothing and no one was
missing, small or great, son or daughter, booty or anything the Amalekites
had taken. David brought back everything. °20 He then gathered flocks and herds and the people
drove them before him, saying, “These are David’s spoils!” °21 David reached the two
hundred men who had been too tired to follow him, and were left behind at the
Besor brook. These men came to meet David and those who were with him. David
then drew near and greeted them. °22
But the malicious and worthless people among those who had
accompanied David said, “Since they did not come with us, we shall not share
the booty with them; let each of them take his wife and children and leave.” °23 But David said, “My
brothers, you shall not do that after what Yahweh has given us. He has
protected us and delivered into our hands the band that raided us. °24 Who would agree to what
you have said? The share of those who go down to battle and of those who
remain with the baggage shall be the same; they shall share alike.” °25 From that day to the
present, this has been a statute and custom for Israel. °26 When David arrived in
Ziklag, he sent part of the booty to the elders of Judah, to each of his
friends, saying, “This is a gift to you from the booty of Yahweh’s enemies: °27 to those in Bethel, in
Ramoth-Negeb, in Jattir, °28 in Aroer, in
Sipmoth, in Eshtemoa, °29 in Racal, in
the Jerahmeelite cities, in the Kenite cities, °30 in Hormah, in Borashan, °31 in Athach, in Hebron, and in all the places where
David and his men had stayed. § Death of Saul
¤31 °1 Now the Philistines fought against the Israelites
who, in their flight, fell mortally wounded on Mount Gilboa. °2 The Philistines surrounded
Saul and his sons and killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. °3 The battle raged around
Saul, and he was afraid when he saw that the archers had found him. °4 Then Saul
commanded his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through lest these
uncircumcised men come and stab me themselves, making fun of me.” But his
armor-bearer did not move because he was greatly terrified. So Saul drew his
own sword and fell upon it. °5 Seeing that
Saul was dead, the armor-bearer also fell upon his sword and died with him. °6 Thus, Saul, his three
sons, his armor-bearer and all his men died together on the same day. °7 When the Israelites on the
other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of
Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their
cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and occupied those cities. °8 The
following day, the Philistines came to strip the slain and found Saul and his
three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. °9 They cut off his head and
stripped off his armor and then sent messengers throughout the Philistine
lands to proclaim this good news in the temples of their idols and among the
people. °10 They
put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth and pinned his body on the wall of
Bethshan. °11 When
the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
°12 all
their warriors set out, marched through the night and removed the bodies of
Saul and his sons from the wall of Bethshan. They then returned to Jabesh and
burnt the bodies there. °13 Then
they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh,
after which, they fasted for seven days. The End. |