THE STORY OF HANNAH{/}

{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}There was a man 
from Rama-thaim, in the 
hills of Ephraim, whose 
name was Elkanah. He was 
son of Tohu, son of 
Jeroham, of the clan of 
Zuph. {I}2_{/}He had two 
wives, Hannah and 
Peninnah. Peninnah had 
children but Hannah had 
none.
{I}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. 
{I}4_{/}Whenever Elkanah 
offered sacrifice, he 
gave portions to his 
wife, Peninnah and to all 
her sons and daughters. 
{I}5_{/}To Hannah, 
however, he gave the more 
delightful portion 
because he loved her 
more, although she had no 
child. {I}6_{/}Yet 
Hannah's rival used to 
tease her for being 
barren.
{I}7_{/}So it happened 
every year when they went 
to Yahweh's house. 
Peninnah irritated Hannah 
and she would weep and 
refuse to eat. 
{I}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?"
{I}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. 
{I}10_{/}Deeply 
distressed she wept and 
prayed to Yahweh 
{I}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."
{I}12_{/}As she prayed 
before Yahweh, Eli 
observed the movement of 
her lips. {I}13_{/}Hannah 
was praying silently; she 
moved her lips but 
uttered no sound and Eli 
thought Hannah was drunk. 
{I}14_{/}He, therefore, 
said to her: "For how 
long will you be drunk? 
Let your drunkenness 
pass." {I}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. 
{I}16_{/}Do not take me 
for a bad woman. I was so 
afflicted that my prayer 
flowed continuously." 
{I}17_{/}Then Eli said, 
"Go in peace and may the 
God of Israel grant you 
what you asked for." 
{I}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.
{I}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, 
{I}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."
{I}21_{/}Once more 
Elkanah went to the 
temple with his family to 
offer his yearly 
sacrifice and to pay his 
vow to Yahweh. 
{I}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." {I}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.
{I}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.
{I}25_{/}After they had 
slain the bull, they 
brought the child to Eli. 
{I}26_{/}Hannah 
exclaimed: "Oh, my lord, 
look! I am the woman who 
was standing here in your 
presence, praying to 
Yahweh. {I}27_{/}I asked 
for this child and Yahweh 
granted me the favor I 
begged of him. 
{I}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{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}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.
{I}2_{/}Yahweh alone is 
holy, no one is like you;
there is no Rock like our 
God.
{I}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.
{I}4_{/}The bow of the 
mighty is broken
but the weak are girded 
with strength.
{I}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.
{I}6_{/}Yahweh is Lord of 
life and death;
he brings down to the 
grave and raises up.
{I}7_{/}Yahweh makes poor 
and makes rich,
he brings low and he 
exalts.
{I}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.
{I}9_{/}He guards the 
steps of his faithful 
ones,
but the wicked perish in 
darkness,
for no one succeeds by 
his own strength.
{I}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."
{I}11_{/}After that 
Elkanah went home to 
Ramah while the boy 
served Yahweh in the 
presence of Eli, the 
priest.
THE STORY OF ELI{/}

{I}12_{/}The sons of Eli 
were worthless men who 
had no regard for Yahweh. 
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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." {I}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." {I}17_{/}The sin 
of these young priests 
was very great in the 
sight of Yahweh because 
they defiled the offering 
of Yahweh.
{I}18_{/}Meanwhile 
Samuel, now a boy wearing 
a priest's garment, was 
ministering before 
Yahweh. {I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}23_{/}So he told them, 
"How can you do the 
things I hear about you 
from everyone? 
{I}24_{/}No, my sons, 
what I hear from the 
pilgrims of Yahweh's 
people is really bad news 
for me. {I}25_{/}When 
anyone sins against 
another man, 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.
{I}26_{/}The boy Samuel, 
in the meantime, was 
growing in stature and 
worth before Yahweh and 
the people.
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}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? 
{I}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. {I}31_{/}The 
days are coming when I 
will break your strength 
and the strength of all 
your relatives. 
{I}32_{/}No one will live 
to a ripe old age. 
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}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.
{I}2_{/}One night Eli was 
lying down in his room, 
half blind as he was. 
{I}3_{/}The lamp of God 
was still lighted and 
Samuel also lay in the 
house of Yahweh near the 
ark of God. {I}4_{/}Then 
Yahweh called, "Samuel! 
Samuel!" Samuel answered, 
"I am here!" {I}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.
{I}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."
{I}7_{/}Samuel did not 
yet know Yahweh and the 
word of Yahweh had not 
yet been revealed to him. 
{I}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. 
{I}9_{/}So he said to 
Samuel, "Go, lie down, 
and if he calls you 
again, answer: "Speak, 
Yahweh, your servant 
listens."
{I}10_{/}Then Yahweh came 
and stood there calling 
as he did before, 
"Samuel! Samuel!" And 
Samuel answered, "Speak, 
for your servant 
listens." {I}11_{/}Then 
Yahweh spoke to Samuel, 
"Look, I am about to do 
something in Israel which 
will scare everyone who 
hears about it. 
{I}12_{/}On that day I 
will carry out what I 
told Eli regarding his 
family. All will be 
fulfilled from beginning 
to end. {I}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. 
{I}14_{/}This is why I 
have cursed the family of 
Eli. Their sin shall 
never be atoned for by 
sacrifice or by any 
offering."
{I}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, 
{I}16_{/}but Eli called 
him and said, "Samuel, my 
son." Samuel answered, "I 
am here." {I}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." 
{I}18_{/}So Samuel told 
him everything to the end 
and Eli said, "He is 
Yahweh. Let him do what 
seems good to him."
{I}19_{/}Samuel grew; 
Yahweh was with him and 
made all his words become 
true. {I}20_{/}All 
Israel, from Dan to 
Beersheba, knew that 
Samuel was really 
Yahweh's prophet. 
{I}21_{/}Yahweh would 
appear at Shiloh; there 
he revealed himself to 
Samuel by giving him his 
word.
THE PHILISTINES CAPTURE 
THE ARK{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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." 
{I}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.
{I}5_{/}As soon as the 
ark of Yahweh entered the 
camp, the Israelites 
began to cheer so loudly 
that the earth resounded. 
{I}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.
{I}7_{/}The Philistines 
were overcome with fear. 
They exclaimed, "A god 
has come into the camp. 
{I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}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. {I}11_{/}The 
ark of God was captured 
and the two sons of Eli, 
Hophni and Phinehas, were 
slain.
{I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}14_{/}Eli heard their 
outcry and asked, "What 
is all this noise?" The 
man came to Eli at once 
and told him what 
happened. {I}15_{/}Eli 
was by then ninety-eight 
years old and was already 
blind. {I}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?" {I}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." 
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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. {I}21_{/}She 
then named the child 
Ichabod, saying: "The 
glory has departed from 
Israel!" {I}22_{/}And she 
said "the glory," meaning 
the ark of God that had 
been captured.
{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}After they had 
taken the ark of God, the 
Philistines carried it 
from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 
{I}2_{/}There they 
brought it into the 
temple of Dagon and set 
it up beside him. 
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}6_{/}The hand of 
Yahweh was heavy upon the 
people of Ashdod. Yahweh 
afflicted the people of 
Ashdod and its vicinity 
with hemorrhoids. 
{I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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. {I}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." 
{I}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. {I}12_{/}Those who 
did not die were stricken 
with hemorrhoids and the 
cry of the city reached 
to heaven.
{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}The ark of Yahweh 
was in the country of the 
Philistines for seven 
months. {I}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." {I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}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?
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}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."
{I}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. {I}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. {I}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.
{I}13_{/}The people of 
Beth-shemesh were 
harvesting their wheat in 
the valley when they saw 
the ark drawing near, and 
they rejoiced greatly. 
{I}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. 
{I}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, {I}16_{/}upon 
seeing what happened, 
immediately returned to 
Ekron.
{I}17_{/}These are the 
Philistine cities which 
gave golden figures of 
hemorrhoids as a guilt 
offering to Yahweh: 
Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, 
Gath and Akron. 
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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?" {I}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."
{1}7{/}

{I}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{/}

{I}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.
{I}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." 
{I}4_{/}So the Israelites 
got rid of the Baals and 
the Ashteroth and began 
serving no one but 
Yahweh.
{I}5_{/}Then Samuel said, 
"Gather all Israel in 
Mizpah and I will pray to 
Yahweh on your behalf." 
{I}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.
{I}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 
{I}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." 
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}11_{/}The 
Israelites left Mizpah, 
pursuing and slaying the 
Philistines to a point 
beyond Bethcar.
{I}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." 
{I}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. {I}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.
{I}15_{/}Samuel was judge 
in Israel for the rest of 
his life. {I}16_{/}Every 
year he went around to 
Bethel, Gilgal, and 
Mizpah and judged Israel 
in all these places. 
{I}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{/}

{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}When Samuel grew 
old, he made his sons 
judges over Israel. 
{I}2_{/}His elder son was 
Joel and the second was 
Abijah, and both of them 
were judges in Beersheba. 
{I}3_{/}But they were not 
like their father; they 
had their vested 
interests, taking bribes 
and perverting justice.
{I}4_{/}Because of this, 
all the chiefs of Israel 
gathered together and 
went to Samuel in Ramah. 
{I}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."
{I}6_{/}Samuel was very 
displeased with what they 
said, "Give us a king to 
rule us," and he prayed 
to Yahweh. {I}7_{/}And 
Yahweh told him, "Give to 
this people all that they 
ask for. {I}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. 
{I}9_{/}Nevertheless, 
listen to them, and give 
them a serious warning. 
Tell them how they will 
be treated by their 
king."
{I}10_{/}So Samuel 
answered those who were 
asking him for a king, 
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}13_{/}He 
will take your daughters 
as well to prepare 
perfumes, to cook and to 
bake for him. {I}14_{/}He 
will take the best of 
your fields, your 
vineyards and your olive 
orchards and give them to 
his officials. 
{I}15_{/}He will take a 
tenth portion of your 
grain and of your 
vineyards and give it to 
his officers and to his 
servants. {I}16_{/}He 
will take your 
menservants and 
maidservants, the best of 
your cattle and your 
asses for his own work. 
{I}17_{/}He will take the 
tenth of your flocks and 
you yourselves will 
become his slaves. 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}20_{/}Our king shall 
govern us, lead us and go 
ahead of us in our 
battles." {I}21{/}Upon 
hearing all that his 
people said, Samuel 
repeated it to Yahweh. 
{I}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{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}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. {I}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.
{I}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." 
{I}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.
{I}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." 
{I}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." 
{I}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?" 
{I}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."
{I}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{/}

{I}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?" 
{I}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.) {I}12_{/}The 
maidens answered, "The 
seer is straight ahead. 
He has just arrived 
because they have a 
sacrifice today on the 
high place. {I}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."
{I}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.
{I}15_{/}The day before 
Saul came, Yahweh had 
already disclosed this to 
Samuel, 
{I}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."
{I}17_{/}So, when Samuel 
saw Saul, Yahweh told 
him, "Here is the man I 
spoke to you about! He 
shall rule over my 
people."
{I}18_{/}Saul approached 
Samuel in the gateway and 
said, "Tell me, where is 
the house of the seer?" 
{I}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. {I}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?" {I}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?"
{I}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. 
{I}23_{/}Then Samuel told 
the cook, "Bring in the 
portion which I asked you 
to put aside." 
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}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."
{1}10{/}

{I}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. 
{I}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.' 
{I}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. {I}4_{/}They will 
greet you and give you 
two loaves of bread which 
you are to accept from 
them. {I}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. {I}6_{/}Then the 
Spirit of Yahweh will 
seize you. You shall 
prophesy with them and 
become another man.
{I}7_{/}Now when these 
signs are fulfilled, do 
whatever seems good to 
you for God is with you. 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}10_{/}Upon entering 
Gibeah, a band of 
prophets met Saul; then 
the Spirit of God seized 
him and he began to 
prophesy with them.
{I}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?" {I}12_{/}One 
of them exclaimed, "And 
who is his father!" This, 
therefore, became a 
saying, "Is Saul also one 
of the prophets?" 
{I}13_{/}When Saul 
finished prophesying, he 
arrived with them at the 
sanctuary.
{I}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." {I}15_{/}His 
uncle said, "Please, tell 
me what Samuel told you." 
{I}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{/}

{I}17_{/}After that, 
Samuel called the people 
together before Yahweh at 
Mizpah. {I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}20_{/}Then Samuel made 
all the tribes of Israel 
come near him and when 
they cast lots, the tribe 
of Benjamin was chosen. 
{I}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. 
{I}22_{/}So they asked 
Yahweh again, "Did the 
man come here?" Yahweh 
answered, "He has hidden 
himself among the 
baggage." {I}23_{/}They 
ran to fetch him and when 
Saul stood among the 
people, they saw that he 
was a head taller than 
the others. 
{I}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!"
{I}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. 
{I}26_{/}Saul himself 
went home to Gibeah with 
these valiant men whose 
hearts God had touched. 
{I}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{/}

{1}11{/}

{I}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." 
{I}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." 
{I}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."
{I}4_{/}So the messengers 
went to Gibeah of Saul, 
breaking the news to the 
people. And all the 
people wept aloud. 
{I}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. 
{I}6_{/}At once, the 
spirit of God seized Saul 
and he was greatly 
angered. {I}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.
{I}8_{/}When Saul 
inspected them at Bezek, 
the men of Israel were 
three hundred thousand; 
those of Judah, thirty 
thousand. {I}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 {I}10_{/}and 
they told Nahash, 
"Tomorrow we will 
surrender and you may do 
to us whatever you 
please."
{I}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.
{I}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." 
{I}13_{/}But Saul said, 
"No man shall be put to 
death today, for this day 
Yahweh has saved Israel."
{I}14_{/}Samuel told the 
people, "Come, let us go 
to Gilgal and officially 
proclaim the kingdom." 
{I}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{/}

{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}Samuel spoke to 
the Israelites, "Listen, 
I have paid attention to 
all that you have told me 
and have given you a 
king. {I}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. {I}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." {I}4_{/}But they 
said, "You have not 
cheated or oppressed us; 
you have not stolen 
anything from anyone."
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}7_{/}Now, stand still, 
that I may confront you 
with all the deeds of 
Yahweh who saved you and 
your ancestors. 
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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.' 
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}13_{/}Yet Yahweh has 
given you the king whom 
you have chosen, whom you 
have asked for. 
{I}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! 
{I}15_{/}But if you will 
not listen to Yahweh and 
if you break his 
commandments, his hand 
will be against you and 
your king.
{I}16_{/}Now wait awhile 
that you may see the 
wonder which Yahweh will 
do before you. 
{I}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."
{I}18_{/}So Samuel called 
on Yahweh who sent 
thunder and rain on that 
day. Then all the people 
greatly feared Yahweh and 
Samuel.
{I}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." {I}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. {I}21_{/}Do 
not go after these 
useless and vain idols 
that are unable to save. 
{I}22_{/}Yahweh will not 
cast away his people 
because of his great 
Name, since he has been 
pleased to make you his 
people. {I}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. 
{I}24_{/}Only fear Yahweh 
and serve him faithfully 
with all your heart, for 
you have seen the 
wonderful things he has 
done for you. 
{I}25_{/}But if you still 
persist in wickedness, 
both you and your king 
shall be swept away."
{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}Saul became king 
and he ruled over Israel. 
{I}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. 
{I}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!" 
{I}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{/}

{I}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. 
{I}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, 
{I}7_{/}or crossed the 
fords of the Jordan River 
to the land of Gad and 
Gilead.
{I}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. {I}9_{/}So Saul 
said, "Bring me the burnt 
offering and the peace 
offerings as well." Saul 
then offered the burnt 
offering. {I}10_{/}He had 
just finished offering it 
when Samuel arrived. Saul 
went out to greet Samuel 
{I}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, {I}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." 
{I}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. 
{I}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." {I}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. {I}16_{/}While 
Saul and his son Jonathan 
stayed in Gebah of 
Benjamin with the men, 
the Philistines pitched 
camp in Michmash. 
{I}17_{/}Raiders came out 
of the Philistine camp in 
three companies - one 
company turned to Ophrah, 
to the land of Shual; 
{I}18_{/}the other, to 
Bethoron; and the third, 
to the border overlooking 
the valley of Zeboim, 
toward the wilderness.
{I}19_{/}The Israelites 
had no smith anywhere in 
their land, for the 
Philistines did not want 
the Hebrews to make 
swords or spears. 
{I}20_{/}To have their 
plowshare, mattock, axe 
or sickle sharpened, the 
Israelites had to go down 
to the Philistines 
{I}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. 
{I}22_{/}And so, on the 
day of battle, the 
Israelites had neither 
sword nor spear. Only 
Saul and Jonathan had 
them. 
{I}23_{/}Yet the 
Philistine raiders had 
moved on toward the pass 
of Michmash.
{1}14{/}

{I}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. {I}2_{/}Saul 
was at that time on the 
outskirts of Gibeah, at 
Migron, under the 
pomegranate tree with 
about six hundred men. 
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}5_{/}One of the crags 
was to the north in the 
direction of Michmash; 
the other to the south, 
in the direction of Giba.
{I}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." {I}7_{/}His 
armor-bearer replied, "Do 
whatever you think best. 
As for me, I follow and 
obey you." 
{I}8_{/}Jonathan said, 
"Look, we will draw near 
and show ourselves to 
those men. {I}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. {I}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."
{I}11_{/}When the two 
were seen by the 
Philistines, the latter 
exclaimed, "Look! Hebrews 
coming out of their 
hiding places!" 
{I}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." {I}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. {I}14_{/}In 
that first slaying by 
Jonathan and his armor-
bearer, about twenty men 
lost their lives within 
half a furlong. 
{I}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.
{I}16_{/}Saul's watchmen 
in Gibeah of Benjamin saw 
the commotion in the 
camp: the Philistines 
were running and 
scattering in all 
directions. {I}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. 
{I}18_{/}Saul ordered 
Ahijah: "Bring the 
ephod," because Ahijah 
had taken it with him. 
{I}19_{/}But while Saul 
was talking to the 
priest, the confusion in 
the Philistine camp 
increased. Saul then told 
the priest, "Withdraw 
your hand," {I}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. 
{I}21_{/}Moreover, the 
Hebrews who had joined 
the Philistines turned 
around and sided with the 
Israelites under Saul and 
Jonathan. {I}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. {I}23_{/}And so 
Yahweh delivered Israel 
that day in a battle that 
extended beyond Beth-
horon.
{I}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. {I}25_{/}As the 
men wandered into the 
forest, they saw honey on 
the ground and 
{I}26_{/}although it was 
freely dripping from the 
honeycomb, no one tasted 
it for fear of the oath. 
{I}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. {I}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." 
{I}29_{/}Then Jonathan 
said, "My father did you 
wrong. See how I have 
been fortified by tasting 
a little of this honey. 
{I}30_{/}If only our men 
had freely eaten today of 
the spoil of their 
enemies, the Philistines 
would have suffered an 
even greater defeat."
{I}31_{/}Nevertheless 
they pursued the 
Philistines all the way 
from Michmash to Aijalon. 
Then the people, 
extremely worn out, 
{I}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. {I}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." {I}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. 
{I}35_{/}Then Saul built 
an altar to Yahweh - the 
first he ever built to 
Him.
{I}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." {I}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. {I}38_{/}Saul said, 
"Call all the army 
officers here. We must 
find out who is 
responsible for the sin 
that has been committed 
today. {I}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. 
{I}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." 
{I}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. 
{I}42_{/}Saul then said, 
"Cast the lot between me 
and my son Jonathan." The 
lot singled out Jonathan. 
{I}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?" {I}44_{/}Saul 
said, "May God strike me 
down if you are not put 
to death, Jonathan." 
{I}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. 
{I}46_{/}After that, Saul 
ceased to pursue the 
Philistines, and they 
withdrew to their own 
country.
{I}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. 
{I}48_{/}He crushed the 
Amalekites, and delivered 
Israel out of the hands 
of those who were 
plundering them.
{I}49_{/}The sons of Saul 
were Jonathan, Ishvi and 
Malchishua; his two 
daughters were Merab, his 
firstborn, and Michal. 
{I}50_{/}His wife was 
Ahinoam, daughter of 
Ahimaaz. The general of 
his army was Abner, son 
of Ner who was Saul's 
uncle. {I}51_{/}Kish was 
the father of Saul and 
Ner, the father of Abner, 
was the son of Abiel.
{I}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{/}

{1}15{/}

{I}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: {I}2_{/}I will 
punish Amalek for having 
stood in the way of the 
Israelites when they were 
leaving Egypt. 
{I}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."
{I}4_{/}Saul called his 
men to Telaim and 
reviewed two hundred 
thousand foot soldiers 
and ten thousand men from 
Judah. {I}5_{/}He went to 
the city of Amalek, set 
an ambush in the valley 
and {I}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, {I}7_{/}Saul 
defeated the Amalekites, 
from Havilah to Shur, 
east of Egypt.{I}8_{/}He 
took Agag, king of the 
Amalekites alive, but put 
the rest of the people to 
the sword. {I}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.
{I}10_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Samuel: 
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}13_{/}When 
finally they met, Saul 
greeted Samuel, "May 
Yahweh bless you," and 
added, "I have done what 
Yahweh told me to do." 
{I}14_{/}Samuel then 
asked him, "Why do I 
still hear the bleating 
of sheep and the lowing 
of oxen?" {I}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." 
{I}16_{/}Samuel then told 
Saul, "Enough! Let me 
tell you what Yahweh said 
to me last night." Saul 
replied, "Please tell 
me." {I}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. {I}18_{/}Then he 
sent you with this 
command, 'Go. Completely 
crush the Amalekite 
offenders, engaging them 
in battle until they are 
destroyed.' {I}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?" 
{I}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. {I}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." 
{I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}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. {I}25_{/}Please 
forgive my sin and return 
with me so I may worship 
Yahweh."
{I}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." {I}27_{/}As 
Samuel turned to leave, 
Saul held onto the end of 
his robe, which tore. 
{I}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. 
{I}29_{/}The Glory of 
Israel does not change or 
repent as man does."
{I}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." {I}31_{/}And Samuel 
returned with Saul who 
went to worship Yahweh.
{I}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. {I}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.
{I}34_{/}Samuel left for 
Ramah while Saul went 
home to Gibeah of Saul. 
{I}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{/}

{1}16{/}

{I}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."
{I}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.' 
{I}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."
{I}4_{/}Samuel did what 
Yahweh com-manded and 
left for Bethlehem. When 
he appeared, the elders 
of the city came to him 
asking, fearfully, "Do 
you bring us peace?" 
{I}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.
{I}6_{/}As they came, 
Samuel looked at Eliab 
the older and thought, 
"This must be Yahweh's 
anointed." {I}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."
{I}8_{/}Jesse called his 
son Abinadab and 
presented him to Samuel 
who said, "Yahweh has not 
chosen this one either." 
{I}9_{/}Jesse presented 
Shammah and Samuel said, 
"Nor has Yahweh chosen 
this one." {I}10_{/}Jesse 
presented seven of his 
sons to Samuel who said, 
"Yahweh has chosen none 
of them. {I}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." {I}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." {I}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.
{I}14_{/}The spirit of 
Yahweh had left Saul and 
an evil spirit sent by 
Yahweh tormented him. 
{I}15_{/}Saul's servants 
said to him, "We know 
that an evil spirit sent 
by God is tormenting you. 
{I}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."
{I}17_{/}So Saul answered 
them, "Get someone who 
can play the lyre well." 
{I}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."
{I}19_{/}So Saul sent 
messengers to Jesse and 
asked for his son David 
who tended the sheep. 
{I}20_{/}Jesse loaded an 
ass with bread, a 
wineskin and a kid and 
had David take all these 
to Saul. {I}21_{/}David 
then left and entered 
Saul's service. Saul grew 
very fond of David and 
made him his armor-
bearer. {I}22_{/}Then he 
sent word to Jesse, 
saying, "Let David remain 
in my service for I am 
very pleased with him."
{I}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.
{1}17{/}

{I}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. {I}2_{/}Saul 
and the Israelites, 
meantime, assembled and 
pitched camp in the 
valley of Elah, ready for 
their encounter with the 
Philistines. {I}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{/}

{I}4_{/}Then a champion 
named Goliath came out 
from the Philistine camp. 
He was from Gath and was 
about three meters tall. 
{I}5_{/}He wore a helmet 
of bronze, and a coat 
covered with bronze 
scales. His armor weighed 
sixty kilos. {I}6_{/}He 
had bronze greaves 
strapped on his legs and 
a bronze spear slung 
between his shoulders. 
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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."
{I}10_{/}The Philistine 
added, "This is my 
challenge to the 
Israelite troops this 
day. Give me a man who 
can fight with me alone!" 
{I}11_{/}When they heard 
this challenge of the 
Philistine, Saul and his 
men were afraid and 
greatly terrified. 
{I}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. {I}13_{/}Three 
of his eldest sons had 
joined Saul in battle: 
Eliab, the firstborn, 
Abinadab, the second and 
Shammah, the third. 
{I}14_{/}David was 
Jesse's youngest and, 
while the three eldest 
followed Saul, 
{I}15_{/}he would 
alternate his goings and 
comings to the army with 
the care of his father's 
flock in Bethlehem.
{I}16_{/}Every morning 
and again in the evening, 
the Philistine would come 
out to throw his 
challenge; this he did 
for forty days. 
{I}17_{/}One day, Jesse 
told his son David, 
"Bring a measure of this 
roasted grain and these 
ten loaves to your 
brothers; {I}18_{/}and 
take these ten cheeses to 
the field officer. Find 
out how your brothers are 
and bring me back some 
token from them." 
{I}19_{/}David's brothers 
and the field officer 
were with Saul and the 
Israelites in the valley 
of Elah, facing the 
Philistines.
{I}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. 
{I}21_{/}Israel and the 
Philistine drew up facing 
one another. {I}22_{/}On 
seeing this, David 
entrusted his load to the 
baggage keeper and rushed 
to the ranks to greet his 
brothers. {I}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.
{I}24_{/}When the 
Israelites saw the man, 
they all fled from him 
terrified {I}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."
{I}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?" 
{I}27_{/}The people 
answered him in the same 
way, "This will be the 
reward of whoever kills 
him."
{I}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." {I}29_{/}David 
asked, "What have I done 
this time? I was merely 
asking something!" 
{I}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.
{I}31_{/}David's remarks 
spread around and reached 
Saul, who asked for him.
{I}32_{/}David said to 
Saul, "Let no one be 
discouraged on account of 
this Philistine, for your 
servant will engage him 
in battle." {I}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." 
{I}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, {I}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. 
{I}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." {I}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!"
{I}38_{/}Saul fitted his 
armor on David, put a 
bronze helmet on his 
head, clothed him with a 
coat of mail. 
{I}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, 
{I}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.
{I}41_{/}The Philistine 
moved forward, closing in 
on David, his shield-
bearer in front of him. 
{I}42_{/}When he saw that 
David was only a lad, (he 
was of fresh complexion 
and handsome) he despised 
him {I}43_{/}and said, 
"Am I a dog that you 
should approach me with a 
stick?" Cursing David by 
his gods, {I}44_{/}he 
continued, "Come and I 
will give your flesh to 
the birds of the sky and 
the beasts of the field!"
{I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}48_{/}No sooner had 
the Philistine moved to 
attack him, than David 
rushed to the 
battleground. 
{I}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. 
{I}50_{/}David triumphed 
over the Philistine with 
a sling and a stone, 
felling him without using 
a sword. {I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}53_{/}Returning from 
their pursuit of the 
Philistines, the 
Israelites plundered 
their camp. 
{I}54_{/}David took the 
head of the Philistine 
and brought it to 
Jerusalem but left the 
armor in his tent.
{I}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." 
{I}56_{/}The king said, 
"Ask whose son that lad 
is." {I}57_{/}So when 
David returned after 
killing the Philistine, 
Abner took him to Saul. 
{I}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{/}

{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}When David had 
finished speaking with 
Saul, Jonathan felt a 
deep affection for David 
and began to love him as 
himself. {I}2_{/}Saul 
kept David with him from 
that day and did not 
allow him to return to 
his father's house. 
{I}3_{/}Then Jonathan 
made an agreement with 
David because he loved 
him as himself. 
{I}4_{/}Jonathan, taking 
off the cloak he was 
wearing, gave it to 
David; he also gave him 
his own armor, sword, bow 
and belt.
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}7_{/}They 
were merrily singing this 
song: "Saul has slain his 
thousands, and David, his 
tens of thousands."
{I}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!" {I}9_{/}From 
then on, Saul became very 
distrustful of David.
{I}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. {I}11_{/}Then 
Saul pointed it at David 
thinking, "I will nail 
David to the wall." But 
David escaped on two 
occasions.
{I}12_{/}Saul saw that 
Yahweh was with David and 
had left him. And he was 
afraid. {I}13_{/}So he 
removed David from his 
presence by making him 
chief of a thousand men. 
David went ahead of his 
troops {I}14_{/}and was 
successful each time 
because Yahweh was with 
him. {I}15_{/}The more 
successful David was, the 
more afraid Saul became. 
{I}16_{/}But all Israel 
and Judah loved David 
because he led them in 
their expeditions.
{I}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." 
{I}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?" 
{I}19_{/}Yet when it was 
time for Merab to be 
married to David, she was 
given instead to Adriel 
the Meholathite.
{I}20_{/}Now, Saul's 
daughter, Michal, fell in 
love with David. When 
this came to Saul's 
knowledge, he was very 
pleased {I}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." {I}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!" 
{I}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?" {I}24_{/}When 
Saul's servants repeated 
to the king what David 
had said, {I}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. 
{I}26_{/}Saul's servants 
told this to David and it 
seemed to him that he 
could easily become the 
king's son-in-law. 
{I}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. 
{I}28_{/}Saul feared 
David for he knew that 
Yahweh was with him. But 
Michal, Saul's daughter, 
loved him. {I}29_{/}Saul 
feared David more and 
more and was his enemy 
until the end.
{I}30_{/}Whenever the 
Philistine chiefs engaged 
David in battle, he 
succeeded more than any 
of Saul's officers, in 
earning great fame for 
himself.
{1}19{/}

{I}1_{/}Saul told his son 
Jonathan and his servants 
of his intention to kill 
David. But Jonathan, who 
liked David very much, 
{I}2_{/}said to David, 
"My father Saul wants to 
kill you. Be on your 
guard tomorrow morning 
and hide yourself in a 
secret place. {I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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?" 
{I}6_{/}Saul heeded 
Jonathan's plea and 
swore, "As Yahweh lives, 
he shall not be put to 
death." {I}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.
{I}8_{/}War broke out 
again and David set out 
to fight the Philistines. 
David crushed them so 
badly that they had to 
flee. {I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}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." {I}12_{/}So 
Michal let David down 
through the window, 
allowing him to escape.
{I}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. {I}14_{/}When 
Saul sent messengers to 
capture David, Michal 
told them, "He is sick." 
{I}15_{/}Saul sent 
messengers back to David 
and said, "Bring him up 
to me on his bed for me 
to kill him." 
{I}16_{/}But when the 
messengers entered, they 
saw the household idol in 
the bed with the bundle 
of goat's hair at its 
head. {I}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{/}

{I}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. {I}19_{/}Saul 
was told that David 
stayed at Naioth in 
Ramah, {I}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.
{I}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.
{I}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." 
{I}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. 
{I}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?"
{1}20{/}

{I}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?" 
{I}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."
{I}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!" 
{I}4_{/}Then Jonathan 
told David, "What can I 
do for you?" 
{I}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. 
{I}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.' 
{I}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. {I}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?"
{I}9_{/}Jonathan 
answered, "Nonsense! If I 
knew that my father 
wanted to harm you, would 
I not warn you?" 
{I}10_{/}David then asked 
him, "Who will tell me if 
your father answers you 
angrily?" 
{I}11_{/}Jonathan said, 
"Come, let us go into the 
open country." So they 
both left for the open 
country.
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}14_{/}If I 
live, always be kind to 
me. But if I die, 
{I}15{/}-{I}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. {I}17{/}And he 
made David swear once 
more because of the 
affection he felt for him 
for he loved David as 
himself.
{I}18_{/}Then Jonathan 
said, "Tomorrow is the 
new moon. Your absence 
will be noticed because 
your seat will be vacant. 
{I}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. 
{I}20_{/}I will shoot 
three arrows near the 
stones as if I were 
aiming at a target. 
{I}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. 
{I}22_{/}But if I say to 
the lad: 'The arrows are 
beyond you,' leave, for 
Yahweh is sending you 
away. {I}23_{/}But as to 
our covenant, Yahweh is 
our witness forever."
{I}24_{/}So David hid 
himself in the open 
country. On the day of 
the new moon the king 
came to dine. {I}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.
{I}26_{/}Saul did not say 
anything on that day, 
thinking that something 
may have happened and 
David was unclean. 
{I}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?" {I}28_{/}Jonathan 
answered, "David asked 
leave to go over to 
Bethlehem for he said, 
{I}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."
{I}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? 
{I}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!" {I}32_{/}Then 
Jonathan asked his 
father, "Why should he 
die? What has he done?" 
{I}33_{/}At this, Saul 
pointed his spear at him 
and Jonathan understood 
that his father intended 
to kill David. 
{I}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.
{I}35_{/}The next 
morning, Jonathan went to 
the open country with a 
young man, according to 
what he and David had 
agreed on. {I}36_{/}He 
told the lad, "Run, fetch 
the arrows." While the 
lad was running, Jonathan 
shot an arrow that flew 
beyond the lad. 
{I}37_{/}When the lad 
reached the spot where 
Jonathan had shot the 
arrow, Jonathan called 
after him and said, "The 
arrow is beyond you! 
{I}38_{/}Run quickly and 
do not waste time!" The 
lad picked up the arrow 
and ran back to his 
master. {I}39_{/}The lad 
knew nothing of Jonathan 
and David's agreement.
{I}40_{/}After that, 
Jonathan gave his weapons 
to the lad and commanded 
him to take them to the 
city. {I}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. {I}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{/}

{1}21{/}

{I}1_{/}David went on his 
way while Jonathan 
returned home. 
{I}2_{/}David came to Nob 
to the priest Ahimelech. 
Ahimelech came to meet 
him and asked trembling, 
"Why are you alone?" 
{I}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. {I}4_{/}What 
do you have here? Can you 
give me five loaves of 
bread or whatever you 
have?" {I}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." 
{I}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." {I}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.
{I}8_{/}Yet one of Saul's 
men was there on that 
day. He was Doeg, the 
Edomite, and Saul's chief 
shepherd.
{I}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." 
{I}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."
{I}11_{/}That same day, 
David fled far from Saul. 
He went to Achish, king 
of Gath. 
{I}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?'" 
{I}13_{/}David understood 
these words and began to 
fear Achish, king of 
Gath. {I}14_{/}So he 
pretended to be mad, 
making marks on the doors 
of the gate as he let his 
spittle run down his 
beard. {I}15_{/}At this 
Achish told his servants, 
"Look, it is a madman. 
Why did you bring him to 
me? {I}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{/}

{1}22{/}

{I}1_{/}David left Gath 
and escaped to the cave 
of Adulam where his 
brothers and his father's 
family came down to him. 
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}4_{/}So David left 
them with the king of 
Moab and they stayed 
there as long as David 
remained in the refuge.
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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? 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}10_{/}Ahimelech 
consulted Yahweh for him, 
provided him with food 
and gave him the sword of 
Goliath the Philistine as 
well."
{I}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. {I}12_{/}Then 
Saul said, "Listen, son 
of Ahitub." He replied, 
"Yes, my lord." 
{I}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?" 
{I}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? {I}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." 
{I}16_{/}But the king 
said, "You and your 
entire family shall die, 
Ahimelech." {I}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. {I}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. {I}19_{/}After 
that, Saul put Nob, the 
city of priests, to the 
sword, killing men and 
women, children and 
infants, oxen, asses and 
sheep.
{I}20_{/}A son of 
Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, 
named Abiathar, escaped 
and fled to David. 
{I}21_{/}Abiathar told 
David that Saul had 
killed the priests of 
Yahweh. {I}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. {I}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{/}

{1}23{/}

{I}1_{/}David received a 
report that the 
Philistines were 
attacking Keilah and 
plundering the threshing 
floors. {I}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." {I}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?"
{I}4_{/}So David 
consulted Yahweh again 
and got this answer, "Go 
down to Keilah for I will 
deliver the Philistines 
into your hands." 
{I}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.
{I}6_{/}When Abiathar, 
son of Ahimelech, fled to 
David at Keilah, he took 
along the ephod. 
{I}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." {I}8_{/}He then 
called on all the people 
to go down to Keilah and 
engage David and his men 
in battle. {I}9_{/}When 
David found out that Saul 
meant to harm him, he 
told the priest Abiathar 
to bring the ephod. 
{I}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. 
{I}11_{/}Will Saul come 
down as I heard? O 
Yahweh, God of Israel, 
speak to your servant." 
Yahweh answered, "He will 
come down." {I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}15_{/}David knew that 
Saul had come out to kill 
him. And he remained at 
Horesh in the desert of 
Ziph. {I}16_{/}Saul's 
son, Jonathan, went to 
him and encouraged him in 
God's name with these 
words, {I}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." 
{I}18_{/}The two made an 
agreement before Yahweh 
in Horesh, after which 
David remained there 
while Jonathan returned 
home.
{I}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. 
{I}20_{/}Come down, 
therefore, O king, 
whenever it may please 
you and we shall deliver 
him into your hands." 
{I}21_{/}Saul replied, 
"May Yahweh bless you for 
you have had mercy on me. 
{I}22_{/}Go and make sure 
where he has been and who 
has seen him there for I 
am told that he is very 
cunning. {I}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."
{I}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.
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}27_{/}It was then 
that a messenger came to 
Saul and said, "Come 
quickly because the 
Philistines have invaded 
the land!" {I}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{/}

{1}24{/}

{I}1_{/}David then went 
up from there and stayed 
in the hiding places at 
Engedi. {I}2_{/}When Saul 
returned from his pursuit 
of the Philistines, he 
was told that David was 
in the desert of Engedi. 
{I}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. 
{I}4_{/}When he came to 
the sheepfolds along the 
way, he entered a cave to 
relieve himself.
{I}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. {I}6_{/}But 
afterward, David 
regretted having cut off 
an end of Saul's robe, 
{I}7_{/}and he said to 
his men, "Let me not lay 
my hands on my master, 
for he is Yahweh's 
anointed." {I}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.
{I}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, 
{I}10_{/}"Why do you 
listen to those who say 
that I want to harm you? 
{I}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.' {I}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. {I}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.
{I}14_{/}As the saying 
goes, 'From the wicked 
comes wickedness'; as for 
me, my hand shall not 
harm you. {I}15_{/}But 
who is it you are after, 
O king of Israel? Are you 
pursuing a dead dog? A 
flea? {I}16_{/}May Yahweh 
be judge between you and 
me. May he see and uphold 
my cause and deliver me 
from your hands."
{I}17_{/}After David had 
spoken these words, Saul 
asked, "Is that your 
voice, my son David?" He 
wept aloud {I}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. 
{I}19_{/}This day you 
have shown your 
righteousness to me by 
not taking my life when 
Yahweh put me into your 
hands. {I}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. {I}21_{/}Now I 
know for certain that you 
shall reign and the 
kingdom of Israel will be 
firm in your hand. 
{I}22_{/}Now swear to me 
by Yahweh that you will 
not wipe out my 
descendants and erase the 
name of my family."
{I}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{/}

{1}25{/}

{I}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. 
{I}2_{/}A very rich man, 
owner of three thousand 
sheep and a thousand 
goats, lived there and 
had his farm in Carmel. 
{I}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.

{I}4_{/}When David heard 
in the desert that Nabal 
was shearing his sheep, 
{I}5_{/}he sent ten young 
men to the farm with this 
instruction, "Go to Nabal 
in Carmel and greet him 
for me {I}6_{/}in these 
words: peace be with you 
and your family; peace be 
with all that is yours. 
{I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}9_{/}When David's 
young men arrived, they 
delivered this message to 
Nabal in David's name and 
then waited. {I}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. 
{I}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?" 
{I}12_{/}At this, David's 
young men left and 
returned to him, 
reporting everything 
Nabal had said. 
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}16_{/}They were like a 
wall for us night and day 
while we were tending the 
sheep in their midst. 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}19_{/}Then she said to 
her servants, "Go on 
ahead and I shall follow 
you." But she told her 
husband nothing of this.
{I}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, {I}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. {I}22_{/}May 
God do so to David and 
more if by morning I 
leave a single male alive 
among those who belong to 
him."
{I}23_{/}On seeing David, 
Abigail quickly 
dismounted from the ass 
and threw herself on the 
ground before him. 
{I}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. {I}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.
{I}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! 
{I}27_{/}And now let this 
present which I have 
brought you, my lord, be 
given to the young men 
who follow you, 
{I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}30_{/}So when Yahweh 
fulfills his promises and 
appoints you as commander 
over Israel, {I}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."
{I}32_{/}David then said 
to Abigail, "Blessed be 
Yahweh, the God of 
Israel, who sent you to 
meet me today! 
{I}33_{/}Blessed be your 
good judgment and may you 
yourself be blessed, for 
you have prevented me 
from shedding blood and 
avenging myself today! 
{I}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." 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}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. 
{I}38_{/}Ten days later, 
Yahweh let him die.
{I}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."
{I}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." 
{I}41_{/}Rising and 
bowing to the ground, 
Abigail answered, "May I 
be as a slave to wash the 
feet of my lord's 
servants." {I}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.
{I}43_{/}David also 
married Ahinoam of 
Jezreel, making both her 
and Abigail his wives. 
{I}44_{/}Saul, in the 
meantime, had given 
Michal, his daughter and 
David's wife, to Palti, 
son of Laish who was from 
Gallim.
{1}26{/}

{I}1_{/}Ziphites came to 
Saul in Gibeah to tell 
him that David was hiding 
on the hill of Hachilah, 
east of Jeshimon. 
{I}2_{/}On hearing this, 
Saul went down with three 
thousand picked men of 
Israel to the desert of 
Ziph in search of David. 
{I}3_{/}He encamped on 
the hill of Hachilah 
beside the road east of 
Jeshimon. {I}4_{/}When 
David who was in the 
desert saw that Saul had 
come after him, he sent 
out spies who confirmed 
Saul's arrival. 
{I}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.
{I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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." {I}9_{/}But David 
answered Abishai, "Do not 
harm him. For who could 
harm Yahweh's anointed 
and not be punished? 
{I}10_{/}As Yahweh lives, 
only Yahweh may strike 
him; either he dies on 
the day appointed or is 
killed in battle. 
{I}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."
{I}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.
{I}13_{/}On the opposite 
slope David stood at a 
distance, on top of the 
hill, {I}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?" 
{I}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. 
{I}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."
{I}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! 
{I}18_{/}Why does my lord 
pursue me? What have I 
done? What am I guilty 
of? {I}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.' 
{I}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."
{I}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." 
{I}22_{/}David answered, 
"I have your spear with 
me, O king! Let one of 
your servants come over 
to fetch it. 
{I}23_{/}Yahweh rewards a 
righteous and loyal man. 
Today he delivered you 
into my hands but I 
refused to harm Yahweh's 
anointed. {I}24_{/}As I 
valued your life today, 
may Yahweh value my life 
and deliver me from all 
distress."
{I}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{/}

{1}27{/}

{I}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." 
{I}2_{/}So David went 
with his six hundred men 
to Achish, son of Maoch, 
king of Gath. {I}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. 
{I}4_{/}When Saul was 
informed that David had 
fled to Gath, he no 
longer searched for him.
{I}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?" {I}6_{/}That 
very day, Achish gave 
David Ziklag, which since 
then and up to the 
present time has belonged 
to the kings of Judah. 
{I}7_{/}David lived one 
year and four months in 
the country of the 
Philistines.
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}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." {I}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. 
{I}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{/}

{1}28{/}

{I}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." 
{I}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."
{I}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.
{I}4_{/}As the 
Philistines gathered 
together and encamped in 
Shunem, Saul also 
mustered the Israelite 
forces and encamped in 
Gilboa. {I}5_{/}But on 
seeing the Philistine 
camp, Saul was afraid and 
his heart failed him. 
{I}6_{/}Saul consulted 
Yahweh but Yahweh gave no 
answer whether in dreams 
or by the Urim or through 
prophets. {I}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."
{I}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." 
{I}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?" 
{I}10_{/}But Saul swore 
to her by Yahweh, "As 
Yahweh lives, you will 
not be in trouble for 
this."
{I}11_{/}Then the woman 
asked him, "Whom do you 
want me to call up?" Saul 
said, "Call up Samuel."
{I}12_{/}When the woman 
saw Samuel, she screamed 
and said to Saul, "Why 
have you deceived me? You 
are Saul!" {I}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." 
{I}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.
{I}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."
{I}16_{/}Samuel said, 
"Why do you ask me, if 
Yahweh has abandoned you 
and turned against you? 
{I}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. 
{I}18_{/}Remember that 
you disobeyed Yahweh by 
not executing his fierce 
anger against Amalek; 
that is why Yahweh has 
done this to you today. 
{I}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."
{I}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.
{I}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. {I}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." 
{I}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. {I}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, 
{I}25{/}and set it before 
Saul and his servants. 
They then ate and left 
that night.
{1}29{/}

{I}1_{/}Now the 
Philistines mustered all 
their forces at Aphek; 
the Israelites were 
encamped beside the 
spring in Jezreel. 
{I}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. {I}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." {I}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? 
{I}5_{/}Is this not the 
David for whom they 
danced and sang: Saul has 
slain his thousands, but 
David his tens of 
thousands?"
{I}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. 
{I}7_{/}So it is better 
for you to leave and go 
back quietly and do 
nothing to displease the 
Philistine lords." 
{I}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?" 
{I}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. 
{I}10_{/}Now, therefore, 
get up early tomorrow 
morning and leave with 
the soldiers who came 
with you." {I}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{/}

{1}30{/}

{I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}3_{/}When they reached 
the town, David and his 
men found it burned to 
the ground and their 
wives, sons and daughters 
taken captive. 
{I}4_{/}Then David and 
those with him wept aloud 
until they could weep no 
more. {I}5_{/}David's two 
wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel 
and Abigail, widow of 
Nabal of Carmel had also 
been taken captive. 
{I}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.
{I}7_{/}David told 
Abiathar the priest, son 
of Ahimelech, to bring 
him the ephod. So 
Abiathar brought the 
ephod to David 
{I}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."
{I}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, {I}10_{/}and David 
continued the chase with 
four hundred men.
{I}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. 
{I}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. {I}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. 
{I}14_{/}We raided the 
Negeb of the Cherethites, 
the territory of Judah 
and the Negeb of Caleb 
and set Ziklag on fire." 
{I}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."
{I}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. 
{I}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.
{I}18_{/}David recovered 
everything the Amalekites 
had taken and rescued his 
two wives. 
{I}19_{/}Nothing and no 
one was missing, small or 
great, son or daughter, 
booty or anything the 
Amalekites had taken. 
David brought back 
everything. {I}20_{/}He 
then gathered flocks and 
herds and the people 
drove them before him, 
saying, "These are 
David's spoils!"
{I}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. {I}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." 
{I}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. 
{I}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." {I}25_{/}From 
that day to the present, 
this has been a statute 
and custom for Israel.
{I}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: 
{I}27_{/}to those in 
Bethel, in Ramoth-negeb, 
in Jattir, {I}28_{/}in 
Aroer, in Sipmoth, in 
Eshtemoa, {I}29_{/}in 
Racal, in the 
Jerahmeelite cities, in 
the Kenite cities, 
{I}30_{/}in Hormah, in 
Borashan, {I}31_{/}in 
Athach, in Hebron, and in 
all the places where 
David and his men had 
stayed.
DEATH OF SAUL{/}

{1}31{/}

{I}1_{/}Now the 
Philistines fought 
against the Israelites 
who, in their flight, 
fell mortally wounded on 
Mount Gilboa. {I}2_{/}The 
Philistines surrounded 
Saul and his sons and 
killed Jonathan, Abinadab 
and Malchishua, Saul's 
sons. {I}3_{/}The battle 
raged around Saul, and he 
was afraid when he saw 
that the archers had 
found him.
{I}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. 
{I}5_{/}Seeing that Saul 
was dead, the armor-
bearer also fell upon his 
sword and died with him. 
{I}6_{/}Thus, Saul, his 
three sons, his armor-
bearer and all his men 
died together on the same 
day.
{I}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.
{I}8_{/}The following 
day, the Philistines came 
to strip the slain and 
found Saul and his three 
sons lying dead on Mount 
Gilboa. {I}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. {I}10_{/}They 
put his armor in the 
temple of Ashtaroth and 
pinned his body on the 
wall of Bethshan. 
{I}11_{/}When the 
inhabitants of Jabesh-
gilead heard what the 
Philistines had done to 
Saul, {I}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. 
{I}13_{/}Then they took 
their bones and buried 
them under the tamarisk 
tree in Jabesh, after 
which, they fasted for 
seven days.

