1 Samuel - At A Glance

Theme: Samuel begins in the days of the judges and describes Israel's transition from a theocracy to a monarchy. This book deals with great beginnings and tragic endings. Eli and Saul are two such examples. David was another great beginner whose great failings were overcome by his faith in God, evidenced by his obedience.

1 Samuel 1
At a Glance (28 V)
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1-4_Elkanah lived in the hill country of Ephraim with two wives. Peninnah had children and Hannah did not. Each year Elkanah took his family to worship in Shiloh. Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were priests to the LORD there. When the day came for sacrifice, Elkanah would give portions to Peninnah and her sons and daughters.

__5-8_But to Hannah he would give a double portion because he loved her and the LORD had closed her womb. Her rival provoked her bitterly because she did not have children. This happened every year and she got so she wouldn't eat. Elkanah asked her why she wept. Wasn't he better to her than ten sons?

__9-11_Hannah went near the doorpost of the temple where Eli was sitting. In her great distress she prayed that the LORD would give her a son. She promised to give him to the LORD all the days of his life and his hair would never be cut.

__12-17_As Hannah prayed Eli saw her mouth move without actually speaking. He thought she was drunk and reprimanded her. Hannah explained that she was not drunk but praying out of great concern and provocation. Eli answered, go in peace and may the LORD grant your petition to Him.

__18-20_Hannah said may I find favor in your sight and then went her way satisfied and able to eat. After worshipping the next day the family returned home. In the course of time, the LORD remembered Hannah and she conceived. Eventually a son was born. She named him Samuel, saying, because I have asked him of the LORD.

__21-23_Each year after that when Elkanah went up to offer his yearly sacrifice to the LORD, Hannah would not go. She told him that she would not go up until the child was weaned and then she could present him to the LORD to stay there forever. Elkanah agreed to this.

__24-25_When Samuel was weaned, Hannah took him and a three year old bull, an ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. The child was young. They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

__26-28_Hannah said, I am the woman who stood beside you praying to the LORD. Remember, you thought I was drunk? I prayed for this boy and the LORD has answered my petition. So I have dedicated him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.

1 Samuel 2
At a Glance (36 V)
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1-11_Then Hannah prayed saying, my heart exalts in the LORD because I rejoice in His salvation. There is no one holy like the LORD. Even the barren give birth to seven. The LORD brings low and He also exalts. After this Elkanah went home and they left the boy to minister to the LORD before Eli the priest.

__12-14_The sons of Eli were worthless men. They didn't know the LORD or follow the correct customs with the people. When any man brought a sacrifice to the LORD and would boil the meat in a pot, the priest's servant was allowed to thrust a three pronged fork into the pot. Whatever came out on the fork was for the priest.

__15-17_When the fat of the sacrifice was about to be burned the priest's servant would demand a portion of meat before the fat had been removed. If it was not given it would be taken by force. Thus the sins of Eli's sons were very great.

__18-20_Samuel ministered before the LORD. He wore a linen ephod. Each year his mother made another and brought it when the family came to make their yearly sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, may the LORD give you children from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD. Then they went home.

__21-22_Then the LORD visited Hannah and she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.

Now Eli was very old and he heard of all the evil his sons did to Israel, even having illicit relations with the women who served at the door of the meeting tent. He asked them, why do you do such things.

1 Samuel 3
At a Glance (21 V)
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1-3_The boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. Word from the LORD was rare in those days. One evening Eli was lying down in his place. His eyesight was dim. The lamp was still burning and Samuel was lying in the temple where the ark of God was kept.

__4-8_The LORD called Samuel and he said, here I am and ran to Eli thinking it had been him who had called. Eli said he had not called and told him to go lie down. The LORD called two more times and each time Samuel ran to Eli and was sent back to bed. But the third time Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy.

__9_Before sending Samuel back the third time Eli said to him, go lie down and if He calls you again, you should answer Him by saying, Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

__10-13_Then the LORD called Samuel again. And Samuel answered, speak Lord, for your servant is listening. And the LORD said, behold, I am about do something that will make everyone's ears tingle. In that day I will carry out everything that I have spoken against Eli's house because he knew the iniquity of his sons and did not rebuke them.

__14-15_I have sworn to the house of Eli that its iniquity shall never be atoned for by sacrifice. So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the LORD's house. But he was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.

__16-18_Eli called Samuel and asked him what the LORD had said to him, cautioning him to leave nothing out. So Samuel told him everything, and Eli said, it is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.

__19-21_Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him, letting none of his words fail. All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD. Now the LORD was again revealing himself at Shiloh through Samuel.

1 Samuel 4
At a Glance (22 V)
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1-3_Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle. They camped beside Ebenezer and the Philistines camped in Aphek. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated losing about four thousand men. The leaders of Israel asked each other, why has the LORD allowed this defeat. They decided to send for the ark of the covenant at Shiloh.

__4-5_So the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits above the cherubim, was brought from Shiloh and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark. When the ark was brought into the camp all the Israelite soldiers shouted with a great shout so that the earth resounded.

__6-10_When the Philistines heard the shout and understood the reason for it, they were afraid. They remembered the stories of what had happened to Egypt. They knew that they must fight very hard lest they become the slaves of the Hebrews. So they fought Israel with a great slaughter and killed thirty thousand foot soldiers.

__11-17_The ark of God was taken and Hophni and Phinehas died. That same day a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line bringing news to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head. He gave the news throughout the city. Last of all, he came to Eli telling him that the ark had been captured and that his sons were dead.

__18_When he mentioned that the ark had been captured, Eli fell backward off the bench by the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was old and very heavy. He was ninety-eight years old. He had judged Israel forty years.

__19-22_Phinehas' wife was about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she gave birth to a son and died. Before she died she named her son Ichabod, saying, the glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.

1 Samuel 5
At a Glance (12 V)
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1-3_The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. They put it in the house of Dagon and set it by him. The next morning they found that Dagon had fallen on his face in front of the ark of the LORD. They set Dagon up in his place again.

__4-5_The following morning they found Dagon had fallen before the ark of the LORD again. This time his head and both his hands had broken off and were on the threshold. After that neither priest or anyone else entering the house of Dagon would step on the threshold.

__6-9_The hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod. He smote them with tumors in Ashdod and in all its territories. The people decided that the ark of the God of Israel must not remain with them so they sent it the Gath. Then the hand of the LORD was heavy against Gath and tumors broke out on young and old men.

__10-12_So they sent the ark of God to Ekron but they did not want it. They gathered the llords of the Philistines and said, send the ark of the God of Israel back to its own place so that we will not die. Already men there were dying and tumors had broken out on those who did not die.

1 Samuel 6
At a Glance (21 V)
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1-5_The ark of the LORD had been with the Philistines seven months. They called for their priests and asked how they should send it back. The priests directed them to prepare a guilt offering of five golden tumors and five golden mice for the mice which had ravaged the land, according to the number of the llords of the Philistines.

__6-8_Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians did. Prepare a new cart and two newly freshened milk cows which have never yet been yoked. Take their calves away from them. Place the ark of the LORD on the cart and put the articles of gold in another box beside the ark of the LORD. Send it away and see where it goes.

__9_Watch to see if the cows take the cart to Bethshemesh which is its own territory. If it goes there you may be sure that the hand of the LORD God of Israel has done this great evil against us. If it does not go that way, then it happened to us by chance.

__10-12_The men did as directed with the cows and the cart. They shut the two calves away from their mothers. And the cows went straight away toward Bethshemesh. They went along the road lowing as they went but they did not turn to the right or left. The llords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Bethshemesh.

__13-14_The people of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat. When they looked up and saw the ark they were glad. The ark came into the field of Joshua the Bethshemite and stood near a large stone. The men split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows on it as a burnt offering to the LORD.

__15-18_The Levites has placed the ark and the articles of gold on the large stone. When the five llords of the Philistines saw all of this they returned to Ekron that day.

There were five golden tumors, one for each of the llords of the Philistines. There were five golden mice, one for each of the Philistine cities under the five llords.

__19-21_The LORD struck down some of the men of Bethshemesh because they looked into the ark of the LORD. All together He struck down 50,070 men and the people mourned the great slaughter. Then they sent to Kiriathjearim saying come and take the ark of the LORD which the Philistines have brought back.

1 Samuel 7
At a Glance (17 V)
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1-2_The men of Kiriathjearim came and brought the ark of the LORD into the house of Abinadab and consecrated Eleazar his son to take care of it. The ark stayed at Kiriathjearim for twenty years and all the people felt abandoned by the LORD.

__3-4_Then Samuel spoke to all Israel saying, if you return to the LORD with all your heart, if you remove all the foreign gods from among you and serve God alone, He will deliver you from the Philistines. So the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.

__5-7_Then Samuel said, gather all Israel at Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted. They said, we have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged Israel at Mizpah. Now the Philistines heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah so they went up against Israel. When Israel heard of it they were afraid.

__8-10_The children of Israel asked Samuel to pray for them that God would save them from the Philistines. Samuel sacrificed a suckling lamb for a whole burnt offering to the LORD and prayed. The Philistines were drawing near for battle and the LORD thundered a great thunder and confused the Philistines. They were routed before Israel.

__11-13_The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued and struck down the Philistines as far as Bethcar. Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer saying, thus far the LORD has helped us. So the Philistines were subdued and did not come any more within the border of Israel all the days of Samuel.

__14-17_The cities taken by the Philistines were restored to Israel and there was peace between them. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He would make a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places. Then he would return to Ramah where he had built his house and an alter to the LORD.

1 Samuel 8
At a Glance (22 V)
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1-5_When Samuel was old he appointed his sons, Joel and Abijah, as judges over Israel. They did not walk in his ways. They took bribes and perverted justice. All the elders of Israel came to Samuel at Ramah and said, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint us a king to judge us like all the other nations.

__6-9_The request displeased Samuel and he prayed to the LORD. The LORD told him to listen to the people. They are not rejecting you, Samuel. They are rejecting Me from being king over them. They are following the same pattern they have followed since I brought them up out of Egypt. But warn them of what a king will do to them.

__10-18_So Samuel told everything the LORD had said to the people who had asked for a king. He explained how a king would take their sons and daughters as soldiers and servants. He will take the best of your fields, vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants. Then you will cry out to the LORD but He will not listen.

__19-22_The people refused to listen to Samuel. Instead they continued to say, we want a king so we can be like other nations when we go out to battle. Samuel repeated all their words to the LORD and He said, listen to them and appoint a king over them. So Samuel sent every man to his city.

1 Samuel 9
At a Glance (27 V)
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1-4_Now there was a man of Benjamin by the name of Kish. He was the great grandson of a mighty Benjamite warrior named Aphiah. Kish had a son named Saul who was the handsomest man in Israel and taller than everyone else.

Kish had lost some donkeys and sent Saul to find them. He looked everywhere but could not find them.

__5-7_Saul decided that his father might think he was lost as well, so he decided to head for home. On the way he remembered that there was a man of God in the city he was passing. Perhaps he would be willing to help him find his father's donkeys. He wanted to bring a present to the man of God but couldn't think of what to give him.

__8-14_His servant said he had a fourth shekel of silver. So Saul said let's go and see the man. As they approached the city they asked people if the prophet was home or traveling. They told him that the man was there. He was to bless a sacrifice and where they could find him. As they went up to the city Samuel was coming out toward them.

__15-17_On the previous day the LORD had said to Samuel, on the next day at about the same time I will send a man of Benjamin to you and you shall anoint him prince over My people. I have heard their cry for someone to rule over them. Now when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, this is the one who shall rule over My people.

__18-21_At that moment Saul approached Samuel at the gate and asked where the seer's house was. Samuel answered, I am the seer. Come eat with me and I will tell you all that is on my mind. And do not worry about your donkeys. They have been found. Today you and your family are greatly honored. Saul said, why me. I am nobody.

__22-24_Samuel brought Saul and his servant to the hall and seated them at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty men. Samuel told the cook to bring the portion he had previously arranged for and to set before Saul. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

__25-27_When they came down from the high place, Samuel made a place for Saul to sleep on roof of his house. The next day at daybreak he got Saul up to send him on his way. As they were going out to the edge of the city, Samuel sent the servant on ahead and asked Saul to wait a moment to hear what the LORD had to say to him.

1 Samuel 10
At a Glance (27 V)
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1-2_Then Samuel took the flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, the LORD has anointed you ruler over His inheritance. When you leave here and come near to Rachel's tomb, you will meet two men of Benjamin who will confirm that the donkeys have been found and that your father is now worried about you.

__3-5_Then at the oak of Tabor three men will meet you carrying three young goats, three loaves of bread and a jug of wine. They will greet you and give you two of the loaves. When you come to the hill of God where the Philistines are garrisoned, a group of prophets will come out to meet you with music and prophesying.

__6-7_Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. When all these signs have come to pass, do what the occasion requires, for God is with you.

__8-9_Go to Gilgal and wait for me to come down to you to offer burnt offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come down to show you what you should do.

When Saul left Samuel, God changed his heart and all of these signs came about in one day.

__10-13_When they came to the hill Samuel had talked about, a group of prophets met him. The Spirit of God came upon him mightily and he prophesied with the prophets. Those who knew Saul asked each other, is this Saul? What has happened to him? And it became a proverb, "Is Saul among the prophets?"

__14-16_When Saul's uncle learned that Saul had visited with Samuel, he asked what Samuel had talked about? Saul said that Samuel had talked about where the donkeys were and he said nothing about being anointed.

__17-19_Samuel called the people together at Mizpah and told them what the LORD had to say.

I brought you up out of Egypt and delivered you from all who oppressed you. Now you have rejected Me as your leader and asked for a king. Present yourselves before the LORD by tribes and clans. And Samuel cast lots.

__20-22_The lot fell to the tribe of Benjamin. Then it fell to the Matrite clan within the tribe of Benjamin. Finally the Kish family was selected and then Saul, the son of Kish, was selected from the Kish family. The people looked for him and could not find him. The LORD said, he has hidden himself in the baggage.

__23-24_So they ran and found him and brought him out. He was a head taller than everyone. Samuel said, you see who the LORD has chosen. And all the people shouted, long live the king.

__25-27_Then Samuel sent the people away and Saul went to his home in Gibeah. Some valiant men led of God accompanied him. There were some worthless men who despised Saul, saying, how can this man deliver us? And they did not bring him any present. But Saul kept silent.

1 Samuel 11
At a Glance (15 V)
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1-3_Now Nahash the Ammonite besieged Jabesh-Gilead. The people of Jabesh-Gilead were willing to make a covenant with Nahash and serve him. He said that a covenant with him would mean that they would agree to have their right eye gouged out as a reproach to Israel.

__4-6_The elders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel asking for help. Saul was coming in from the field with a team of oxen when he heard the people weeping over the message from Jabesh. The message made Saul angry and the Spirit of the LORD came on him mightily.

__7-8_He took the yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces. He sent the pieces throughout Israel with the message that whoever did not come out after Saul and Samuel would have their oxen cut up. The dread of the LORD fell on the people and three hundred thousand men showed up.

__9-11_They sent word to Jabesh that tomorrow they would be delivered. The next morning Saul put the people into three companies. They entered the Ammonite camp at the morning watch and struck them down until the heat of the day. Any that got away were scattered with no two fleeing together.

__12-14_After this the people said, where are the men who said, shall Saul rule over us? Bring them here that we may put them to death. But Saul said that no man of Israel should be put to death today for the LORD has accomplished deliverance in Israel.

__15_Then Samuel invited the people to Gilgal to sacrifice peace offerings and renew the kingdom. It was there that they made Saul king before the LORD and everyone rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel 12
At a Glance (25 V)
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1-5_Samuel said to all Israel, I have listened to you and appointed a king over you. I am old and gray. If I have defrauded anyone of anything, or oppressed any person, or taken a bribe, tell me now. They answered, you have done none of these things against any man. And Samuel said, the LORD is witness to what you have said.

__6-11_Samuel reviewed all the righteous acts of the LORD, starting with Jacob when he went down to Egypt and continuing with Moses and Aaron. He continued with the Philistines and with Moab. He mentioned Jerrubbaal and Jeptha and finally added his own name. You were delivered from your enemies so you could live in security.

__12-15_When Nahash the Ammonite came against you, you asked for a king to reign over you, even though the LORD God was your king. If you and your king fear the LORD and serve Him, then it will be well with you. If you do not listen to Him, but rebel against His commands, the hand of the LORD will be against you.

__16-17_Even now, take your stand watch the LORD work. Today is the wheat harvest. I will call to the LORD that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will see that your wickedness is great in the sight of the LORD because you asked for a king to reign over you.

__18-22_So Samuel called to the LORD and He sent thunder and rain. All the people greatly feared the LORD and asked Samuel to intercede for them so they would not die because they had asked for a king. Samuel said, fear not. Follow the LORD. He will not abandon you.

__23-25_Far be it from me to ever stop praying for you. Fear the LORD and serve Him with all your heart. Think about the great things He has done for you. But if you do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.

1 Samuel 13
At a Glance (23 V)
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1-3_Saul was forty years old when he began to reign and he reigned thirty-two years over Israel. He chose 3,000 men, 2,000 of whom stayed with him in Michmash and 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul sent everyone else home.

And Jonathan smote the Philistines of Geba and the rest of the Philistines heard about it.

__4-7_Saul called all Israel to Gilgal. The Philistines had assembled 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen as well as soldiers without number at Michmash. The men of Israel became frightened and hid themselves wherever they could. Some of the Hebrews had gone over to the Philistines. Saul and the people stayed at Gilgal.

__8-12_Saul waited seven days for Samuel to come to Gilgal as previously arranged. But Samuel delayed and the people began to scatter. Saul decided to offer the burnt offering and as soon as he had finished offering it, Samuel showed up asking what he had done? Saul said the people were scattering and I forced myself to offer the sacrifice.

__13-14_Samuel said, you have acted foolishly by not obeying the commandment of the LORD. He would have established your kingdom forever, but now your kingdom will not endure. Because of your disobedience, the LORD has looked for a man after His own heart and has appointed him ruler over His people.

__15-19_Then Saul arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin and took Jonathan and about 600 men with him.

The Philistines began making coordinated raids in several places in Israel. At this time there were no blacksmiths in Israel. Only the Philistines knew how to make swords and spears.

__20-23_So all Israel would go down to the Philistines when they needed to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and hoes sharpened. It cost two-thirds of a shekel for each implement. For this reason, no Israelite had a sword or a spear, except Saul and Jonathan. The Philistines wanted to keep it that way.

1 Samuel 14
At a Glance (52 V)
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1-3_At that time Saul was staying under a pomegranate tree in Migron with 600 of his men. Ahijah, the great grandson of Eli, was wearing the ephod and was with him, too. Without telling anyone, Jonathan and his armor bearer, decided to cross over to the Philistine garrison. No one knew Jonathan had gone.

__4-7_There were steep embankment on both sides of the draw separating them from the Philistines. Jonathan said to his armor bearer, let's cross over to the Philistines. Perhaps the LORD will work for us. He doesn't need a lot of people to gain a victory. The armor bearer said, I am with you.

__8-10_Jonathan said, we'll cross over and show ourselves to them. If they threaten to come down, we'll stand where we are. If they say, come up to us, we will go up to them, for it will be a sign that the LORD has given them into our hand.

__11-12_When they revealed themselves the Philistines said to each other, see they are coming out of their hiding places. They called down to Jonathan and his armor bearer saying, come up here and we will tell you something. Jonathan then said to his armor bearer, follow me. The LORD is with us.

__13-18_Jonathan climbed up the embankment and he and his armor bearer overpowered about twenty Philistines. There was a great trembling of the earth. The Philistines were observed by Saul's men to be running around. Saul said, take a count and see who is not with us. It was discovered that Jonathan and his armor bearer were missing.

__19-22_The commotion in the camp of the Philistines increased. Saul and his people went to where they could see what was happening. In confusion the Philistines were fighting each other. The Hebrews who had been with them now turned on them. All the men of Israel came out of hiding and pursued the Philistines.

__23-26_So the LORD delivered Israel that day and the battle went beyond Bethaven. The men of Israel were tired and hungry. Saul had said, cursed is the man who eats any food before I have been avenged of my enemies. As they entered the forest they saw honey on the ground. But no man touched it because of Saul's words.

__27-30_Jonathan had not heard his father's oath and ate some of the honey. The people told him what his father had said about eating anything. Jonathan replied, my father has troubled Israel. The honey has given me strength. If the men had eaten some of their enemy's spoil they would have been able to slaughter more of them.

__31-35_After the battle that day the people were so hungry they rushed greedily upon the spoil and ate the meat with the blood. Saul told the people to stop this and properly fix the meat before cooking and eating it. And Saul built an alter to the LORD. It was the first one he built.

__36-38_Saul wanted to go after the Philistines by night and wipe them out. The priest advised that he should ask God first. So Saul asked God, shall I go down? Will you give them into the hand of Israel? But God did not answer that day. Saul questioned everyone to see if someone had sinned, thus preventing God from answering them.

__39-42_Saul said, whoever has sinned, even if it be Jonathan, he shall surely die. No one answered him. Saul and Jonathan stood on one side and all the people on the other side. A lot was cast and it fell on Saul and Jonathan. Another lot was cast to choose between Saul and Jonathan and the lot fell on Jonathan.

__43-45_Saul said, tell me what have you done Jonathan? He said, I tasted some of the honey. I must die. Saul agreed with him but the people would not hear of it. Jonathan has brought about a great deliverance in Israel, they said. Not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground for he has worked with God today. So he did not die.

__46-48_Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines and they each went to their own place. Now when Saul had taken over the kingdom, he had fought against Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. He even defeated the Amalekites and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.

__49-52_The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchishua. His daughters were Merab and Michal. Saul's wife was Ahinoam. The captain of his army was his uncle Abner. The war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul. Whenever he found a mighty man, he attached him to his staff.

1 Samuel 15
At a Glance (35 V)
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1-3_Samuel spoke to Saul, saying, the LORD made you king over Israel. Listen to the word of the LORD. I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel while they were coming up from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy Amalek. Put everyone and everything to death. Leave no person or animal alive.

__4-7_Saul called out Israel and took two hundred and ten thousand men to set an ambush against Amalek. He warned the Kenites to depart from Amalek lest they be destroyed with Amalek, for they had showed kindness to Israel when they came out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed and Saul defeated the Amalekites.

__8-9_Saul destroyed every Amalekite except their king. He spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs and all that was good. Everything despised and worthless they destroyed.

__10-12_Then the LORD spoke to Samuel saying, I regret that I made Saul king for he does not follow Me or carry out My commandments. Samuel was very distressed and cried to the LORD all night. Early the next morning he went to meet Saul. He was told that Saul had set up a monument for himself on Carmel before going to Gilgal.

__13-16_Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said, I have carried out the commandment of the LORD. Samuel said, then what is the bleating of sheep I hear and the lowing of oxen? Saul said, I have brought them from the Amalekites to sacrifice to the LORD. The rest were completely destroyed. Samuel said, I will tell what the LORD has said.

__17-19_Isn't it true that while you were little in your own eyes you were made head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you to be king over Israel. He sent you on a mission to completely destroy the Amalekites. Why didn't you obey the LORD? Keeping some of the spoil was evil in the sight of the LORD.

__20-22_Saul said, but I did obey the LORD and I have brought back Agag and destroyed the rest of the Amalekites. True, the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD at Gilgal. Samuel said, does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings as He has in obedience? It is better to obey than to sacrifice.

__23-24_Rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you from being king. Then Saul said, I have sinned and have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD. I feared the people and listened to them.

__25-27_Please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the LORD. Samuel said, I will not return with you for you have rejected the word of the LORD and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel. As Samuel turned to go Saul seized the edge of his robe and it tore.

__28-30_Then Samuel said, the LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and given it to your neighbor who is better than you. The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind. Saul said I have sinned. Please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me and worship the LORD your God.

__31-33_So Samuel went back following after Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD. Then Samuel said, bring me Agag. Agag came cheerfully, thinking the worst was past. Samuel said, you have made many women childless and now your mother will be childless. And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

__34-35_Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul stayed at Gibeah. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of Saul's death, for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 16
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1-2_Now the LORD said to Samuel, how long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king? Fill your horn of oil. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have selected a king from among his sons. Samuel was worried that Saul might hear of this and kill him. God said take a heifer to sacrifice to Me.

__3-5_Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will show you what you shall do and you shall anoint the one I designate. So Samuel went to Bethlehem and the elders came trembling to meet him. They asked him if he came in peace? He answered I have come in peace to sacrifice to the LORD. He invited them as well as Jesse and his sons.

__6-10_When Samuel saw Eliab, he thought, this is the LORD's choice. The LORD said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance for I have rejected him. Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. Jesse called Abinadab, then Shammah and each of his seven sons before Samuel but the LORD did not choose any of them.

__11-12_Samuel asked Jesse, are these all of your children? Jesse said, there is one more, the youngest, tending sheep. Samuel said, bring him for we will not sit down until he comes. So they went and got him. He had a good complexion and beautiful eyes. He was handsome. The LORD told Samuel to arise and anoint him. He is the one.

__13_Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. And Samuel left for Ramah.

__14-18_Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul and he was tormented by an evil spirit. His servants noticed this and asked him if they could find a skillful harp player to make good music and ease his mind? Saul agreed to this and one of the young men knew of Jesse's son who was a skillful musician and whom the LORD was with.

__19_Saul's messengers asked Jesse to send his son David who was with the flock.

__20-23_Jesse loaded a donkey with bread, a jug of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David. David attended Saul, and Saul loved him greatly. He became Saul's armor bearer. Saul asked Jesse to let David stay with him. Whenever Saul was tormented by an evil spirit David played his harp and Saul would be refreshed.

1 Samuel 17
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1-3_The Philistines gathered their armies for battle at Socoh which belongs to Judah. Saul and the men of Israel camped in the valley of Elah and prepared for battle with the Philistines. The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side of the valley.

__4-5_Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines. His name was Goliath from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span, or about nine and one half feet. He had a bronze helmet on his head and he was clothed with scale armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.

__6-7_He had bronze shin guards and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam. Its head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer walked before him.

__8-9_He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, saying, why has your army come out in battle array? Am I not a Philistine and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail, then you will become our servants.

__10-11_I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together. When Saul and the men of Israel heard these words they were afraid.

__12-15_David was the youngest of Jesse's eight sons. Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul. His three oldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, had gone to battle with Saul. David would take supplies to his brothers and then go back to tend his father's flock at Bethlehem.

__16-19_The Philistine came out to challenge Israel morning and evening for forty days.

At this time Jesse told David to take an ephah of roasted grain and ten loaves of bread to his brothers and some cheese to their commander. And bring back any news that I may know how the battle is going with the Philistines.

__20-22_So David got up early and left the flock with a keeper and took supplies to his brothers. As he came to the edge of the camp the armies were shouting the war cry and drawing toward each other in their battle array. Leaving his baggage with the baggage keeper, David ran to the battle line to look for his brothers.

__23-25_As he talked with them, Goliath stepped out and spoke the same challenge as before. When the men of Israel saw the man, they were afraid and fled. Some were heard to say, whoever kills this man will be richly rewarded by Saul who will give him his daughter and making his father's house free from being taxed.

__26-27_Then David spoke to the men standing by him, saying, what will be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away this reproach from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God? Everyone he asked confirmed what he had been told.

__28-29_Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speaking to the other men and became angry with David. He asked him who he had left the few sheep with in the wilderness. He considered David's arrival as nothing more than insolent curiosity to see the battle. David said, what have I done now? Cant I ask a question?

__30-33_Then David turned away to another man and asked the same question. He always got the same answer. Eventually David's words reached Saul and he sent for David. David said let no man's heart fail him on account of this Philistine. I will fight him. Saul looked at David and said, you are only a youth.

__34-35_But David said to Saul, when your servant was tending his father's sheep, and a lion or a bear took a lamb from the flock, I attacked him and took the lamb from his mouth. Then when he turned on me, I seized him by his beard, struck him and killed him.

__36-37_Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said, go, and may the LORD be with you.

__38-40_Saul gave David his helmet and armor. When David had strapped on Saul's sword and tried to walk he said, I'm not used to all this weight. Taking the armor off, he took his staff and chose five smooth stones from the brook for his shepherd's bag. Then with his staff and his sling, he approached the Philistine.

__41-44_The Philistine approached David with his shield bearer in front of him. As he got a closer look at David, he distained his youthfulness. He said, am I a dog that you come to me with a stick? As he cursed David by his gods he said, come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.

__45_Then David said to the Philistine, you come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.

__46-47_Today the LORD will deliver you into my hands. I will remove your head and give your body to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword and spear, for the battle is the LORD's.

__48-51_As Goliath started toward David, David ran quickly to meet him. Taking a stone from his bag, he slung it and it hit the Philistine in his forehead so that it sank in and the Philistine fell forward on his face. David ran up and taking the Philistine's sword, cut off his head. Seeing this, the Philistines fled.

__52-54_The men of Israel arose, shouted and pursued the Philistines to the gates of Ekron leaving dead Philistines everywhere along the way. The children of Israel returned to plunder the Philistine's camps. David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem and his weapons to his own tent.

__55-58_As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he asked Abner, whose son this was? Abner had no idea. He told Abner to find out. So when David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul. Whose son are you? Saul asked. David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 18
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1-5_When Saul finished speaking with David, he decided not to let him go home. Jonathan was drawn to David and gave him his robe and armor, including his sword and belt. So Saul sent David out with men of war and everywhere he went he prospered. Everyone liked him.

__6-9_It happened that as the army came home from fighting the Philistines, the women would come out to meet them with singing and dancing and musical instruments. They would sing, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. This made Saul angry. He began to regard David with suspicion.

__10-12_The next day that an evil spirit came upon Saul causing him to rave in his house. David was playing his harp and Saul was holding a spear. He hurled his spear at David, thinking to pin him to the wall but David escaped from his presence. Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.

__13-16_Because of this Saul removed David from his presence and appointed him as commander of a thousand. His success made him even more visible to the people. He continued to succeed for the LORD was with him. David's achievements were a dread to Saul, but all Israel loved David.

__17-19_Saul offered David his older daughter if he would valiantly fight the Philistines. He thought rather than kill David himself, he would let the Philistines do it for him. David replied, who am I that I should be the king's son-in-law? So Saul gave Merab to Adriel as his wife instead of to David.

__20-22_Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. She told her father and it was agreeable to him. Once again, Saul hoped that David would die at the hand of the Philistines and for the second time he offered to make David his son-in-law. Saul had it voiced about how much he thought of David.

__23-25_When Saul's servants told David of the king's wish to make him a son-in-law, David said, how could I possibly pay an adequate dowry for the king's daughter? Saul's servants reported this to Saul and he said, tell David that one hundred Philistine foreskins would be an adequate dowry, as vengeance on the king's enemies.

__26-29_David heard the king's words and it pleased him. Before the appointed time he and his men struck and killed two hundred Philistines and he brought the foreskins to the king. So Saul gave Michal his daughter as wife to David. When Saul saw that the LORD was with David and that Michal loved him, David became Saul's enemy.

__30_As the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle with Israel, David regularly conducted himself more wisely than all of Saul's servants. As a result, he was highly esteemed by everyone.

1 Samuel 19
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1-3_Now Saul told his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan loved David and warned him of Saul's plan to kill him. He said to David, be on your guard and hide yourself in the field. Tomorrow morning I will come out and tell you how my father is feeling toward you.

__4-7_Then Jonathan spoke well of David with his father, reminding him of David's great benefit to him. The LORD had used him to bring a great deliverance to all Israel. Killing David without cause would be a sin against innocent blood. Saul listened to Jonathan and agreed with him. Then Jonathan brought David back to the king.

__8-10_When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines defeating them with a great slaughter, so that they fled before him. Once again, Saul was angry with David as he sat playing his harp. Again, he tried to pin David to the wall with his spear but David slipped away leaving the spear sticking in the wall.

__11-13_Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him and put him to death when he came out in the morning. Michal told him he must escape that night. In the morning they would surely kill him. She let him down through a window and he fled. Then she took the household idol and laid it in the bed with goat's hair at it head, and covered it with clothes.

__14-17_When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, he is sick. Saul then sent messengers to actually see David and bring him to be put to death. On entering the bedroom they found the idol with the goat's hair. Saul said to Michal, you have deceived me. She said, he threatened to kill me.

__18-20_David fled to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done. Then they went to Naioth. Someone told Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah so Saul sent messengers to take David. But when these saw the company of prophets prophesying with Samuel, the Spirit Of God came on them and they prophesied, too.

__21-24_When it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers a third time and they prophesied. Then Saul went to Ramah and asked for Samuel and David. They told him where they were, and the Spirit of God came upon Saul also, so that he prophesied all the way to Naioth.

1 Samuel 20
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1-3_David fled from Naioth and came to where Jonathan was. He asked, what have I done to cause your father to seek my life? Jonathan replied you will not die. My father tells me everything and I'll warn you of any danger. David pointed out that because they were friends and his father might suspect him. Death seemed only a step away.

__4-6_Jonathan asked how he could help. David said, tomorrow is the new moon and I should be eating at the king's table. I'll hide in the field until the third day. If your father misses me tell him that I asked leave to attend the yearly sacrifice with my family in Bethlehem.

__7-9_If Saul says it is good, I'll be safe but if he is angry, then he is planning evil toward me. You and I have made a covenant with each other. If there is iniquity in me, you put me to death. Jonathan said, far be it from me to do that. If my father plans evil, I'll tell you about it.

__10-17_So David asked, how shall I know if your father answers you harshly. Jonathan said, on the third day if my father speaks well of you I will call for you. But if my father intends to harm you, I will surely warn you. Then they made a covenant with each other stating their love for each other.

__18-21_Then Jonathan said, in three days I will come back to this field. You should hide by the stone of Ezel. I will shoot three arrows at a target. When I send the lad to pick up the arrows, if I say they are on this side of you, then you will know it is safe to come in.

__22-26_If I say to the youth, behold, the arrows are beyond you, go, for the LORD has sent you away. According to our agreement, the LORD is between you and me forever. So David hid in the field waiting for Jonathan's message. On the first day Saul made no mention of David's empty seat thinking he might be unclean.

__27-30_On the second day he asked Jonathan why David was not in his seat at the table. Jonathan replied that David had earnestly asked leave to be with his family in Bethlehem. Saul was very angry with Jonathan, calling him the son of a perverse, rebellious woman. You are wrong to choose David for your friend, he said.

__31-34_As long as David lives you will never have the kingdom. Bring him to me for he must die. Jonathan asked, what has he done to deserve death? Saul threw his spear at Jonathan. So he knew that David was in danger. He left the table and would not eat for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

__35-40_The next morning Jonathan went out in the field to contact David as arranged. After shooting the arrows he told the little lad to look beyond. After the boy retrieved the arrow Jonathan sent him back to the city with the weapons.

__41-42_When the lad was gone, David came out and they kissed each other and wept, David more so. Then Jonathan said, go in safety. And the LORD be between you and me and between our descendants forever. Then they parted.

1 Samuel 21
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1-6_David went to Nob to Ahimelech the priest, who was worried when he saw that David was alone. David said that the king had commissioned him with a secret matter. Then he asked for bread. All Ahimelech had was the consecrated bread of Presence about to be replaced with a fresh batch. He told David, anyone who eats this must be ritually clean.

__7-9_Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds, happened to be there that day. David asked Ahimelech for a sword or spear. Goliath's sword was wrapped in a cloth and kept behind the ephod. The priest gave him the sword and he received it gladly.

__10-15_David fled to the king of Achish whose servants were suspicious because of David's reputation for killing so many Philistines. Because of this David was afraid and feigned insanity scribbling on the doors of the gates and letting saliva run down his beard. Achish told his servants, why bring him to me. I have enough madmen.

1 Samuel 22
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1-2_So David left that place and escaped to the cave of Adullum. When his brothers and all his father's household heard of it they came to join him. Besides these, anyone in debt, discontented or in some way distressed, also joined him and he became their captain. There were about 400 men.

__3-5_David went to Mizpah in Moab and asked the king to give his father and mother sanctuary until things should change for him. His parents remained there until David was no longer on the run. Then the prophet Gad told David to go to Judah. So he went to live in the forest of Hereth.

__6-8_Saul heard of where David and his men were staying. He asked his men if they thought they would fare better under David. He accused them of conspiring against him by not telling him when his son Jonathan made a covenant with David.

__9-10_Then Doeg the Edomite told Saul that he had seen David talking with Ahimelech the priest at Nob. David had inquired of the LORD and asked for provisions. Ahimelech had given him provisions and Goliath's sword.

__11-15_Saul sent for Ahimelech and his family. When he arrived Saul confronted him for giving aid to David. Ahimelech said that because David was Saul's son-in-law, he had assumed that David was on the king's business. It was not the first time David had asked him to inquire of the LORD for him.

__16-19_Saul told his guards to put all the priests to death. But they were afraid and were not willing to attack the LORD's priests. So he told Doeg to do it. That day Doeg killed 85 men who wore the linen ephod. Then he struck the city of Nob killing men, women and children as well as every beast, with the sword.

__20-23_One of Ahimelech's sons escaped and fled to David. His name was Abiathar. He told David all that had happened. David said that on that day when he saw Doeg the Edomite standing by, he had thought that he might tell Saul. He felt responsible for the death of those priests and invited Abiathar to remain with him.

1 Samuel 23
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1-4_The Philistines were fighting against Keilah and plundering their threshing floors. David inquired of the LORD. Shall I attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah? David's men were afraid of going there. David inquired of the LORD again and He said, go, I will give the Philistines into your hand.

__5-8_So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. He struck them with a great slaughter, took their livestock and delivered Keilah. When Saul heard that David was in Keilah he thought to himself, the LORD has delivered David into my hand. Saul then summoned all the people to go with him to besiege David.

__9-13_David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him. He asked the LORD if Saul was coming to kill him. The LORD said he was. He then asked if he should trust himself to the men of Keilah to not turn him over to Saul. The LORD said they would give him to Saul. So David and his 600 men left Keilah and Saul gave up the pursuit.

__14-17_David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul was looking for David every day but God protected him. On one occasion Jonathan came to David at Horesh to encourage him, saying, you will become king and I will be next to you. Saul, my father knows this.

__18-21_So David and Jonathan made a covenant before the LORD.

At this time the Ziphites told Saul that David was hiding in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jesimon. Come down, O king, and we will surrender him into your hand. Saul said, the LORD bless you for having compassion on me.

__22-25_Saul said, go and make everything ready. See where he is and who has seen him. I am told he is very cunning. When you know where he is I will come down. So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon which is in Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. When Saul knew of this he pursued him there.

__26-29_Saul went on one side of the mountain and David was on the other. In danger of being surrounded, he was hurrying to get away. Saul received news that the Philistines had made a raid on the land so he returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines. The place became known as the Rock of Escape. David stayed in Engedi.

1 Samuel 24
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1-3_After Saul finished pursuing the Philistines he heard that David was still in the wilderness of Engedi. Taking three thousand men he went looking for David in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. Coming to sheep folds along the way he found a cave and went in, perhaps to rest. David and his men were farther back in the cave.

__4-7_David's men encouraged him to take Saul's life, saying, surely God has given him into your hand. David arose and secretly cut off the edge of Saul's robe. Afterward his conscience bothered him because Saul was the LORD's anointed. And David would not allow his men to rise up against Saul. Later Saul left the cave.

__8-11_After Saul had left the cave, David went out calling to him, saying, My Lord the king. He then bowed with his face to the ground, and said, why do you listen to anyone who suggests that I would do you harm. You were in my hand in the cave and I did not kill you. You are the LORD's anointed. See, I have the edge of your garment in my hand.

__12-18_Whatever the LORD decides between us, my hand shall not be against you. Let the LORD decide between us and plead my cause, delivering me from your hand. When Saul heard David's voice he was touched and he wept. He said, you are more righteous than I am. I have dealt wickedly toward you. You could have killed me but you did not.

__19-22_What you have done is unusual. May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done. I know that you will become king of Israel. Swear to me that you will not cut off my descendants or destroy my name from my father's household. And David swore to Saul and Saul went to his home but David went up to the stronghold.

1 Samuel 25
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1-2_Then Samuel died. All Israel gathered to mourn him and bury him in Ramah. David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was very rich having three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. It was the time when sheep were being sheared.

__3-8_The man's name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful but her husband was a harsh and evil man. He was a Calebite.

David heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men to greet Nabal in David's name, and ask for some food. David's men had been protecting Nabal's men and his livestock.

__9-12_When David's young men spoke to Nabal just as David had directed, he replied, who is David? There are many servants today breaking away from their master. Shall I take food prepared for my shearers to give to men I do not know? So David's men returned to him and reported everything that Nabal had said.

__13-16_David told each of his men to gird on their swords. About four hundred of his men went with him and two hundred stayed with the baggage.

One of Nabal's young men told Abigail of how her husband had responded to David's young men. He explained that David's men had been good to them and never taken anything. They had even provided protection.

__17-18_Now consider what you should do for evil is plotted against our master and his household. No on can reason with him. Abigail loaded donkeys with two hundred loaves of bread, two jugs of wine and five dressed sheep along with five measures of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs.

__19-23_She sent her young men with the food ahead of her. She did not tell her husband what she was doing. As she was riding in a secluded part of the mountain she met David and his men intent on revenge foe he intended to destroy Nabal and all his men. When Abigail saw David she dismounted and fell on her face before him.

__24-27_She said, let all the blame be on me and please listen to the words of your maidservant. Pay no attention to my husband. He is worthless and folly is with him. I did not know of the young men you sent. Please do not avenge yourself by your own hand. May my gift be acceptable to you and your young men.

__28-31_Please forgive my transgression. The LORD will certainly make for you an enduring house because you are fighting the LORD's battles and evil shall not be found in you all your days. The LORD will appoint you ruler over Israel. To have shed blood without cause now would be a mistake. When it is well with you please remember me.

__32-35_Then David said to Abigail, blessed be the LORD for sending you to prevent me from bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand. Your discernment has saved me from harming you by destroying Nabal and everyone of his men. So David received her gift and sent her home having granted her request.

__36-38_Then Abigail came to Nabal who was holding a feast fit for a king in his house. He was very drunk so she did not tell him what had happened until the next morning. When she did tell him, he became as stone (maybe a stroke). Ten days later the LORD struck Nabal and he died.

__39-41_When David heard that Nabal was dead he said blessed be the LORD for pleading my cause while keeping me from evil. Then he sent a proposal to Abigail to become his wife. When David's servants arrived with David's proposal she bowed her face to the ground and said, I am your maidservant to wash the feet of my master's servants.

__42-44_Rising quickly, Abigail took five maidens who attended her and followed David's messengers and became his wife.

David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel and they both became his wives.

Saul had given Michal, David's first wife, to Palti the son of Laish from Gallim.

1 Samuel 26
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1-5_Then the Ziphites told Saul that David was hiding on the hill of Hachilah. Saul took three thousand men to capture David. David had sent spies so he knew that Saul was coming. He went to where Saul and Abner, the commander of the army, were sleeping within the circle the camp.

__6-9_David asked who would go down into Saul's camp with him. Abishai volunteered. As they entered the camp they found everyone sleeping. Saul's spear was stuck in the ground by his head. Abishai asked permission to avenge David because God had delivered Saul into his hand. But David would not let him destroy the LORD's anointed.

__10-12_David said, perhaps the LORD will strike him, or he will go down in battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. So they took the Saul's spear and his jug of water and left. No one saw them or knew that they had been there. The LORD had caused them all to sleep soundly.

__13-16_David crossed over to the other side and stood a long way off on top of the mountain. Then he called out to Abner. You are a great man. Who is like you? Why have you not guarded your king? Someone could have destroyed him. This is not good. You and your men deserve to die. Where is the king's spear and his jug of water?

__17-21_Saul recognized David's voice and called out to him. David replied, why are you pursuing me? What evil have I done to you? Please do not drive me away from my own country. Saul replied, I have sinned. Return, my son, and I will not harm you. My life was precious in your sight. I have been a fool and committed a serious error.

__22-25_David said, send one of your young men to recover you spear. The LORD delivered you into my hand I refused to stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. Saul said, blessed are you, David my son. You will accomplish much and surely prevail. So David went his way and Saul returned to his place.

1 Samuel 27
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1-3_David decided that he would one day perish at the hand of Saul. It seemed that he should escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul wouldn't be as likely to follow him there. So he and his six hundred men crossed over to Achish, the king of Gath. And David, his men and his two wives live there.

__4-7_When it was told Saul that David had fled To Gath, he no longer searched for him. David asked Achish for a city of his own to live in. So Achish gave him Ziklag. Since that day it has always belonged to Judah. David lived with the Philistines for a year and four months.

__8-10_David and his men raided the Geshurites, the Gizites and the Amalekites. He would take the cattle, sheep, donkeys, camels and clothing but he never left anyone alive to report what he had done. When Achish would ask David where he had made his raid he would say the Negev, which was his own people.

__11-12_Achish believe David for he thought that he had surely made himself odious among the people of Israel. He thought, surely he will be my servant forever.

1 Samuel 28
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1-2_In those days the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. Achish assured David that he and his men would go to battle with him. David said, you will see what I can do. Achish decided to make David his bodyguard for life.

__3-6_Samuel was dead and Saul had removed all the mediums and spiritists from Israel. As the Philistines gathered for war, Saul also gathered all Israel at Gilboa. At the sight of the Philistine camp, Saul's heart failed him. When he inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.

__7-13_So Saul asked his servants to find a woman who was a medium so that he might inquire of her. They knew of such a woman in Endor. Disguising himself, he and two of his men came to her at night and asked her to bring up Samuel. Suspecting a trick she demurred but finally agreed. She claimed to see Samuel and described him.

__14-15_Hearing the description Saul thought surely this must be Samuel. Bowing with his face to the ground and he did homage. Samuel asked Saul why he was disturbing him. Saul explained that the Philistines were making was with Israel and God had departed from him and would not answer him any more through prophets or dreams. What shall I do?

__16-19_Samuel said, why ask me? The LORD has done just as He said He would do to you. He is tearing the kingdom from you and giving it to your neighbor David. You did not do to Amalek as the LORD asked. Tomorrow the LORD will give Israel along with you into the hand of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.

__20-25_Saul then fell full length upon the ground and had no strength. He hadn't eaten for a full day. The woman offered him some food to give him strength for the coming day but he would not eat. His men encouraged him and the woman did, too. She then prepared a meal of bread and meat. Saul and his servants ate and then left.

1 Samuel 29
At a Glance (11 V)
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1-3_The Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek while the Israelites camped by the spring in Jezreel. The Philistines were about to proceed with Achish in the rear along with David. The Philistine commanders asked Achish, what are the Hebrews doing here? Achish said, David has been with me many days and I find no fault in him since he deserted from Saul.

__4-11_The commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and insisted that he send David back from the battle. Is this not David of whom they sing Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands? Achish called David and explained how commanders felt. So David left the next morning with his men.

1 Samuel 30
At a Glance (31 V)
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1-6_When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day they discovered that the Amalekites had burned their city and carried off their wives, sons and daughters. There was much weeping. David was greatly distressed because some people spoke of stoning him but he strengthen himself in the LORD.

__7-9_David asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod. He then asked the LORD, shall I pursue the Amalekites? The LORD said you shall pursue and overtake them and you will rescue everyone. So David and the six hundred men came to the book Besor.

__10-13_David left two hundred of his men at the brook because they were exhausted. With four hundred he pursued the Amalekites. They found an Egyptian in the field who was faint. He had not had food or water for three days. They gave him food and water until he was revived. David discovered that he was a slave to an Amalekite.

__14-16_The slave explained that they had made a raid on the Negev and burned Ziklag. David asked him if he would bring them to the band. He said he would and asked that he not be given to his master. He brought them down to the Amalekites who were spread over all the land eating, drinking and dancing because of the great spoil they had taken.

__17-20_David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day. No one escaped except four hundred young men on camels. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing and no one was missing. Additional sheep and cattle were captured and referred to as David's spoil.

__21-24_As the company approached the men left by the brook Besor, some of the wicked men among them did not want to divide the spoil with them, except to return their families. David said, you must not do this my brothers. The LORD gave us these things and those who stayed by the baggage will share evenly with those who went to battle.

__25-31_And so it has been from that day forward. This practice became a statute and an ordinance for Israel. David sent a gift of the spoil to the elders of Judah saying, this is a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD. These were sent to all the cities where David and his men were accustomed to going.

1 Samuel 31
At a Glance (13 V)
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1-5_Now the Philistines were routing Israel on Mount Gilboa. They overtook Saul, and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi-Shua. Saul was badly wounded by the archers and asked his armor bearer to kill him rather than let the Philistines make sport of him. The armor bearer would not kill him. So Saul fell on his own sword.

__6-7_Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day. When the men of Israel who lived on the other side of the valley learned of this, they fled their cities and the Philistines came and lived in them.

__8-10_The next day when the Philistines returned to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons. They cut off Saul's head and stripped him of his weapons. They sent these throughout the land as trophies of war. They placed Saul's weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

__11-13_Hearing of what the Philistines had done to Saul, valiant men of Jabesh-Gilead walked all night and took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-Shan and brought them to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31