I SAMUEL
Index
I SAMUEL
Commentary by Dr. Mark G. Cambron
Originally, I and II Samuel were ONE book. They were not separated until the Septuagint translation was made. While at one time the Book of Samuel could be written in Hebrew upon one scroll, when it was translated into Greek there were too many letters and words to put into only one scroll; therefore, it took two scrolls — thus, I and II Samuel. The same holds true with Kings and Chronicles.
I SAMUEL opens with the birth of Samuel and closes with the death of Saul. The first part pictures the judgment upon Eli and his sons; the last part shows the judgment upon Saul and his sons. The first part reveals Samuel as Prophet; the last part shows the anointing of David.
I. Samuel, the Last Judge (1 - 8)
A. His Birth (1:1 - 2:10)
1. A Praying Wife (1)
2. A Praising Mother (2:1-10)
B. His Boyhood (2:11-36)
C. His Call (3)
D. His Administration (4 - 8)
1. Defeat of Israel (4:1 - 7:2)
a. Ark Captured (4:1 - 6:9)
b. Ark Returned (6:10 - 7:2)
2. Defeat of Philistia (7:3-17)
3. Demand for a King (8)
II. Saul, the First King (9 - 31)
A. His Rise (9 - 10)
1. Appointed as King (9)
2. Anointed as King (10)
B. His Reign (11 - 12)
1. Saul’s First Victory (11)
2. Samuel Last Message (12)
C. His Ruin (13 - 31)
1. Provocation of Saul (13 - 15)
a. Saul Warned (13)
b. Jonathan Cursed (14)
2. Persecution of David (16 - 27)
a. David’s Anointing (16)
b. Saul Jealousy (17 - 20)
c. David’s Exile (21 - 27)
3. Punishment of Saul (28 - 31)
a. Saul’s sin (28)
b. David’s Lapse (29)
c. David’s Restoration (30)
d. Saul’s Death (31)
We emphasize the truth, that the Christian Bible has I and II Samuel, two books, while the Jewish Bible contains only Samuel, one book, caused by the translation into the Greek; the Septuagint version.
When this translation was made, it took more room to print (or write) into the Septuagint version Greek than the original Hebrew.
Many believe that Samuel was written by the last judge, Samuel. Whoever wrote these wonderful books, they remained inspired (God breathed). This is His precious record of the children of Israel beginning with the birth of Samuel and ending with the death of the first king, Saul.
Yes, Samuel was the last judge, and as recorded, the people demanded a king. Jehovah was not recognized as their king anymore.
Israel had sunk so low that one would think that their God was through with them. He had reason enough, of course, but now is ushered into the world their God’s new attachment for his people, Israel.
Israel is through, but God arises to say, “Israel is My people.”
God is not dead, for God answers prayer as His very name implies, “heard of God.”
I. Samuel, the last judge (1-8)
God always raised up his judge during the period of Israel’s apostasy. Many years had Israel spent in being ruled by her neighbors, and when a judge arose, Israel was marvelously delivered, and the people enjoyed periods of rest.
But in a few years they forgot their promises to their God and were soon under their yoke, until relief came. Again a reprieve — then apostasy — a new Judge. It was a roller coaster life. At one time, they reached their height; idolatry was then embraced, and again beaten down. This was the people of God “as they had no king, then every man did as he thought best.”
Even as God was about to raise this greatest Judge, it seemed that “the nation would cave in on its own rottenness, God intervened, and in response to godly Hannah’s prayers gave young Samuel to her and the nation. Samuel’s strong leadership as judge, prophet, and priest provided respite to the people from both internal and external threat.”
When Samuel became old, he showed “that his feet were of clay.” He tried to organize the judgeship and have his sons take his place when he died, but they were apostatized until it was good to change to be a monarchy.
What a life Samuel lived. How close to God he walked. He had a great beginning as we begin reading of his wonderful mother who prayed for a son. He was the one “asked for.”
We find that he was the last judge of Israel doing a fine work in this calling. And he excelled as a prophet of God’s holy people (I Sam. 7:5, 6).
Some believe that as he fulfilled the office of a priest, he therefore was blessed God in that calling. His priestly virtues are seen in his ability to offer a burnt offering; and then to anoint the new king (Saul and David).
Verse 1
Samuel’s birth was wholly of God. In the praying to God for a son by his mother, and the guarantee of such by the high priest Eli.
Verse 2
The man of this house was Elkanah who had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the other being Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. And this caused jealousy between the two.
Verse 3
We learn that the husband took his family once a year to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah (LORD) of Host in Shiloh. Here is where the Tabernacle of God was first placed.
Eli, the high priest had two sons Hophni and Phinehas who helped him somewhat in the services of Jehovah.
Verses 4 - 5
And it came to pass when Elkanah was to sacrifice, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah, who was childless, he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb.
Verse 6
Her rival, however, would tease her greatly, causing trouble in the household, because the LORD had closed her womb.
Verse 7
And it happened that every year they all had to go through these straits, for Hannah wept so and would not eat.
Verse 8
Though knowing why Hannah had no child, her husband added fuel to this hatred, saying, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat, and why is it your heart is sad. Am I not better than many sons to you?”
Verses 9 - 10
Then Hannah rose up after the meal was served and drinks in Shiloh. Now Eli the high priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple (tent) of the LORD.
As Hannah was so burdened for a son, so earnest in prayer praying that the LORD would answer her prayer.
Verse 11
She made a vow! Vows are great, if we only would keep them. And God warns us not to vow a vow and fail to keep it (Ps. 76:11). “O LORD of host, if it be Thou will indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but will give Thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head. He is to be a Nazarite from the cradle to the grave.”
Verse 12
Now as she continued praying before the LORD that Eli was watching her mouth.
Verse 13
As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.
Verse 14
Then Eli said to her, “How long is this drunk going to last? Put away your wine.”
Verse 15
But Hannah shouted, “No, my lord (Adonai). I am a woman depressed in spirit. I have not drunk a single drop, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.”
Verse 16
“Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman; for I have spoken until now out of concern.”
Verse 17
Then Eli said, “Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.”
Verse 18
Then Hannah said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” so the lady went her way and ate — victory is on its way — and her face was no longer sad.
Verse 19
The Elkanah and party arose early in the morning, and worshipped before the LORD. One childless woman began to hum all the way home. God’s assurances were speaking to her heart. They returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.
Verse 20
In due time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son! And she called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
Verse 21
A year had passed, and Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice (only one yearly, the sacrifice was the Day of Atonement) and pay his vow.
Verse 22
At this time, Hannah had a little son only a few months old, and she was determined to wait for her son to be weaned. (It usually took three years for the baby to be weaned).
Verse 23
Hannah then said, “I will wean him and then bring him to the house of God where he may stay forever.”
Verse 24
Elkanah now had a peaceful household, and he was rejoicing, you know, over the changed person his wife Hannah was now.
He replied, “Do what seems best. Remain until he is weaned, then be sure to keep your vow.”
Verse 25
Now when she had weaned him, she took him with her, with a three year old bull used for the Day of Atonement, and one ephah (one bushel and three pints) of flour, a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young and would be left by Hannah, his mother, for a whole year.
Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.
Verse 26
And Hannah shouted “Oh, my Master! As your soul lives, my master, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the LORD.”
Verse 27
“For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him.
Verse 28
“Yes, I have dedicated him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD,” she said. She lent him to the LORD. She actually gave Samuel to the LORD. And he, Samuel, worshiped there in the Tabernacle.
Now Samuel would be old enough to learn the rites and worships of the service in the Tabernacle, and the old High Priest, Eli, would not be put out with the child’s care for there was the Tabernacle staff at Shiloh prepared to do their part.
I can see in my mind how Eli turned little Samuel into the caring hands of the mothers of Israel there at Shiloh. That first night they showed him the seven lamps and said, “This will be your place to sleep from now on. One of the men shall be your partner for this first night. No, there is plenty of light, so you won’t be afraid. There are many of us who will come on your call.” With that the child Samuel began his first service of the many to follow.
I dare say many of you who shall be reading the book of I Samuel shall use this book as a text in your class, etc. And many of you have heard from your children of their desire to serve the Lord as a missionary! Perish the thought you have placed yourself in Hannah’s place, and you are wondering how she could stand losing her son for a whole year at a time. How she sewed to make Samuel a new coast each year a little larger than last year. And you’re about decided to tell the Lord Jesus that you will forbid your child to be separated from you for such a long time.
But this is not all the story. On, no!
It is true Hannah only got to see her son Samuel for a few days each year. But let’s look at this and see the glory of it all:
Now, when Samuel grew older, there came a time when Samuel’s “testing” was over!
When he fulfilled his apprenticeship, and we believe when he was thirteen years of age — the age boys became a man — his Bar Mitzvah — His elder, Eli, was now dead; Eli’s two sons were slain. There was no one who had claim on him but the LORD.
The silence between God and Israel was now broken. God, Himself, broke that silence by speaking into the ear of Samuel. “And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.”
What happened to Samuel? Why, he went to his home in Ramah! Right back home to mother, father, brothers, sister, and half brothers and sisters!!! And there he stayed judging Israel. There he gave protection to the next king over Israel, David.
Those ten years which he spent in the Temple service prepared him for his reunion with his glorious family.
You can’t out-give God. Is the Saviour, Jesus Christ, calling those loved ones into His service? He’ll take care of them and take care of you, also. Be the one who will gladly lend your boy or girl to the Lord Jesus.
Verse 1
And right there Hannah begins to thank the LORD for her son; yes, and more:
“My heart,” the seat of her spirit, “rejoiceth in the LORD.” “Mine horn,” the whole woman, “is exalted in the LORD.”
“My mouth,” that with which I praise Him, “is enlarged over my enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation.” The word “salvation” in the Hebrew is “Yesh-oo-aw” translated as “Joshua,” and “Jehovah,” and “Jesus”!
Verse 2
“There is none holy as the LORD; for there is none beside thee; neither is any rock like our God.”
Verse 3
“Talk (boast) no more so proudly. Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed.
Verse 4
“The bows of the mighty are shattered, but the feeble gird on strength.
Verse 5
“Those were full, hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, but she who has many children languishes.
Verse 6
“The LORD kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
Verse 7
“The LORD makes poor, and rich; He brings low. He also exalts.
Verse 8
“He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor, for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he set the world on them.
Verse 9
“He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail.
Verse 10
“Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered: Against them He will thunder in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth: And He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
The word “anointed” is “Messiah” (in English: Christ).
Verse 11
The time now as we begin with Hannah and husband leave the child in the hands of Eli, and then go back home at Ramah.
What a prophet prayer was this saint of God. Yes, the LORD uses many of his women believers to reveal the plan of God.
And what about the child Samuel? “But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.”
Verses 12 - 17
The sons of Eli certainly had a magnificent start, but they knew not the LORD which led them to ridicule the observance of the Peace Offering which the LORD had commanded.
It is this offering where the offerer and the LORD shared in the eating thereof. Leviticus 3:1-17 describes this offering while Leviticus 7:11-38 points out how it is to be carried out or fulfilled.
Whatever the animal chosen, the right breast and right should were cut away, and waved before the LORD. The right shoulder and the right breast was given to the LORD as His part — (which was the priest in helping with the sacrifice) — then the priest boiled his portion, and the offerer boiled the rest of the sacrifice. The offerer and priest (the man and God) ate it together, thus called the “Peace Offering” or better still the “Fellowship Offering.”
These offerings were always boiled in the chargers that were placed around the Tent of Meeting (The Tabernacle) for that very purpose.
The sons of Eli misused their priesthood, for they demanded of the offerer the raw meat, and not boiled, and they cooked it the way they chose.
Now Samuel as a child was serving the LORD, being taught by Eli. He wore the linen ephod which his mother made.
Verses 18 - 19
His mother would sew another ephod each year and bring it to her son, Samuel, and would come up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice; for the bull was chosen each year to the sacrifice of atonement.
Verse 20
Then Eli would bless Elkanah and 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 on home.
Verse 21
And prayer again was answered as far as Hannah was concerned, for she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD.
Verse 22
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they committed fornication with the women who served at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting.
Verse 23
He asked them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?”
Verse 24
“No, my sons, the report is very evil that are circulating by the LORD’s people.
Verse 25
“For if a man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” His sons would not listen to Eli, for the LORD desired to put them to death.
Verse 26
What precious words that are said for Samuel. Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men.
Verses 27 - 29
Then a man of God (we do not know his name) came to Eli and said to him, “Thus saith the LORD, Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? And did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me. And did I not give the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? Why do you kick at My sacrifices and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?
Verses 30 - 31
“Therefore the LORD of Israel declares, “I did say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever; but now the LORD declares, “Far be it from Me, for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house. And you will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all that I do good for Israel, and an old man will not be in your house forever.”
Verses 32 - 33
“Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from my altar that your eyes may fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life.
Verse 34
“And this shall be the sign to you which shall come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, one the same day both of them shall die.
Verse 35
“But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before my anointed (the Messiah) always.
Verse 36
“And it shall come about that everyone who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread, and say, `Please assign me one of the priests offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.’”
No one could ever fulfill this prophecy but the LORD Jesus Christ, for He is the fulfillment of all these sayings. He is indeed the “Anointed One,” the Faithful Priest. He is both Priest and King (Ps. 110; Heb. 5:6; Rev. 19:16).
Verses 1 - 4
A few years had passed on and the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD (Jehovah) before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious (rare) in those days. No one had heard the word of the LORD for some time. And it happened — “it” do we see it? “It” happened — the silence of God was going to be broken — to Eli? No, his heart wasn’t right. Then to whom — not the lad Samuel? Listen — “as Eli was lying down in his place (in the temple)” now his eyesight had begun to grow dim, and he could not see well, and the lamp had not gone out in the Tabernacle — their temple of that day, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, that the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am.”
Verse 5
And Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Samuel couldn’t tell the difference between the LORD (Jehovah’s) speech and Eli’s spoken words. But Eli said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
Verse 6
And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.”
Verse 7
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him.
This shows that God calls some men into His service before they were saved. It happened to me. I knew the LORD Jesus had called me into the Gospel ministry, but when it was revealed that I was lost; I trusted Christ and was saved. God says that his calling was given to us “with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the (world) ages began” (2 Tim. 1:9).
Verse 8
And the LORD called Samuel the third time, and he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”
Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. His childness was over; he was the “boy.”
Verse 9
So Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you that you shall say, “Speak, LORD, for Thy servant heareth.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Verse 10
Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other time, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Thy servant is heareth.”
Verses 11 - 14
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. And therefore, I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
Verse 15
So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors (vails) of the house of the LORD. But Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
Verse 16
The Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my Son” (Samuel’s boyish days are over). And he said, “Here I am.”
Verse 17
And he said, “What is the word which he spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.”
Verse 18
So Samuel the obedient son, told Eli everything and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, “It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.”
Verses 19 - 20
Thus Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and let none of His words fail. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD.
Verse 21
And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh because the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
Verse 1a
“Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel.” Yes, all Israel rejoiced in that they had a new Judge to govern them. Not only a new Judge, but a man of God — a young man at that — to whom the LORD spoke to and gave His direction.
[Can’t you see in your mind the rejoicing in the house of Samuel’s father when their young son did come home? He no doubt was at least thirteen — now a son — God’s son! He had reached maturity. When he reached his father’s house, he stood on the outside, for the oriental houses had an outside entrance, and locked at that. When someone wanted to talk or see anyone in the house, he would knock on the door, then someone in the house would ask who he was. If known, they came and would let them in. Which reminds us of the time the Apostle Peter was taken with James and placed in prison by Herod the king. He had James to be slain by the sword and he proceeded to do the same with Peter. He placed Peter in jail, and placed a quaternion of soldiers over him until after Passover he would bring him out to the people. The Scriptures said, “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the Church to God.
Acts 12:6 says, “On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell, and he struck Peter’s side and roused him saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, saying, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”
And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
And when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street; and immediately the angel departed from him.
And when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
When Peter realized this he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
And when he knocked at the door, hearkening, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. And when she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
And they said to Rhoda, “You are out of your mind.” Here they had been praying for Peter’s release, and when God answered their prayers, they couldn’t believe it!
When Samuel arrived in his former home, in Ramah, his arrival wasn’t a surprise, for all his family had been waiting years for his release from his temple duties.
Oh, can’t you see and hear the brothers and sisters getting to know their brother Samuel. And Mother and Father rejoicing to receive their beloved son whom they had dedicated to the LORD and lent (gave) him to God was back to stay: with Mother, Father, brothers, and sisters, half brothers and half sisters. That home and Samuel in it became a place where God worked — a king was anointed there — Saul; and another king — David — found safety from the first king of Israel.]
Verse 1b
“Now Israel went against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer; and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.”
Verse 2
Where was the secret of defeat? For Israel set themselves against the Philistines, and Israel lost 4,000 soldiers.
Verse 3
When the army returned to camp, the elders suggested of taking the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto them that when He came among them, it may save us out of the hands of our enemies.
Verse 4
So the people did so as suggested, and brought the Ark of the covenant where Jehovah abode between the cherubim, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were then with the ark of the covenant of God.
Verse 5
And when the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel’s army shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
Verse 6
When the Philistines heard the shouting, they asked, “What is the meaning of this great shout?” And then they understood that the Ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
Verse 7
And the Philistines became afraid, for this has never happened before, “Woe unto us.”
Verse 8
“Woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of this mighty God? This is the God who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.”
Verse 9
“Take courage and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they became slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight.”
Verse 10
And that they did, for the Philistines fought hard and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his own home. The loss was great to Israel, for Israel lost 30,000 of the infantry (foot soldiers).
Verse 11
Alas, the Ark of the Covenant was captured and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Verse 12
Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh (this was the site of the Ark of the Covenant), the same day with his clothes torn and dust on his head.
Verse 13
Upon his arrival, Eli was sitting in his seat by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling. Eli knew Israel had done wrong. The two priests, sons of Eli, had no business spending time in the battle. He was a priest, and by the Law he was excused. The Ark of the Covenant should not have left the Tabernacle, and Eli was afraid of losing the Ark of the Covenant.
This man who had escaped the death of the battle came to tell the whole city of its capture. And all the city cried out.
Verse 14
When Eli heard the noise, he asked, “What does this mean?” Then the man hurriedly told Eli.
Verse 15
Eli was very old — 98 years old — he was blind and could not see.
Verse 16
And the man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Yes, I escaped from the battle.” Eli asked, “How did things go, my son?”
Verse 17
Then the one who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among us, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the Ark has been taken.”
Verse 18
When he mentioned the Ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backwards beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel 40 years.
Verse 19
Now his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and was about to give birth, and when she heard the news that he Ark was taken and that her father in law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, for her birth pangs came upon her.
Verse 20
And about the time of her death, the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she ignored them.
Verse 21
And she called by boy baby “Ichabod,” saying, “The glory has departed from Israel” because of the loss of the ark of God, and because her father in law and her husband.
Verse 22
And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.”
“The Captured Ark”
Verses 1 - 2
Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon their god, and set it by Dagon.
Verse 3
When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold the idol Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the Ark of the LORD. So they replaced the idol before the Ark as before.
Verses 4 - 5
But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face as before. Yet more: the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. Therefore, neither the priests of Dagon nor all who entered Dagon’s temple tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
Verse 6
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He ravaged them and smote them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.
Verse 7
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, “The Ark of God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.
Verse 8
So they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the Ark of the god of Israel?” Their reply was, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” And they brought the Ark of the god of Israel around.
Verse 9
And it came about that after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city with very great confusion; and He smote the men of the city both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
Verse 10
So they sent the Ark of god to Ekron. And it happened as the Ark of God came to Ekron that Ekronites cried out saying, “They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel around to us, to kill us and our people.”
Verses 11 - 12
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people:” for there was a deadly destruction throughout the city. The hand of God was very heavy there. And the men who did not die were smitten with tumors and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Verses 1 - 2
Now the Ark of the LORD had been in the country of the Philistines seven months. and the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall be do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to its place.”
Verse 3
And they said, “If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but you shall surely return to Him a guilt offering (same as the Hebrew Trespass Offering; Leviticus 5). Then you shall be healed and it shall be known to you why His hand was not removed from you.”
Verses 4 - 5
Then they said, “What shall be the guilt offering which we shall return to Him?” and they said, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for one plague was on all you and your lords. So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likeness of your mice that savage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps He will ease His hand from you, your gods, and your land.
Verse 6
“Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians, and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, did they not allow the people to go, and they departed?
Verse 7
“Now therefore, take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves home, away from them.
Verses 8 - 9
“And take the Ark of the LORD, and place it on the cart, and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a box by its side. Then send it away that it may go. And watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened by chance.”
Verses 10 - 11
Then the men did so, and two milch cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the box with the golden mice, and the likeness of their tumors.
Verse 12
And the cows took the straight way in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
Verses 13 - 14
The people of Beth-shemesh who were harvesting their wheat saw the ark and were glad to see it. For the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stood there near a large stone. They then split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
Verse 15
And the Levites took down the Ark of the LORD and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone, and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the LORD.
Verse 16
And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.
Verses 17 - 18
And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Askelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron; and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and country villages. The large stone on which they set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
Verse 19
And the LORD struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.
Verse 20
And the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?”
Verse 21
So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim saying, “The Philistines have brought back the Ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to you.”
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came and took the Ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
Verse 2
And how long did it stay here? Just 20 years! No wonder Israel went after strange gods, for the place where Jehovah was between the cherubim.
Verse 3
The Scripture said, “and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.”
Yes, it was about time that their spiritual leader should do something for the worship of Jehovah.
He said to the whole house of Israel, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve Him alone, and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
Verse 4
And Israel at this time did remove the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served Jehovah alone.
Verse 5
Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
Verse 6
Then they gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpeh.
Verse 7
When the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
Verse 8
In earnest, the sons of Israel said to Samuel (he was the only connection with God that Israel had), “Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
Verse 9
And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him.
Verses 10 - 11
Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. For the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh and pursued the Philistines and struck them down as far as below Beth-car (house of pasture).
Verse 12
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.
Verse 13
So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. For the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Verse 14
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath. And Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Verses 15 - 17
Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and he held court for Israel in all these places. Then he returned to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel, and he built there an altar to the LORD.
Verse 1
When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
Verse 2
Now the name of his first born was Joe, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judging in Beer-sheba (the southern part of Israel).
Verse 3
A repeat of Eli’s sons: For these sons of Samuel did not walk in their father’s ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes of the rich people and thus perverted justice.
Verses 4 - 5
All Israel could not take such deportment anymore, for the elders of the tribes of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the gentiles.”
Verse 6
But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
Verse 7
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.
Verse 8
“Like all the deeds which they have done since the day I brought them up from Egypt even to this day — in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods — so they are doing to you also.
Verse 9
“Now listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”
Verses 10 - 11
So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of them a king. And he said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you; he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.
Verse 12
“And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
Verses 13 - 14
“He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
Verses 15 - 16
“And he will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys, and use them for his work.
Verse 17
“He will take a tenth of your flocks [here they will be taking 20%: two tithes: one tenth for the LORD, and one tenth for your king]. And you yourselves will become his servants.
Verse 18
“Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen from yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
Verses 19 - 20
Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the gentiles, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
Verse 21
Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’s hearing [as if He by His omniscience didn’t know], but to go through with the procedure, we turn to the LORD.
Verse 22
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
The First King of Israel Chosen
Verse 1
The man came from one of the smallest tribes of Israel — Benjamin. The man was a forceful individual by the name of Kish, a mighty man of valor.
Verse 2
He had a son by the name of Saul, a choice and handsome man, who stood out of the crowd — from his shoulders upward he was taller than any man in Israel.
Verse 3
Our account begins with the lost donkeys of his father Kish. So Kish asked Saul to take one of the slaves with him and search immediately for these lost beasts.
Verse 4
He had a tiresome walk with his father’s servant as they passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and the land of Shalisha, but they could not find them. He passed through the territory of Benjamin, but still could not find the lost donkeys.
Verse 5
So Saul turned to the slave and said they had better return home, for his father might send some others to find his son.
Verse 6
The servant then revealed that there was a man of god in this city, and he is held in honor. For what he predicted comes to pass.
Verse 7
But Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man, for the bread has been eaten. There is no present, but what do we have?”
Verse 8
The servant said, “Behold, I have in my hand the fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
Verse 9
(Times before this when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer” for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.)
Verse 10
So Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
Verse 11
As they went up to the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
Verse 12
They replied, “He is, see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he had come into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice on the high place today.
Verse 13
“As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now, therefore, go up for you will find him at once.”
Verse 14
So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.
Verse 15
Now a day before Saul’s coming, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel saying, “About this time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
Verse 17
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over my people.”
Verse 18
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
Verse 19
And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the Seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind.
Verse 20
“And as for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for your father’s household?”
Verse 21
And Saul replied and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”
Verse 22
Right then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men.
Verse 23
And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, Set it aside.”
Verse 24
Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you, until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
Verses 25 - 26
When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. And they arose early; and it came about at daybreak that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both and Samuel went out into the street.
Verse 27
And as they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us, and pass on, but you remain standing now that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”
The Anointing!
Verses 1 - 2
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, and then Samuel kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you a ruler over His inheritance? When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, “The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, ‘What shall I do about my son?’”
Verses 3 - 4
“Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the Oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread which you will accept from their hand.
Verse 5
“Afterwards, you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, and flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying.
Verses 6 - 7
“Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man (in the Holy Spirit). And it shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you.
Verse 8
“And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.”
Verses 9 - 10
Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day. When they came to the hill there, behold a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them.
Verse 11
And when it came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Verse 12
And a man there answered and said, “Now who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Verse 13
When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
Verse 14
Now Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.”
Verse 15
And Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”
Verse 16
So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.
Verses 17 - 18
Thereafter, Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpeh, and he said to the sons of Israel, “Thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `I brought Israel from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’
Verse 19
“But you rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
Verse 20
Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
Verse 21
Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matri family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken, but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
Verse 22
Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” So the LORD said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.”
Verse 23
So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
Verse 24
And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
Verse 25
Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and he wrote them in the scroll (book), and placed it before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house.
Verse 26
And Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him (Saul).
Verse 27
But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring any presents.
But he kept silent.
The First Testing of Israel’s First King
Verse 1
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, “Let’s make a covenant with each other, and we will serve you without a battle.”
Verse 2
But Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “Of course I’ll make a treaty with you. There’s only one thing you must do — that is, everyone must give us your right eye!”
Verse 3
What a problem! They must not have heard right! “Let us tell the rest of Israel and see what they want to do.” Who have heard of such terms? Give our right eye to pay just for satisfaction in the hard way Israel has treated the Ammonites. Remember the Ammonites were the descendants of Lot — nephew of Abraham — kinfolks!
Verse 4
“One of the first places where Israel messengers landed to warn the people was Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in their ears. After hearing such terrible news, the people broke out in crying.
Verse 5
Saul heard them weeping and said, “What gives?” What in the world is the matter? Then they were told of the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
Verse 6
Oh, what a king Saul proved to be. “And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger flared up as it should be.”
Verse 7
He took a yoke of oxen and hewed them to pieces, and sent them throughout all the coast of Israel with these words: “Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.” And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
Verse 8
Saul numbered the people, and found the 300,000 fighting men came out of Israel, and 30,000 came out of Judah.
Verse 9
And they sent the messengers a message to take back to all Israel: “Tomorrow when the sun gets hot you are going to get your help.” When the people heard the messengers, they rejoiced!
Verse 10
The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out and meet you, and see what you have.”
Verse 11
Saul, the next day, had divided his army of 330,000 in three companies, and they came into the midst of the Ammonites in the morning’s watch and slew them, until two never walked together again.
Verse 12
After this sweet victory, the people said unto Samuel, “Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men that we may put them to death.”
Verse 13
And Saul said, “There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.”
Verse 14
Then said Samuel to the people, “Come let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
Verse 13
And all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offering before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Here is the prophet of God, Samuel, in his later years stating the deliverance of their God and His supply of the many needs.
Verse 1
“I did hearken to your request and have made a king over you.
Verse 2
“And now your king walketh before you, and I am old and gray-headed, and behold, my sons are with you, and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
Verse 3
“Behold, here I am: witness against me, before the LORD and before the King, the recently anointed one — whose donkey I have taken, whose ox have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it to you.”
Verse 4
And they said, “Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.”
Verse 5
And he said unto them, “The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed (King) is witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”
Verses 6 - 7
And Samuel said unto the people, “It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of Jehovah which he did to you and to your fathers.
Verse 8
When Jacob came into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
Verse 9
“And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
Verse 10
“And they cried unto the LORD and said, “We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah and have served Baalim, and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee.”
Verse 11
And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelled safe.
Verse 12
And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, “Nay; but we must have a king — a king to rule over us,” when the LORD you God was your king.
Verse 13
“Now therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! And behold the LORD hath sat a king over you.
Verses 14 - 15
“If you will fear the LORD and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both you and also the King that reigneth over you and continue following Jehovah your God. But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
Verse 16
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
God awaits to do miracles before our eyes if we only will cleanse ourselves by confessing our sins, knowing that the blood of Christ shall cleanse us of all sin.
Verse 17
For a wheat harvest awaits us who plants in confession and awaits patiently for the LORD to give the harvest we need.
Samuel said, “I want to prove that I have contact with God. What now shall show expect what sign does the offerer offer to God?” Samuel said, “Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD today, and He shall send thunder and rain, that ye may receive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Jehovah in asking you a king.”
Verse 18
So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD.
Israel has only two seasons for it to rain: former and latter (former rains at March, and latter rains at November). Here was prayer made at wheat harvest (sown at December and harvested in May or June). God gave them an extra month for their prayers.
Verse 19
And all the people asked Samuel to pray for them, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask for a king.
Verse 20
And Samuel tried to console them, for confession of sins, God forgives. Fear not, ye have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
Verse 21
And turn ye not aside. For then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
Verse 22
No child of God can hide his sins from God. Israel is His people, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.
Verses 23 - 24
Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and right way. Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; and consider how great things He hath done for you.
Verse 25
But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king.
Verses 1 - 2
Saul reigned one year, and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel; whereof 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Bethel, and 1,000 men were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent (home).
Verse 3
Jonathan, later a friend of David, was a true soldier for he and his forces smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, calling for volunteers saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”
Verse 4
And all Israel heard say that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel was hated by the Philistines. The trumpet led the people together to Saul at Gilgal.
Verse 5
The Philistines were more prepared than Israel, for they mustered together to fight against Israel to battle with 30,000 chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people in the infantry unnumbered. They came together to face Israel at Michmash eastward from Beth-aven.
Verses 6 - 7
Woe to Israel, they went to pieces when they saw the large army of the Philistines. They collapsed, for they spread themselves in the caves, and in the thickets, and in the rocks, and in high places as well as the pits (some of the Hebrews went over Jordan, to the land of Gad and Gilead). As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Verse 8
And Saul with his army waited seven days for Samuel. For he and Samuel had made an appointment to meet each other at that time. But Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.
Verse 9
Here goes the King to do “his things” and not according to the orders of the war, “Bring,” said Saul, “hither a burnt offering to me and peace offerings.” And he, not a priest, nevertheless offered them.
Verse 10
And of course right after Saul had offered them animals for the burnt offering, there cam Samuel, and Saul went out to meet him. Saul went ahead of the LORD this time.
Verses 11 - 12
Samuel asked, “What have you done?” And Saul replied, “Because I saw the people were scattered from me, and you hadn’t met your appointment with me, and that the Philistines had themselves together at Michmash; therefore, said I, the Philistines will come down together upon me at Gilgal, and I haven’t made my prayers of contrition. I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”
Verse 13
And Samuel rebuked Saul with these words, “Thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee; for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
Verse 14 - 15
“But now thy kingdom shall not continue; the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah hath commanded him to be the captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.
And Samuel arose and got himself up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were now with him, which was a poorly number of 600. He had lost 1400, not by fighting but by fleeing.
Verse 16
And Saul and Jonathan, his son and the people with him abode in Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. They didn’t want to fight either.
Verse 17
Here came the spoilers out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah unto the land of Shual; and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and the third company turned the way of the border, that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
Verse 19
How desperate was Israel for the arms for the soldiers. There was no blacksmith found throughout the land of all Israel, for the Philistines had taken the arms and the blacksmiths both, “lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears.”
Verse 20
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter (any kind of implement for war and farming), and his axe, and his mattock.
Verses 21 - 22
Yet they had a file for the mattock, and for the coulter, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people of Israel. The arms were in the hands of Saul and Jonathan; none in the army of Israel.
Verse 23
And the army of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Verse 1
Now the day came when Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistines’ camp that is on yonder side.” But he failed to tell his father.
Verse 2
Now Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. His company numbered about 600.
Verse 3
And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the LORD at Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. The crowd did not realize that Jonathan was missing.
Verse 4
And between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines’ camp, there was a sharp crag on the one side, and a sharp crag on the other side, and the name of the one was Bozez, while the other was named Seneh.
Verse 5
The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Gibeah.
Verse 6
Then Jonathan said to his young armor bearer, “Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised (Gentiles); perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few.”
Verse 7
And his armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and her I am with you according to your desire.”
Verse 8
Then Jonathan said, “Behold we will cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them.”
Verse 9
“If they say to us, “Wait until we come to you,” then will we stand in our place and not go up to them.
Verse 10
“But if they say, “Come up to us, then we will go up, for the LORD has given them unto our hands; and this shall be a sign to us.”
Verse 11
And when both of them revealed themselves to the camp of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.”
Verse 12
So the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will tell you something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hands of Israel.”
Verse 13
Then Jonathan climbed on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him, and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him.
Verse 14
And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about 20 men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.
Verse 15
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among the people. Even the garrison (camp) and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling.
Verse 16
Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold the multitude melted away; and they went here and there.
Verse 17
And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Number now and see who has gone from us.” And when they had counted the people, behold Jonathan and his armorbearer were missing.
Verse 18
Then Saul said to Ahiah, “Bring the ark of God here.” It was not precious to him as it should be. For the Ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.
Verse 19
And it happened while Saul talked to the priest that the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
Verse 20
Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle, and behold every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great confusion.
Verse 21
Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
Verse 22
When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also pursued them closely in the battle.
Verse 23
So the LORD delivered Israel that day, and the battle spread beyond Beth-aven.
Verse 24
Now the men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food that day (and were weak).
Verse 25
And all the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.
Verse 26
When the people entered the forest, behold there was a flow of honey, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
Verse 27
But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath; therefore, he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.
Verse 28
Then on of the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food today.” and the people were weary.
Verse 29
Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See now, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
Verse 30
“How much more if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.”
Verse 31
And they struck among the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very weary.
Verse 32
And the people rushed greedily upon the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slew them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood.
Verse 33
Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a great stone unto me today.”
Verse 34
And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, `Each one of you bring his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’” So all the people that night brought each one his ox with him, and slaughtered it there.
Verse 35
So Saul built his altar to the LORD, it was his first altar that he built to the LORD.
Verse 36
Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take a spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatsoever seems good to you.” So the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”
Verse 37
And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt Thou give them into the hand of Israel?” But the LORD did not answer him on that day.
Verse 38
And Saul said, “Draw near here all you chiefs of the people and investigate and see how this sin has happened today.
Verses 39 - 40
“For as the LORD lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a one of all the people answered him. When he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side and I and Jonathan shall be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
Verses 41 - 42
Therefore, Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. And Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my sons.” And Jonathan was taken.
Verse 43
Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you are guilty of.” So Jonathan told him and said, “I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am. I must die!”
Verse 44
Saul said, “May God do this to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
Verse 45
But the people wouldn’t hear of any of that! “Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.
Verse 46
Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Verse 47
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, such as against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.
Verse 48
And he acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites and delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them.
Verse 49
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua, and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
Verses 50 - 52
And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he attached the soldier to his staff (As Samuel had warned Israel before Saul was chosen).
Verse 1
“Then Samuel said to Saul,” Saul didn’t know how blessed of the LORD he was to have such a man of God for his advisor. Those of you who are serving the LORD, look to the gray heads of the elders for your advice.
“The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.
Verses 2 - 3
“Thus says the LORD (Jehovah) of host (Jehovah Sabaoth), `I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
Verses 4 - 6
The Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
Verse 7
So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.
Verse 8
And he captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
Verse 9
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
Verses 10 -11
Then the Word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned his back from following Me, and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried to the LORD all night.
Verse 12
And Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”
Verses 13 - 14
And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
Verse 15
And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD you God; but he rest we have utterly destroyed.”
Verse 16
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
Verses 17 - 19
And Samuel said, “Is it not true though you were little in your own eyes you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
Verse 20-21
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the LORD and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD you God at Gilgal.”
Verses 22 - 23
And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and insubordination (disobedience) is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.”
Verse 24
The Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your works because I feared the people and listened to their voice.
Verse 25
“Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may worship the LORD.”
Verse 26
But Samuel said to Saul, “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.”
Verse 27
And as Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe and it tore.
Verse 28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you [I wonder if Saul at his time realized that David would be the man to take his place?]
Verse 29
“And also, the glory of Israel (the LORD) will not lie or change His mind (repent).”
Verse 30
Then he said, “I have sinned, but please help me to make a show before the people, and please go back with me that I may worship Jehovah you God.” He did not claim that Jehovah was his (Saul’s) God.
Verse 31
Oh, how Samuel wanted to help Saul, for he went back, following Saul, and Saul worshipped Jehovah. Of course, Jehovah forgave Saul, but took the kingdom of Israel away from him anyway.
Verses 32 - 33
But Jehovah’s business must be finished with untarnished hands, for Samuel said, “Bring Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said to himself, “Surely the bitterness of death is passed.” But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall you mother be — childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before Jehovah at Gilgal.
Verses 34 - 35
Then Samuel went to Ramah, his home, but Saul went up to his own house at Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death. Listen to these woeful words: “And Jehovah regretted (repented) that he had made Saul king over Israel.” [But he was the greatest, best, Israel hat at that time to present to Jehovah.]
Verses 1 – 13: The Spiritual House Erected
Verses 14 – 23: The Fleshly House Rejected
Verse 1
“O Man of god, why the tears? O great one of Israel, shake thyself. I’m the one who has rejected Saul as king over Israel — don’t take his dismissal as a work of yours.
“I’ve rejected him. I want to choose the One who shall lead my people. Take your horn and fill it with oil, and go; for I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I selected a king for Myself among his sons.”
Verses 2 - 3
Samuel said, “We’re going too fast here, for how can I go. When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And Jehovah said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah, and you shall invite Jesse to sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one I designate to you.”
Verse 4
Right now imagine that the One and only Judge of Israel comes to your city leading a heifer to be slain in sacrifice. The only judge comes to Jesse — what on earth could he have done to merit such popularity?
And the elders of Bethlehem came trembling to meet Samuel, and said, “Do you come in peace?”
Verse 5
And Samuel said, “In peace have I come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
Verse 6
Then it came about when they entered that he looked at Eliab (“whose father is God”) and thought, “Surely Jehovah’s anointed (Messiah) is before Him.”
Verse 7
But Jehovah said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks at the heart.”
Verse 8
Then Jesse called Abinadab (“of nobility”), and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.”
Verse 9
“Next Jesse made Shammah (“desert”) pass by. And he said, “Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.”
Verse 10
[Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Number seven is a perfect number of God — “completeness” — but there is one more son! The eighth son of Jesse — the number of a new beginning! Israel is going to have a new beginning with their new Beginning.]
Verse 11
And Samuel spoke to Jesse, “Jehovah has not chosen these, but are all these your sons?” Jesse replied, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said, “Bring him out! We will not sit down until he comes here.”
Verse 12
So he sent and brought him in. Now he was red headed, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Jehovah said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”
Verse 13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went back to his home in Ramah — work accomplished — Israel has a new king! even in the future!
Verse 14
In these verses, we read of the effect of good music upon demon possessed people. What effect music has upon demons today we are not told. Yet the world is not ignorant of what effect some music can have upon unbelievers. There are the snake charmers with their flutes, etc. Every society, good or bad, has its own music.
Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrorized him. We see it is impossible for a Christian today to be evil possessed by demons. The Christian is sealed with the Holy Spirit immediately when he is saved, and the Holy Spirit stays with the Christian believer as long as he lives. There is no room for the evil spirit to enter the born again, for the Holy Spirit is there.
There are many who have held to the truth above, but have later changed their view. We ask them for the Scriptures that tell us that it is possible for a saved person (who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and not only that, but sealed with Him upon salvation) to have a demon. No Scriptures can be produced which says so. So we ask them their source, and they say, “A missionary from the foreign field told me.” No scripture? “No. No Scriptures.” Just some man said so? Throw it out!
Verse 15
Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.” Does God Jehovah rule over the demon world? He does. They are under His command and can do only what the LORD permits them to do.
Verse 16
“Let our lord (“master”) now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.”
Verse 17
So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
Verse 18
“Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skilled musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and Jehovah is with him.”
Verse 19
So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flocks.” He didn’t say, “David the musician,” though that is what he was, but rather “your son David who is with the flock.”
Verse 20
And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread [Bethlehem means “house of bread” so David was loaded with bread in the house of bread, to those who were dying for the lack of the true bread from Heaven], and a jug of wine, and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.
Verses 21 - 22
Then David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly, and David became Saul’s armor bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight.”
Verse 23
So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
Verse 1
Herein is the account of the forces of the Philistines confronting the soldiers of Israel.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and they were gathered at Shochoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Shochoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
Verse 2
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and camped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines.
Verse 3
And the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side with the valley between them.
Verses 4 - 6
Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath from Gath, whose height was 9 feet 9 inches. And he had a brass (a bronze) helmet on his head, and he was clothed with a scale—armor which weighed 125 pounds. He also had bronze greaves (shin guards) on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
Verses 7 - 8
And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed 15 pounds; his shield carrier also walked before him. And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistines and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.
Verse 9
“If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.”
Verse 10
Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.”
Verse 11
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Verses 12 - 13
Now David was the sons of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. And the three older sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab, the first born, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
Verses 14 - 16
And David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. And the Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand.
Verses 17 - 19
Then Jesse said to David his son, “Take now for your brothers a bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves to your brothers. Give this cheese to their captain of the thousand and see how the boys are getting along; and bring us a letter from them. (Saul and Israeli army were camped at the valley of Elah.)
Verse 20
So David left the sheep with another shepherd and took off early the next morning with the gifts. He arrived at the outskirts of the camp just as the Israeli army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries.
Verse 21
Soon the Israeli and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.
Verses 22 - 23
Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. As he was talking with them, behold the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words, and David heard them.
Verses 24 - 25
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.”
Verse 26
Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistines, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should taunt the armies of the living God?”
Verse 27
And the people answered him in accord with this word saying, “This shall be done for the man who kills him.”
Verse 28
Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.”
Verse 29
But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”
Verse 30
Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before.
Verse 31
When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him.
Verse 32
And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
Verse 33
Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.”
Verses 34 - 35
But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it form his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
Verse 36
“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.”
Verse 37
And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may Jehovah be with you.”
Verse 38
Then Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a brass (or bronze) helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.
Verse 39
And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off.
Verse 40
And he took his stick in his hand and chose from himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his shepherd’s bag which he had, even his pouch, and his sling was in his hand. And he (thus) approached the Philistine.
Verse 41
But the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him.
Verse 42
When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, and ruddy (red hair), with a handsome appearance.
Verse 43
And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with a stick?” and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Verse 44
And the Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.”
Verses 45 - 47
David, in a short, short time preached the wrath of Jehovah to Goliath, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Host (Jehovah Sabaoth), the God of the armies of Israel, who you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in heaven (Daniel 2:28), and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear, for the battle is Jehovah’s, and He will give you into my hands.”
Verse 48
Then it happened when the Philistine drew near to meet David that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.
Verse 49
And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
Verses 50 - 51
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
Verse 52
And the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the Valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron.
Verse 53
And the sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps.
Verse 54
Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.
Verse 55
Now when Saul said David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O King, I do not know!”
Verse 56
And the king added, “You inquire whose son the youth is.”
Verse 57
So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
Verses 1 - 2
And it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.
Verses 3 - 4
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.
Verse 5
So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered. And Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
Verses 6 - 7
And it happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistines, that the women came out of the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. And the women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Verses 8 - 9
Then Saul became very angry, for the saying displeased him, and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
Verses 10 - 11
Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. And Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall,” but David escaped from his presence twice.
Verses 12 - 13
Now Saul was afraid of David, for Jehovah was with him but had departed from Saul. Therefore, Saul removed him from his presence, and appointed him as his commander of a thousand (soldiers), thus making David a Captain! He thus went out and came in before the people.
Verses 14 - 16
And David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him. Thus when Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.
Verse 17
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
Verse 18
But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”
Verse 19
So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
Verses 20 - 21
Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the marriage was agreeable to him. And Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.”
Verse 22
Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now, therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.”
Verse 23
So Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. But David said, “It is trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?”
Verses 24 - 25
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke. Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, `The King does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” (Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.)
Verses 26 - 27
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the day had expired, David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.
Verses 28 - 29
When Saul saw that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.
Verse 30
Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.
Verse 1
Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.
Verse 2
So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on your guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.
Verse 3
“And I will go out and stand beside my father, in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you, if I find out anything, then I shall tell you.
Verse 4
Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been beneficial to you. For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without cause?”
Verse 6
And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.”
Verse 7
Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as he was before.
Verse 8
When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines, and defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled before him.
Verse 9
Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.
Verse 10
And Saul tried to pin David to the wall with this spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
Verse 11
Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.”
Verses 12 - 14
So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped. Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, and put a quilt of goat’s hair at its head, and covered it with clothes. When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”
Verse 15
Then Saul sent messenger to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death.”
Verse 16
When the messengers entered, behold, the household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goat’s hair at its head.
Verse 17
So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go so that he has escaped.” And Michal said to her father Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?’”
Verses 18 — 19
Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. And it was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
Verses 20 - 21
Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets, prophesying with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
Verse 22
Then Saul himself went to Ramah, and came as far as the large well that is in Sechu. And he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold they are at Naioth in Ramah.”
Verses 23 - 24
And he proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he also stripped off his clothes, and he, too, prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore, they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Verse 1
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?”
Verse 2
And he said to him, “Far from it; you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should by father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
Verse 3
Yet David vowed again saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”
Verse 4
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
Verse 5
So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.
Verse 6
“If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’
Verse 7
If he says, ‘It is good,’ your servant shall be safe, but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.
Verse 8
“Therefore, deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”
Verse 9
And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”
Verse 10
Then David said to Jonathan. “Who tells me if your father answers you harshly?”
Verse 11
And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.
Verse 12
Then Jonathan said to David, “The LORD, the God of Israel be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not send to you and make it known to you?
Verses 13 - 14
“If it please my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And if I am still alive, will you not show me the loving kindness of the LORD, that I may not die?
Verse 15
“And you shall not cut off your loving-kindness from my house forever, not even when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
Verse 16
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”
Verse 17
And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own soul.
Verses 18 - 19
Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat shall be empty. When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on the eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.
Verse 20
“And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.
Verse 21
“And behold, I will send the lad, saying, “Go find the arrows.” If I specifically say to the land, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come for there is safety for you and no harm, as the LORD lives.
Verse 22
“But if I say to the youth, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the LORD has sent you away.
Verse 23
“As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold the LORD is between you and me forever.”
Verses 24 - 25
So David hid in the field, and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. And the king sat at his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.
Verse 26
Nevertheless, Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, he is not clean, surely he is not clean.”
Verse 27
And it came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal either yesterday or today?”
Verse 28
Jonathan then answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, for he said, ‘Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now if I have found favor in your sight, please let me go away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
Verse 30
Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?
Verse 31
“For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”
Verse 32
But Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
Verse 33
Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan then knew that his father had decided to put David to death.
Verse 34
Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.
Verse 35
Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little lad was with him.
Verse 36
And he said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.
Verse 37
When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad, and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”
Verse 38
And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.
Verse 39
But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.
Verse 40
Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go bring them to the city.”
Verse 41
Then the lad was gone. David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other, and wept together, but David more.
Verse 42
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, “The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.
Verses 1 - 2
David flees Saul and landed in Nob. This city no doubt contained the Mosaic Tabernacle, just before it was removed to Jerusalem. Ahimelech is the priest in charge, to whom David appealed for something to eat. The priest came to David fearful for life and limb as he came alone with a few soldiers. It was common knowledge that Saul was bent on slaying David.
Verse 3
The Priest, Ahimelech, pressed David why he was there alone, and David replied with a lie. Many of the characters of the Bible were not “all there” with the truth. God made up the punishment they should get for lying (Ps. 119:29; David answered for it). David answered Ahimelech’s question that he was alone with secrets from King Saul, and that quietness was now the word.
Verses 4 - 6
But as for their hunger, there wasn’t a loaf handy. Yet they were replacing the twelve loaves on the Table of Showbread, and if the men had abstained from their wives, he believed in the sight of God were pure and could eat the bread. [The Lord Jesus Himself used this illustration of the bread on the Table of Showbread which was prepared only for the priests, that in this instance there was a need and the bread could be eaten, so it was with Jesus and his disciples. They were walking through the fields, and these pieces of corn were shucked, and they ate it as there was a plain need.]
By the Jewish law (not the law of God), and as Jesus put it, “You make the word of God of none effect by your tradition.” The Jewish writings name twenty ways that the grain can be harvested, known as a toldoth. Then there were another twenty ways that each toldoth could be eaten. Thus there were 400 ways that the Jews said that the grain could be breaking the law — whew — there was a need, the men and Jesus were away from home and they were hungry. Thus it satisfied by a lawful process. On another occasion the Lord Jesus said that it was not breaking the law should a person have some tithe money, and his mother and father were in need. It would be lawful should he take the tithe money and correct the need of mother and father.
Verse 7
Now one of the servants of Saul was there and saw David. He was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.
Verses 8 - 9
David then asked Ahimelech, the priest, did he have any weapon of war he could use, for he had left home fast, for fear of Saul. Ahimelech said the only thing they had was the sword of Goliath with which David beheaded Goliath. Take it if you want it. David remarked about the sword “there is none like it; give it to me.”
Verse 10
Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath. Of all things; this was the home of Goliath, the giant that David killed.
Verse 11
Upon David’s arrival, the servants of Achish said to the king, “Is this not David, king of the land. Did not the women sing of his exploits: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?”
Verse 12
What a plight to be in, so he became “David, the actor.” He began his contortments. He posed and acted like an insane man, allowing spittle to flow down his beard.
Verses 13 - 15
David’s enemies threw him out of the city.
Verse 1
David escaped there and came to the cave of Adullam, and when his brothers and all of his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him.
Verse 2
“And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.” This seems like a church I was pastor of at the beginning of my ministry. How blessed they were, and how precious they supplied my needs. We were all in the labor of love together.
Verse 3
David goes to the king of Moab and asked protection for his family until he became the accepted king of Judah and Israel. It was a good covenant, each honoring the other.
Verses 4 - 5
But the prophet Gad warned David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” David departed to the forest of Hareth.
Verses 6 - 8
Then Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered, Saul lashed out to the people: is David promising you fields and vineyards to follow him? Are you being appointed captains over thousands and over hundreds? For all of you have conspired against me. No one of you told me that my son, Jonathan has made a covenant with David. Not one of you is sorry for me.
Verses 9 - 10
Then, of all things, Doeg the Edomite who was standing by the servants of Saul said, “I saw David coming to Nob, to the priest of Ahimelech, and he inquired of the LORD for him, and not only that, but gave David the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.”
Verse 11
Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech and all his father’s household, the priests who were at Nob and all of them came to the King.
Verse 12
And Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub,” and he answered, “Here I am my lord (master).”
Verse 13
Saul said to them, more, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You have given him bread, and a sword, and have prayed for him, and helped him to rise up against me by lying in ambush as it is today.”
Verse 14
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house?”
Verse 15
“Did I just begin to pray God for him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king put to their account to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all of this whole affair.”
Verse 16
But Saul said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and your father’s household.”
Verse 17
Then Saul commanded the guard who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the LORD to death because they are all for David, because he knew David was fleeing, and did not tell me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to put their hands against the priests, the servants of the LORD.
Verse 18
Then Saul turned to Doeg, “You turn around, and attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite (the enemy of the LORD) attacked the priest and killed eighty-five men who wore the ephod (clothing of the priests).
Verse 19
Doeg also struck Nob and killed every living object with the sword, both men and women, children and infants, also oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he stuck with the edge of the sword.
Verse 20
But one son of Ahimelech named Abiathar escaped and fled after David. And he told David that Saul had killed the priest of the LORD.
Verses 21 - 23
Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought about the death of every person in your father’s household. Stay with me, do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are safe with me.”
Verse 1
This portion of the word of God tells us that God knows of all things. He knows even that which does not happen, could have happened. Let’s read this portion of God’s Word.
People came to David to warn him of the Philistines and their attacking the threshing floors of Keilah.
Verse 2
So David asked the LORD, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”
Verse 3
David’s men admitted they were afraid here in Judah, “How much more danger is there if we attack Keilah?”
Verse 4
Then David inquired of the LORD once more. Jehovah answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hands.”
Verse 5
So David and his men obeyed Jehovah and fought with the Philistines, and led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.
Verse 6
Now when Abiathar fled to David at Keilah, he appeared with an ephod in his hand.
Verse 7
When Saul heard that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand for he has shut himself in by entering a city with double gates.”
Verse 8
So Saul summoned all the people of war of Judah and Israel to besiege David and his men.
Verses 9 - 10
Now David knew that Saul was plotting against him, and summoned Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the Ephod.” Then David prayed, “O LORD (O Jehovah) of Israel. Thy servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.”
(Now here’s what God knows.)
Verse 11
“Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Thy servant has heard? O Jehovah God of Israel, I pray, tell Thy servant.” And Jehovah said, “He will come down.”
Verse 12
Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Jehovah answered, “They will surrender you.”
Verse 13
Listen to this:
Then David and his men, now six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went as they were disposed to go.
When Saul heard that David had escaped, he gave up the pursuit.
Just in our language, David prays, “If we stay, will the people of the city turn us over to Saul? The LORD said, “Yes.” Then David and his men took another course. Yes, the LORD knows what will happen if that which will happen does happen, or doesn’t happen!
Verse 14
David and his men remained in the deserts and strongholds, and remained in the hill country. Saul sought him everyday, but God did not deliver David into his hand.
Verse 15
Now David became aware that Saul was bent on taking David’s life: a constant hindrance.
Verse 16
And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in the LORD.
Verse 17
Jonathan said to David, “Don’t be afraid, for the hand of my father shall never find you, and you will be king, and I will be next to you, and my father knows that!” But Jonathan didn’t know that the LORD is not going to allow a single man left to reign of the flesh and blood of Saul.
Years later, several of the seed of Saul tried to gain the kingdom, but it was David’s and preserved so.
Verse 18
These two godly men make a covenant with each other before the LORD, and while David stayed at Horesh, Jonathan lived in his own house.
Verses 19 - 20
More trouble planned against David.
The Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh. It will be nothing at all for us to do and that is to surrender him into thy hands.”
Verse 21
And Saul said, “May you be blessed by Jehovah for you have compassion on me.”
Verses 22 - 23
“Go now, make sure of the hiding places, and return to me. Show us where he hides himself, and I will hunt him with you.”
Verse 24
These two combined parties went to Ziph. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon.
Verse 25
When Saul and his men went to seek him, they told David and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard these reports, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
Verse 26
And Saul went up the mountain side, and David and his men climbed the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.
But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”
Verse 28
So Saul returned from pursuing David, and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place “the Rock of Escape.”
Verse 29
Immediately David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.
David is rescued from Saul because as the Philistines made an all out effort to attack the armed forces of Israel, thus the King had to ride at the front of his men and fight the armies of the Philistines.
Verse 1
This action was only for a while, for on returning home Saul was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”
Engedi is a beautiful oasis situated about 30 miles southeast from Jerusalem. It borders the Dead Sea on the west, and several branches of streams around Jerusalem wind their way and come out making a large waterfall. Within a great compound, spices, nuts, and fruits grown, and vegetation abound everywhere the stream touches.
The vineyards of Engedi were celebrated by Solomon, its balsam by Josephus, and its palms by Piny.
Verses 2 - 3
Upon the report that David was in Engedi, Saul took 3,000 chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. And he came to the sheep-folds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.
Verse 4
And the men of David said the time has come as you said the LORD advised that you were to be given your enemies. Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robes secretly.
Verse 5
But afterwards David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe.
Verse 6
So he said to his men, “Far be it that I should humiliate God’s anointed.
Verse 7
So David persuaded his men by these words to refrain from slaughtering Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.
Verse 8
Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul saying, “My lord (master) the king!” Then Saul looked behind him and saw David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
Verses 9 - 10
Then David asked Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, `Behold, David seeks to harm you’? For today your eyes have seen that Jehovah has given you into my hands in the cave. Some said “Kill him,” but my eye had pity on you, but I insisted on sparing you for you are Jehovah’s anointed!
Verses 11 - 12
“Look in my hands and see the edge of your robe cut by my sword and did not kill you. I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. May he deliver me from you, but my hand shall never be against you. May Jehovah watch between me and you. Let Him be the Judge.
Verse 13
“As the proverb of the ancient says, “Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness,” but my hand shall not, I impress you, be against you.”
Verse 14
“O King, whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea.
Verse 15
“I’ve put you into the LORD’s hands. He will plead my cause.”
Verses 16 - 17
When David had quit speaking, Saul said, “Is this your voice my son, David?” Then Saul wept, and said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with my soul, and I did wickedly toward you.
Verses 18 - 19
“You did good to me. He delivered me into your hands, but you didn’t kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, he is to kill him. May the LORD reward you good in return for what you did to me this day.”
Verses 20 - 21
“And now behold, I know that you surely shall be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. So swear to me that you will not cut off my descendants and will not destroy my name from my father’s household.”
Verse 22
And David swore to this to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Verse 1
Upon Samuel’s death, all Israel mourned for him, gathering themselves together, they buried him at his house in Ramah. As we consider this faithful servant of Jehovah, we know he was given to his mother upon her prayers for a son. Eli, the high priest, was in the Tabernacle and saw Hannah (the future mother of Samuel) as she prayed, and Eli thought she was drunk with wine, and didn’t realize she was praying. She let Eli know that she was burdened for a son, and should Jehovah give him to her, she would lend him to the LORD.
Eli guaranteed that she would have a son, and next year her son, Samuel, was born. She took Samuel to the Tabernacle in care of Eli after Samuel was three years old (after he was weaned).
At three years he was brought to the Tabernacle, and at thirteen he had his adoption (placed as a son). For ten years he served in the Tent of Meeting. But when Eli died from an accident of falling over and breaking his neck, and the death of Eli’s two sons, Samuel went back home. Where? Ramah; and there he lived until he was a very old man. The separation of Hannah from her sons Samuel was very short. So when God calls upon us to give our children to Him and they are separated from us, we learn that the LORD always provides us with better things.
She gave her son for at least ten years, but after that, she was with him forever (until she or he dies) and where? Ramah — Where he was united with mother, father, brothers, and sisters, and many half brothers and half sisters. This reminds us of heaven when Christ raised His Church from the dead. We shall be with the saints and our born again loved ones forever!
“And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.”
Verses 2 - 7
Our attention is now focused on David and his second wife.
There was a man in Maon who business was in Carmel. He was very rich, having 3,000 sheep, and 1,000 goats, and the time had come for shearing his sheep in Carmel. His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. The wife was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but the man was harsh and evil in business, and he was a Calebite. It was at this time that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. So David sent ten of his young men, “Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name, and thus you shall say, ‘Peace be upon you, your house, and peace be to all you have,’ and now I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we have shown grace at all times, we greeted them, and did not insult them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel.
Verse 8
“Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore, let my young men find favor in your yes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.”
Verse 9
When the young men of David came, they spoke to Nabal all these words in David’s name.
Verses 10 - 11
They waited. But Nabal stormed out, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? There are many runaway slaves breaking away from their masters. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men whose origin I do not know?”
Verses 12 - 13
So David’s young men retraced their steps and told David all these words. Thus David flared up and yelled, “Each of you gird on his sword,” and about 400 went behind David, while 200 stayed with the baggage.
Verses 14 - 16
But one of Nabal’s young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master and he insulted them. Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not scorned, nor did we miss anything as long as we went about with them, while we were in the fields. They were a wall to us, both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.”
Verse 17
The young man warned of David’s wrath, and his desire to put to death Nabal’s and the rest. No one can talk to Nabal.
Verse 18
Then Abigail, Nabal’s wife, at once gathered 200 loaves of bread, two jugs of wine, and five sheep already dressed and cooked, also gathered five measures of roasted grain, 100 clustered raisins, 200 cakes of fig, and loaded them on donkeys.
Verse 19
She quickly told her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you!” But she did not tell her husband.
Verse 20
And it came about that as she was riding down the hidden part of the mountain on her donkey that David and his men were coming down toward her, and there they met.
Verses 21 - 22
David had said openly, “Surely in vain I have looked after the things of this one male owner so that nothing was missed, and he has returned me evil for good. May God do so to the enemies of David, and more so, if by morning that I leave one male of any who belong to him.”
Verses 23 - 25
Immediately she recognized David and hurriedly left her donkey and fell on her face before him. And as she fell at his feet she said, “On me, alone, my master, be the blame, and let me, your maidservant, speak to you, and just forget what this worthless man, Nabal, has said. For as his name (meaning foolish) so he is, but I am your maidservant did not see the young men of my master whom thou didst send. And just forget Nabal.
Verses 26 - 27
“I praise God that he had withheld your hand from shedding needlessly blood, and now I bear gifts for you and your young men. May they be a blessing to your appetite, and may you be blessed forever by Jehovah, for you are fighting His battles.
Verse 28
“Forgive me, your handmaid, for approaching you. And if anyone shall rise against you, may the LORD protect you.
Verse 29
“And if any man shall rise against you, let him perish.
Verse 30
“And may the time come soon when you shall be appointed by Jehovah ruler over all Israel.
Verse 31
“When the LORD blesses you as such, please remember me.”
Verse 32
Oh, what praise David gave his LORD. “Blessed by the LORD God (Jehovah Elohim) of Israel who sent you this day to meet me.”
Verse 33
“And blessed by your discernment, and blessed by you who kept me from shedding blood, and from avenging myself by my own hand.
Verse 34
“Nevertheless, as Jehovah God (Elohim) of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, for if you had not come quickly, there would not be a male left to Nabal.”
Verse 35
So David received from her what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go up to you house in peace. Thus I have granted your request.”
Verse 36
So when Abigail returned to Nabal, he was having a feast like the feast of a king. Nabal was certainly made merry within him, for he was drunk, so she did not tell him what had happened between David and Abigail.
Verse 37
But morning light appeared, when the wine had lost its effect in Nabal, so then his wife told him these things, his heart died within him, so that he became as a stone.
Verses 38 - 39
Ten days later, Jehovah struck Nabal, and he was dead. Now when David learned of Nabal’s death, he said, “Blessed by Jehovah who has pleaded my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and kept me from evil. Jehovah has also returned the evil doing of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent a proposal to Abigail to take her as his wife.
Verse 40
When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to you to take you as his wife.”
Verse 41
Abigail arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my master’s servants.”
Verse 42
Then Abigail quickly arose and rode on a donkey with her five maidens who attended her, and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.
Verse 43
As David had also taken Ahinoam (who became the mother of David’s oldest son, Ammon) of Jezreel, he married both Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.
Verse 44
Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
Verse 1
Another enemy of David arises and proposes a way to put to the end of David. He came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding with us on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?”
Verse 2
So Saul, getting a little older, arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having 3,000 chosen men of Israel to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
Verses 3 - 4
Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon along the road, while David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him (and they had sworn together that Saul would put an end to fighting David) again, he sent spies and by their report he knew that Saul was definitely coming.
Verse 5
David then arose to the place where Saul had stopped for the night, and he saw where Saul lay along the side of Abner, and the people camped around him.
Verse 6
Then David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai said, “I’ll go!”
Verse 7
So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping in the circle. His spear was stuck in the ground. Abner and the people were lying around him.
Verse 8
Abishai whispered, “Today God has turned him into your hands. Your enemy is done for. Let me strike him with the spear. It’ll only take one strike to pin him to the ground. I won’t need a second stroke.”
Verses 9 - 11
David recognized again the anointing of Saul. “He who strikes him will be striking God. Who can strike God’s anointed without guilt?” David also added, “Surely the LORD lives, and He will strike him, or his day will come and he will die, or will go down in the battle sometime. But Jehovah forbid that I stretch out my hand against Jehovah’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here.”
Verse 12
So David took the spear and jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away. Yet Saul and his men all slept and knew not of David and Abishai for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them.
Verse 13
Then David crossed over the other side and stood on top of the mountain (at a distance) with a large area between them.
Verse 14
David then called the people and Abner, and Abner said, “Who dares to wake the king?”
Verse 15
David then addresses Abner, “Are you not a man — asleep with your soldiers — but you have left them unguarded, and your king has been left to be slaughtered. For someone was in amongst you (himself).”
Verse 16
“You have left a poor example of a fine captain of the guard. No one guarded your king. He should demand all of you to be slain.
“Look here! Who has the king’s spear? And the jug of water. The king does not have water to slake his thirst! Shame on you.”
Verses 17 - 18
Saul recognized David’s voice, “Is this your voice, my son David?” “It is my voice my master the king.” And David added, “Why is my master pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?”
Verse 19
“Now, please hear my plea. If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering, but if it is men, cursed are they before Jehovah for they have driven me out today, that I should have no attachments with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, ‘Go serve other gods.’
Verse 20
“Now then let not my blood be shed to separate me from the presence of the LORD, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, as a partridge in the mountains.”
Verse 21
Then Saul admits his sin, and asked David to return. “I will never harm you, for I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”
Verse 22
So David told Saul to send a young man in armor to cross over and come to David, and then take the spear and water jug back to Saul.
Verse 23
“Jehovah will repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness, for Jehovah delivered you into my hands, yet I refused for I would not strike any of God’s anointed.
Verse 24
“As your life was highly valued by me today, may my life be valued in Jehovah’s sight and deliver me from all distresses.”
Verse 25
Then said Saul to David, “Blessed are you my son David. You will both accomplish much and surely prevail.”
David went on his way and Saul turned to his place.
Verse 1
David becomes discouraged, even thinking that though Jehovah had anointed him with Himself, that Saul would eventually slay him. So he tries to help God out by making peace with the enemies of God, the Philistines. Saul will finally give up the search for me.
Verse 2
So he and his 600 men find solace in the city of the giants, with Achish the king of Gath.
Verses 3 - 4
So David and his men find peace with each his own household: David with his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail. When Saul heard that David fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
Verses 5 - 7
David appeals for a city of his own where he and his men could relax and not interfere with the king of Gath in the royal city. So Achish gave him Ziklag that day and belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. He and his men lived in the country one year and four months.
Verse 8
The first attack by David and his men was the raid of the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.
Verse 9
David and his army attacked the land and left no one alive. He and his men took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned to Achish.
Verse 10
Achish asked, “Did you make a raid today?” to which David lied and said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites.”
Verse 11
Thus David and his men did not leave a single person alive, saying, “Lest they should tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done so and so, but made this practice during all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”
Verse 12
David pulled the wool over Achish’s eyes, for Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people, Israel. Therefore he will become my slave forever.” (But David had not touched one human being, nor animal, nor clothing apparel of any Israelite.)
Verses 1 - 2
Again, the Philistines gathered themselves together for war against Israel. Now David had taken refuge with the king of the Philistines, Achish, who thought that David had chosen Achish and the Philistines to serve him.
David said, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my body guard for life.”
Verses 3 - 4
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in his home city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel together and camped in Gilboa.
Verses 5 - 6
Oh, how Saul needed to be pitied, for when he saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly, and more so, for when Saul inquired of Jehovah, the LORD did not answer him, neither by dream, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Verse 7
Then Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
Verse 8
The Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went; he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name for you.”
Verse 9
At first the woman refused, reminding him that Saul had done; how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. “Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”
Verse 10
And Saul spoke of the LORD in a blasphemous way saying, “As the LORD lives, there shall no punishment come upon you for this thing.”
Verse 11
Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he replied, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
Verse 12
Christendom has been divided whether Samuel was brought up from the grave. We say what the Scriptures say — “He was!” For when the woman saw Samuel — oh, believe the word of God — when she saw Samuel — he was brought up from the grave — she cried out with a loud voice, and the woman rebuked Saul by asking, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.”
Verse 13
Saul the king replied, “Do not be afraid, but what do you see?” Saul at first didn’t recognize Samuel, and asked the woman what she saw. And the woman replied, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.”
Verse 14
And Saul asked her, “What is his form?” And she answered, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” Now Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
Verse 15
The Samuel asked of Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul quickly answered Samuel, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has forsaken me, and answers no more, either through prophets, or by dreams; therefore, I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.”
Verse 16
And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary?”
Verse 17
“And the LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for Jehovah has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor; to David.
Verse 18
“As you did not obey Jehovah and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day.
Verse 19
“Moreover, Jehovah will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines. Therefore, tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed, Jehovah will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”
Verse 20
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel. Also, there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.
Verse 21
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hands, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
Verse 22
“So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.”
Verses 23 - 24
But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. And the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it, and she took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it.
Verse 25
And she brought it before Saul, and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
Verses 1 - 2
As the Philistines were gathering themselves together several of their war lords opposed the using of David and his men within the ranks of the rest of the Philistines — for David and his men would turn about and attack the Philistines just as soon as they were able. Achish himself vowed that during the years David had been with him he had never shown any disloyalty at all, but that he would dismiss David and his men, to prove his own loyalty to his fellow kinsmen, the Philistines. So David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish.
Verses 3 - 4
Yes, the commanders of the Philistines were very angry in having David and men mixed with the Philistines. How true their surmise was.
Verse 5
Was it not David of whom they sing in the dances saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?”
Verse 6
David asked, “Show me any disloyalty in me in these years I was with you.”
Verse 7
Achish did have a problem — more than he fully realized by having David and his men to fight alongside the Philistines.
Verses 8 - 10
Arise now in the morning so as to ease the problem you’ve made.
Verse 11
So David arose early, he and his men, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel!
Verse 1
Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag they found the city destroyed by the Amalekites.
Verse 2
The Amalekites took captive the women and all who were in it, small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.
Verse 3
David and his fighting men found the city destroyed, but their wives and their children had been taken captive.
Verse 4
Then all Israel there, including David and his people who were with him, lifted up their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to seep.
Verse 5
David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
Verse 6
David was beside himself, for his faithful men talked of stoning him, for all the people of Israel were embittered, each one, because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
Verse 7
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod (for within the ephod was located the Urim and Thummim — those objects by which Israel could discern the will of God). So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
Verse 8
David thus inquired of the LORD saying, “Shall I pursue this land? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and you shall surely rescue all.”
Verse 9
So David went; he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained.
Verse 10
But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.
Verses 11 - 12
Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water and he drank. They also gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; thus his spirit revived: for he had not eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
Verse 13
And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite, and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago.
Verse 14
“We made a raid on the Negev (a common day word for that part of Israel of the Cherethites, on that which belongs to Judah, and that section owned by Caleb).
Verse 15
Then David asked the young Egyptian, “Will you bring me down to this land?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill men or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this land.”
Verse 16
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines, and from the land of Judah. [Why were they not put on their guard, for David was sure to make this presence felt with a blast].
Verse 17
And David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except 400 young men who rode on camels and fled.
Verses 18 - 19
So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken from themselves. David brought it all back.
Verse 20
So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”
Verse 21
When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them.
Verse 22
Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.”
Verse 23
Then David said, “You must not do so my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hands the bands that came against us.
Verse 24
“And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the stuff (baggage); they shall be alike.”
Verse 25
And so it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
Verses 26 - 29
Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold a gift from you from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth (home of Samuel) of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, and to those who were in Rachal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites.
Verse 30
And to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Chor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach.
Verse 31
And to those who were in Hebron, and to all where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.
The finding and letting go of the Egyptian by David and his men can be applied to a sinner who is found by Christ.
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The Egyptian |
The Sinner |
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1. The Egyptian was in the field. |
1. The Sinner is in the field (the world). |
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2. Everything is taken and he is left to die by his master. |
2. The sinner is stripped of all he has by his taskmaster, the Devil. |
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3. He was an Egyptian. |
3. When a sinner goes to Egypt, he goes down, not up to Egypt. Egypt in Scripture always means bondage. |
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4. He was sick and needed a physician; he was starving to death; thus, he needed bread and water. |
4. The Sinner has the disease of the heart (sin) and needs the Great Physician. The man of the world needs the Bread and Water of Life. |
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5. What was he eating? Nothing! Vanity. |
5. The sinner is feeding on nothing: ashes and soap bubbles. |
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6. He was deserted; he had a terrible master. |
6. The Devil is a hard master, one who works and receives wages (Romans 6:23). |
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7. Helpless |
7. Helpless |
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8. He was a slave (although he was an Egyptian), a slave of an Amalekite. |
8. Sinners have two master: inner and outer, sin and Satan. |
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9. He was found in a field of seekers of sinners. |
9. Christians, are you seeking the sinners? |
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10. They brought him to David. |
10. Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus. |
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11. They sought him. He did not seek them. He was helpless. |
11. Christians, are you seeking the sinners? |
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12. David received him. It is a wonder that David didn’t kill him. That’s grace. David saved him. |
12. “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) |
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13. He not only received him, but gave him something to eat and drink. |
13. This is what the sinner gets when he receives by Jesus. |
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14. He then entered the service of David. |
14. ??? How about you??? |
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15. Verse 15. Assurance of Security, then service. |
15. John 3:16; Romans 19:9 |
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16. Security was not secured by his service, but through the grace of David. |
16. Ephesians 2:8, 9 — no boasters in Heaven. |
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17. The Amalekites were under a curse (Ex. 17:14-16). They were having a merry time with things that did not belong to them. |
17. Unsaved sinners are living under the curse (Gal. 3:10) living on things that do not belong to them. |
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18. Judgment came upon the Amalekites. |
18. Judgment is coming upon the Devil and Sinners. |
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19. Spoils taken by the Amalekites regained. |
19. Through Christ everything taken by sin shall be restored. |
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20. The Egyptian became the servant of David. |
20. We should become “bond slaves” as Paul, Peter, John, Jude, and James! |
Verse 1
The Philistines rose up against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before and fell, slain, on Mount Gilboa.
Verses 2 - 5
The Philistines could not be stopped, and overcame Saul and his sons; and killed Jonathan and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul’s sons. But the battle went heavy against Saul, for he was such a target for the archers, for they wounded him so much. Then Saul commanded his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through, lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through and make sport of my nakedness.” But the armor bearer refused to lay a sword at the king’s vitals — for he was so afraid of the consequences. The sword bearer wouldn’t, so Saul took his own sword from its sheath and fell on it. When the sword bearer saw that Saul was dead, then he did the same thing and died with the king.
Verses 6 - 7
Thus Saul died with three of his sons, his armor bearer, and all his men that surrounded him together that day. And when the Israelites who were on the other side of the river Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in the abandoned cities.
Verses 8 - 9
The next day the Philistines came to strip the dead, and as they came upon the dead bodies of Saul and his three sons who had died on Mount Gilboa, they cut Saul’s head off and stripped the bodies of their weapons and sent it throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the “good news” to the house of their idols and to the people.
Verse 10
And they put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
Verses 11 - 13
The people of Israel were shocked on learning of the mistreatment given to Saul’s body. So upon learning this, the valiant men rose and walked all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. (Of course in burning of the dead, while the flesh was burned off, the bones were buried under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh.) And they fasted seven days.