1Samuel 15
15One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the LORD who told me to anoint you as king of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the LORD!H8050H559H7586H3068H7971H4886H4428H5971H3478H8085H6963H1697H30682This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt.H559H3068H6635H6485H6002H6213H3478H7760H1870H5927H47143Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."H3212H5221H6002H2763H2550H4191H376H802H5768H3243H7794H7716H1581H25434So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.H7586H8085H5971H8085H6485H2923H3967H505H7273H6235H505H376H30635Then Saul and his army went to a town of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley.H7586H935H5892H6002H7378H693H51586Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: "Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt." So the Kenites packed up and left.H7586H559H7017H3212H5493H3381H8432H6002H622H6213H2617H1121H3478H5927H4714H7017H5493H8432H60037Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.H7586H5221H6002H2341H935H7793H6440H47148He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.H8610H90H4428H6002H2416H2763H5971H6310H27199Saul and his men spared Agag's life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.H7586H5971H2550H90H4315H6629H1241H4932H3733H2896H14H2763H4399H5240H4549H276310Then the LORD said to Samuel,H1697H3068H8050H55911"I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command." Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.H5162H4427H7586H4428H7725H310H6965H1697H2734H8050H2199H3068H391512Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, "Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal."H8050H7925H7125H7586H1242H5046H8050H559H7586H935H3760H5324H3027H5437H5674H3381H153713When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. "May the LORD bless you," he said. "I have carried out the LORD's command!"H8050H935H7586H7586H559H1288H3068H6965H1697H306814"Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?" Samuel demanded.H8050H559H6963H6629H241H6963H1241H808515"It's true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle," Saul admitted. "But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else."H7586H559H935H6003H5971H2550H4315H6629H1241H2076H3068H430H3498H276316Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! Listen to what the LORD told me last night!" "What did he tell you?" Saul asked.H8050H559H7586H7503H5046H3068H1696H3915H559H169617And Samuel told him, "Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel.H8050H559H6996H5869H7218H7626H3478H3068H4886H4428H347818And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.'H3068H7971H1870H559H3212H2763H2400H6002H3898H361519Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD's sight?"H8085H6963H3068H5860H7998H6213H7451H5869H306820"But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else.H7586H559H8050H8085H6963H3068H3212H1870H3068H7971H935H90H4428H6002H2763H600221Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."H5971H3947H7998H6629H1241H7225H2764H2076H3068H430H153722But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.H8050H559H3068H2656H5930H2077H8085H6963H3068H8085H2896H2077H7181H2459H35223Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."H4805H2403H7081H6484H205H8655H3988H1697H3068H3988H442824Then Saul admitted to Samuel, "Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.H7586H559H8050H2398H5674H6310H3068H1697H3372H5971H8085H696325But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD."H5375H2403H7725H7812H306826But Samuel replied, "I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the LORD's command, he has rejected you as king of Israel."H8050H559H7586H7725H3988H1697H3068H3068H3988H4428H347827As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe.H8050H5437H3212H2388H3671H4598H716728And Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.H8050H559H3068H7167H4468H3478H3117H5414H7453H289629And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!"H5331H3478H8266H5162H120H516230Then Saul pleaded again, "I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God."H559H2398H3513H2205H5971H3478H7725H7812H3068H43031So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD.H8050H7725H310H7586H7586H7812H306832Then Samuel said, "Bring King Agag to me." Agag arrived full of hope, for he thought, "Surely the worst is over, and I have been spared!"H559H8050H5066H90H4428H6002H90H3212H4574H90H559H403H4751H4194H549333But Samuel said, "As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless." And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.H8050H559H2719H802H7921H517H7921H802H8050H8158H90H8158H6440H3068H153734Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul.H8050H3212H7414H7586H5927H1004H1390H758635Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the LORD was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.H8050H3254H7200H7586H3117H4194H3588H8050H56H7586H3068H5162H7586H4427H3478
1Samuel 16
16Now the LORD said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king."H3068H559H8050H56H7586H3988H4427H3478H4390H7161H8081H3212H7971H3448H1022H7200H4428H11212But Samuel asked, "How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me." "Take a heifer with you," the LORD replied, "and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD.H8050H559H3212H7586H8085H2026H3068H559H3947H1241H5697H3027H559H935H2076H30683Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me."H7121H3448H2077H3045H6213H4886H5594So Samuel did as the LORD instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. "What's wrong?" they asked. "Do you come in peace?"H8050H6213H3068H1696H935H1035H2205H5892H2729H7125H559H935H79655"Yes," Samuel replied. "I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.H559H7965H935H2076H3068H6942H935H2077H6942H3448H1121H7121H20776When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, "Surely this is the LORD's anointed!"H935H7200H446H559H3068H48997But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."H3068H559H8050H5027H4758H1364H6967H3988H120H7200H120H7200H5869H3068H7200H38248Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "This is not the one the LORD has chosen."H3448H7121H41H5674H6440H8050H559H3068H9779Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, "Neither is this the one the LORD has chosen."H3448H8048H5674H559H3068H97710In the same way all seven of Jesse's sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these."H3448H7651H1121H5674H6440H8050H8050H559H3448H3068H97711Then Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied. "But he's out in the fields watching the sheep and goats." "Send for him at once," Samuel said. "We will not sit down to eat until he arrives."H8050H559H3448H8552H5288H559H7604H6996H7462H6629H8050H559H3448H7971H3947H5437H935H631112So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the LORD said, "This is the one; anoint him."H7971H935H132H5973H3303H5869H2896H7210H3068H559H6965H488613So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.H8050H3947H7161H8081H4886H7130H251H7307H3068H6743H1732H3117H4605H8050H6965H3212H741414Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.H7307H3068H5493H7586H7451H7307H3068H120415Some of Saul's servants said to him, "A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you.H7586H5650H559H7451H7307H430H120416Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again."H113H559H5650H6440H1245H376H3045H5059H3658H7451H7307H430H5059H3027H289517"All right," Saul said. "Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here."H7586H559H5650H7200H376H5059H3190H93518One of the servants said to Saul, "One of Jesse's sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him."H6030H259H5288H559H7200H1121H3448H1022H3045H5059H1368H2428H376H4421H995H1697H8389H376H306819So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, the shepherd."H7586H7971H4397H3448H559H7971H1732H1121H662920Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.H3448H3947H2543H3899H4997H3196H259H1423H5795H7971H3027H1732H1121H758621So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.H1732H935H7586H5975H6440H157H3966H5375H362722Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, "Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him."H7586H7971H3448H559H1732H5975H6440H4672H2580H586923And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.H7307H430H7586H1732H3947H3658H5059H3027H7586H7304H2895H7451H7307H5493
1Samuel 17
17The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.H6430H622H4264H4421H622H7755H3063H2583H7755H5825H6582Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah.H7586H376H3478H622H2583H6010H425H4421H6186H7125H64303So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them.H6430H5975H2022H3478H5975H2022H15164Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall!H3318H376H1143H4264H6430H8034H1555H1661H1363H8337H520H22395He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds.H3553H5178H7218H3847H8302H7193H4948H8302H2568H505H8255H51786He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder.H4697H5178H7272H3591H5178H38027The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.H6086H2671H2595H707H4500H2595H3852H8337H3967H8255H1270H5375H6793H1980H64408Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. "Why are you all coming out to fight?" he called. "I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me!H5975H7121H4634H3478H559H3318H4421H6186H6430H5650H7586H1262H376H33819If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!H3201H3898H5221H5650H3201H5221H5650H564710I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!"H6430H559H2778H4634H3478H3117H5414H376H3898H316211When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.H7586H3478H8085H1697H6430H2865H3966H337212Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons.H1732H1121H376H673H1035H3063H8034H3448H8083H1121H376H935H582H2204H3117H758613Jesse's three oldest sons—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea—had already joined Saul's army to fight the Philistines.H7969H1419H1121H3448H3212H310H7586H4421H8034H7969H1121H1980H4421H446H1060H4932H41H7992H804814David was the youngest son. David's three oldest brothers stayed with Saul's army,H1732H6996H7969H1419H1980H310H758615but David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.H1732H1980H7725H7586H7462H1H6629H103516For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army.H6430H5066H7925H6150H3320H705H311717One day Jesse said to David, "Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers.H3448H559H1732H1121H3947H251H374H2088H7039H6235H3899H7323H4264H25118And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing."H935H6235H2461H2757H8269H505H6485H251H7965H3947H616119David's brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.H7586H376H3478H6010H425H3898H643020So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries.H1732H7925H1242H5203H6629H8104H5375H3212H3448H6680H935H4570H2428H3318H4634H7321H442121Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.H3478H6430H6186H4634H7125H463422David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers.H1732H5203H3627H3027H8104H3627H7323H4634H935H7592H7965H25123As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.H1696H5927H376H1143H6430H1661H1555H8034H4634H4630H6430H1696H428H1697H1732H808524As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright.H376H3478H7200H376H5127H6440H3966H337225"Have you seen the giant?" the men asked. "He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man's entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!"H376H3478H559H7200H376H5927H2778H3478H5927H376H5221H4428H6238H1419H6239H5414H1323H6213H1H1004H2670H347826David asked the soldiers standing nearby, "What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?"H1732H559H582H5975H559H6213H376H5221H1975H6430H5493H2781H3478H6189H6430H2778H4634H2416H43027And these men gave David the same reply. They said, "Yes, that is the reward for killing him."H5971H559H1697H559H6213H376H522128But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!"H446H1419H251H8085H1696H582H446H639H2734H1732H559H3381H5203H2007H4592H6629H4057H3045H2087H7455H3824H3381H7200H442129"What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!"H1732H559H6213H169730He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer.H5437H681H4136H312H559H1697H5971H1697H7725H7223H169731Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.H1697H8085H1732H1696H5046H6440H7586H394732"Don't worry about this Philistine," David told Saul. "I'll go fight him!"H1732H559H7586H120H3820H5307H5650H3212H3898H643033"Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There's no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You're only a boy, and he's been a man of war since his youth."H7586H559H1732H3201H3212H6430H3898H5288H376H4421H527134But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock,H1732H559H7586H5650H7462H1H6629H935H738H1677H5375H7716H2089H573935I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.H3318H310H5221H5337H6310H6965H2388H2206H5221H419136I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!H5650H5221H738H1677H6189H6430H259H2778H4634H2416H43037The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!"H1732H559H3068H5337H3027H738H3027H1677H5337H3027H6430H7586H559H1732H3212H306838Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.H7586H3847H1732H4055H5414H6959H5178H7218H3847H830239David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. "I can't go in these," he protested to Saul. "I'm not used to them." So David took them off again.H1732H2296H2719H4055H2974H3212H5254H1732H559H7586H3201H3212H5254H1732H549340He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd's bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.H3947H4731H3027H977H2568H2512H68H5158H7760H7462H3627H3219H7050H3027H5066H643041Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him,H6430H3212H1980H7131H1732H376H5375H6793H644042sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy.H6430H5027H7200H1732H959H5288H132H3303H475843"Am I a dog," he roared at David, "that you come at me with a stick?" And he cursed David by the names of his gods.H6430H559H1732H3611H935H4731H6430H7043H1732H43044"Come over here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!" Goliath yelled.H6430H559H1732H3212H5414H1320H5775H8064H929H770445David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.H559H1732H6430H935H2719H2595H3591H935H8034H3068H6635H430H4634H3478H277846Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!H3117H3068H5462H3027H5221H5493H7218H5414H6297H4264H6430H3117H5775H8064H2416H776H776H3045H3426H430H347847And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD's battle, and he will give you to us!"H6951H3045H3068H3467H2719H2595H4421H3068H5414H302748As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.H6430H6965H3212H7126H7125H1732H1732H4116H7323H4634H7125H643049Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.H1732H7971H3027H3627H3947H68H7049H5221H6430H4696H68H2883H4696H5307H6440H77650So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.H1732H2388H4480H6430H7050H68H5221H6430H4191H2719H3027H173251Then David ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.H1732H7323H5975H6430H3947H2719H8025H8593H4191H3772H7218H6430H7200H1368H4191H512752Then the men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.H582H3478H3063H6965H7321H7291H6430H935H1516H8179H6138H2491H6430H5307H1870H8189H1661H613853Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp.H1121H3478H7725H1814H310H6430H8155H426454(David took the Philistine's head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man's armor in his own tent.)H1732H3947H7218H6430H935H3389H7760H3627H16855As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" "I really don't know," Abner declared.H7586H7200H1732H3318H7125H6430H559H74H8269H6635H74H1121H5288H74H559H5315H2416H4428H518H304556"Well, find out who he is!" the king told him.H4428H559H7592H1121H595857As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine's head still in his hand.H1732H7725H5221H6430H74H3947H935H6440H7586H7218H6430H302758"Tell me about your father, young man," Saul said. And David replied, "His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem."H7586H559H1121H5288H1732H559H1121H5650H3448H1022
Dublin, OH
the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys."H3212
