Study Desk

Then they said, "What should we return to Him for a sin gift?" And they said, "Five sores made of gold and five gold mice, as many as there are Philistine leaders. For the same trouble was upon all of you and on your leaders.

Why do you make your hearts hard as the Egyptians and Pharaoh made their hearts hard? Do not forget how the God of Israel made it hard for them. And did they not let the people go?

And watch. If it goes on the way to its own land, to Bethshemesh, then He has done this very bad thing to us. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that destroyed us. It will have just happened for no reason."

These are the sores made of gold which the Philistines returned for a sin gift to the Lord. There was one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

The special box stayed in Kiriath-jearim a long time, for it was twenty years. And all the family of Israel cried with sorrow for the Lord.

Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you."

The Israelites said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Philistines."

Samuel took a young lamb and gave it as a whole burnt gift to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there. He judged Israel there also, and built an altar to the Lord.

The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all they say to you. For they have not turned away from you. They have turned away from Me, that I should not be king over them.

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who had asked him for a king.

He will choose leaders of thousands and of fifties. He will choose men to plow his ground, gather his grain, and make objects for war and for his war-wagons.

He will take your men servants and your women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys, and use them for his work.

He will take a tenth part of your flocks, and you yourselves will be made to work for him.

You will cry out in that day because of your king you have chosen for yourselves. But the Lord will not answer you in that day."

The Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and choose a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every one of you go home to his city."

Now the donkeys of Saul's father Kish were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys."

(Before in Israel, when a man went to ask God a question, he would say, "Come, let us go to the man of God." For he who is called a man who speaks for God now, was called a seer before.)

The women answered, "He is. Look, he is up in front of you. Hurry now, for he has come to the city today because the people are giving a gift in worship on the high place today.

You will find him as you go into the city, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes to give thanks for the gift. Then those who are asked to come will eat. Now go up, for you will find him at once."