Study Desk

The Philistines went after Saul and his sons. And they killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.

Then Saul said to the one who carried his battle-clothes, "Take your sword and kill me with it. Or these men who have not gone through our religious act will come and make fun of me." But the one who carried his battle-clothes would not do it. For he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

When the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword and died also.

So Saul died with his three sons. All those of his house died together.

All the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left their cities and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in their cities.

When the Philistines came the next day to take what had belonged to the dead, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.

So they took his clothes, his head, and his battle-clothes. And they sent men around the land of the Philistines to take the good news to their false gods and to the people.

They put Saul's battle-clothes in the house of their gods. And they put his head in the house of Dagon.

So all the powerful soldiers went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the oak tree there. Then they went without food for seven days.

So Saul died for his sin against the Lord, because he did not keep the Word of the Lord. He had asked a woman who spoke with spirits what he should do.

These are the leaders of David's strong men. They gave him much help in his nation, together with all Israel, to make him king. It was just as the Lord had said would happen with Israel.

These are the names of David's strong men. There was Jashobeam the son of Hachmonite, the head of the thirty. He killed 300 men with his spear at one time.

But he and his men stood on the piece of ground and fought for it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord saved them by His great power.

As for Abishai the brother of Joab, he was the head of the thirty. He fought and killed 300 men with his spear. And his name became well-known like the three.

And he killed an Egyptian who was very tall, five cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear as big as the cross-piece of a cloth-maker. But Benaiah went down to him with a heavy stick and took the spear from the Egyptian's hand. Then he killed him with his own spear.

These are the things Benaiah the son of Johoiada did. His name was well-known like the three powerful soldiers.

He was respected among the thirty. But he was not as important as the three. David chose him to be the head of his house soldiers.

There were Jediael the son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,

Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at his strong-place.

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai the captain of the thirty. Amasai said, "We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to those who help you! For your God helps you!" Then David received them and made them captains of his soldiers.