Study Desk

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul's head. He kissed Saul and said, "I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.

The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.

But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord 's command."

Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, "Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies." So no one ate anything all day,

They didn't dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.

Rebellion 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."

And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself.

But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.

Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David,

Then David prayed, "O Lord , God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here.

But then David's conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul's robe.

So David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul's head. Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the Lord had put Saul's men into a deep sleep.

This isn't good at all! I swear by the Lord that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the Lord 's anointed! Look around! Where are the king's spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?"

"Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?" Samuel asked Saul. "Because I am in deep trouble," Saul replied. "The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do."

The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.

Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel's words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

"To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" David asked him. "I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite," he replied. "My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick.

So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah.