Study Desk

Then Yahweh called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he answered, "I did not call, my son; go back, lie down."

So Yahweh called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli discerned that Yahweh was calling the young boy.

And Yahweh said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.

And I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew because his sons have been bringing a curse on themselves, but he did not rebuke them.

Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here I am."

And the man said to Eli, "I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I fled from the battle line today." And he said, "How did things go, my son?"

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 heart.

And Saul answered 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?"

So now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day.

Here I am; bear witness against me before Yahweh and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you."

And his armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your heart."

Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." 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!"

But Samuel said, "What then is this sound of the sheep in my ears and the sound of the oxen which I am hearing?"

And he stood and called out to the battle lines of Israel and said to them, "Why do you come out to arrange yourselves for battle? Am I not the Philistine and you slaves of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

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?"

So Saul's servants spoke these words in David's hearing. But David said, "Is it trivial in your eyes to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"

And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of Yahweh, that I may not die?

And he said to his young man, "Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot." As the young man was running, he shot an arrow past him.