Study Desk

but early the following morning, when they got up, Dagon was again fallen down with his face to the ground before the ark of Adonai ; this time, the head of Dagon and both hands lay there, severed, on the threshold; all that was left of Dagon was his torso.

But after it arrived there, Adonai oppressed that city, causing terrible panic. He struck the people of the city, great and small alike; tumors broke out on them.

Next they sent the ark of God to ‘Ekron; but when the ark of God arrived in ‘Ekron the ‘Ekronim shouted, "Now they've brought the ark of the God of Isra'el to us, to kill us and our people!"

They said, "If you do send off the ark of the God of Isra'el, don't send it back empty, but return it with some sort of guilt offering for him. Then you will be cured, and you will learn why he has not stopped oppressing you."

Now take and prepare yourselves a new cart and two milk-cows that have never been under a yoke. Harness the cows to the cart, but put their calves back in the shed.

but watch to see if it goes up the road to Beit-Shemesh in its own territory. If it does, he is responsible for this great tragedy; if not, we will know that it is not his oppression which has been over us, but that what has been happening to us has been only by chance."

As Sh'mu'el was presenting the burnt offering, the P'lishtim advanced to attack Isra'el. But this time, Adonai thundered violently over the P'lishtim, throwing them into such confusion that they were struck down before Isra'el.

So do what they say, but give them a sober warning, telling them what kinds of rulings their king will make."

When that happens, you will cry out on account of your king, whom you yourselves chose. But when that happens, Adonai will not answer you!"

He went through the hills of Efrayim and the territory of Shalishah, but they didn't find them. Then they went through the territory of Sha‘alim, but they weren't there. They went through the territory of Binyamin but didn't find them there either.

"But look," Sha'ul said to his servant, "if we go to the man, what can we bring him? We've used up all the bread in our packs, and there's nothing for us to give the man of God — what do we have left?"

As they were going down, at the edge of the city, Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead"; so the servant went on. "But you, stand still now, because I want you to hear what God has said."

Sha'ul answered his uncle, "He told us that the donkeys had been found," but said nothing to him about the matter of his being made king.

But today you have rejected your God, who himself saves you from all your disasters and distress. You have said to him, ‘No! Put a king over us!' So now, present yourselves before Adonai by your tribes and families."

He had the tribe of Binyamin come forward by families, and the family of the Matri was chosen, and Sha'ul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he couldn't be found.

True, there were some scoundrels who said, "How can this man save us?" They showed him no respect and brought him no gift, but he held his peace.

But Sha'ul said, "No one will be put to death today, because today Adonai has rescued Isra'el."

There is the king, walking ahead of you; but I am old and gray-headed. There are my sons with you, and I have walked at your head from when I was a boy until today.

But they forgot Adonai their God; so he handed them over to Sisra, commander of the army of Hatzor, and to the P'lishtim, and to the king of Mo'av; and they fought against them.

But they cried to Adonai and said, ‘We sinned by abandoning Adonai and serving the ba‘alim and ‘ashtarot. But now, if you rescue us from the power of our enemies, we will serve you.'