Study Desk

So Samuel told those who had asked him for a king what the Lord had said.

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

Saul said to his servant, "That's a good idea. Come, let's go." So they went toward the town where the man of God was.

So the cook took the thigh and put it on the table in front of Saul. Samuel said, "This is the meat saved for you. Eat it, because it was set aside for you for this special time. As I said, ‘I had invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

At dawn they got up, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof. He said, "Get up, and I will send you on your way." So Saul got up and went out of the house with Samuel.

A man who lived there said, "Who is the father of these prophets?" So this became a famous saying: "Is even Saul one of the prophets?"

So they ran and brought him out. When Saul stood among the people, he was a head taller than anyone else.

So he took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. Then he gave the pieces of the oxen to messengers and ordered them to carry them through all the land of Israel. The messengers said, "This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel." So the people became very afraid of the Lord . They all came together as if they were one person.

They said to the messengers who had come, "Tell the people at Jabesh Gilead this: ‘Before the day warms up tomorrow, you will be saved.'" So the messengers went and reported this to the people at Jabesh, and they were very happy.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and there, before the Lord , the people made Saul king. They offered fellowship offerings to the Lord , and Saul and all the Israelites had a great celebration.

"After Jacob entered Egypt, his descendants cried to the Lord for help. So the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who took your ancestors out of Egypt and brought them to live in this place.

"But they forgot the Lord their God. So he handed them over as slaves to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and as slaves to the Philistines and the king of Moab. They all fought against your ancestors.

So the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He saved you from your enemies around you, and you lived in safety.

Then Samuel prayed to the Lord , and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So the people were very afraid of the Lord and Samuel.

Idols are of no use, so don't worship them. They can't help you or save you. They are useless!

Jonathan attacked the Philistine camp in Geba, and the other Philistines heard about it. Saul said, "Let the Hebrews hear what happened." So he told the men to blow trumpets through all the land of Israel.

So Saul said, "Bring me the whole burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." Then Saul offered the whole burnt offering.

Then I thought, ‘The Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked for the Lord 's approval.' So I forced myself to offer the whole burnt offering."

So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to have their plows, hoes, axes, and sickles sharpened.

So when the battle came, the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had no swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.