Study Desk

That's not my purpose. All I want is a man named Sheba son of Bicri from the hill country of Ephraim, who has revolted against King David. If you hand over this one man to me, I will leave the town in peace." "All right," the woman replied, "we will throw his head over the wall to you."

Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off Sheba's head and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the ram's horn and called his troops back from the attack. They all returned to their homes, and Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

There was a famine during David's reign that lasted for three years, so David asked the Lord about it. And the Lord said, "The famine has come because Saul and his family are guilty of murdering the Gibeonites."

So the king summoned the Gibeonites. They were not part of Israel but were all that was left of the nation of the Amorites. The people of Israel had sworn not to kill them, but Saul, in his zeal for Israel and Judah, had tried to wipe them out.

he went to the people of Jabesh-gilead and retrieved the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. (When the Philistines had killed Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa, the people of Jabesh-gilead stole their bodies from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them.)

Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted.

Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him.

During another battle at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a weaver's beam!

These four Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

But in my distress I cried out to the Lord ; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.

"Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked because of his anger.

Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.

He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.

He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.

He shot arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were confused.

Then at the command of the Lord , at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees.

You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever."

"The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.