Study Desk

But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, he who has brought about this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, not even a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.

But Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, get away, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they went up from Egypt." So the Kenites got away from among the Amalekites.

He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

"Now then, please pardon my sin and return with me, so that I may worship the LORD."

But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

Then Saul said, "I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God."

Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, because I have chosen a king for Myself among his sons."

But Samuel said, "How can I go? When Saul hears about it, he will kill me." But the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

And he said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was reddish, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he."

"May our lord now command your servants who are before you. Have them search for a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall come about whenever the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will become well."

Then one of the young men responded and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a valiant mighty man, a warrior, skillful in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, who is with the flock."

And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine, and he took a young goat, and sent them to Saul by his son David.

So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would feel relieved and become well, and the evil spirit would leave him.

The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side, while Israel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.

So David got up early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper, and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the entrenchment encircling the camp while the army was going out in battle formation, shouting the war cry.

As he was speaking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard him.

And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will make the man who kills him wealthy with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

The people answered him in agreement with this statement, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him."