Study Desk

Then Samuel said to Saul, "^(C1)The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the ^(F1)words of the LORD.

"This is what the LORD of armies says: 'I will ^(F1)punish Amalek ^(C1)for what he did to Israel, in that he obstructed him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.

'Now go and strike Amalek and ^(C1)completely destroy everything that he has, and do not spare him; but ^(C2)put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"

Then Saul summoned the people and ^(F1)counted them in ^(C1)Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.

And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ^(F1)wadi.

But Saul said to ^(C1)the Kenites, "Go, get away, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them; for ^(C2)you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they went up from Egypt." So the Kenites got away from among the Amalekites.

Then ^(C1)Saul ^(F1)defeated the Amalekites, from ^(C2)Havilah ^(F2)going toward ^(C3)Shur, which is ^(F3)east of Egypt.

He captured ^(C1)Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and ^(C2)completely destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people ^(C1)spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the more valuable animals, the lambs, and everything that was good, and were unwilling to destroy them completely; but everything despicable and weak, that they completely destroyed.

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,

"^(C1)I regret that I have made Saul king, because ^(C2)he has turned back from ^(F1)following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was furious and ^(C3)cried out to the LORD all night.

Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was reported to Samuel, saying, "Saul came to ^(C1)Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on ^(F1)down to ^(C2)Gilgal."

So Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "^(C1)Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD."

But Samuel said, "^(C1)What then is this ^(F1)bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the ^(F1)bellowing of the oxen which I hear?"

Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for ^(C1)the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have completely destroyed."

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop, and let me inform you of what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak!"

So Samuel said, "^(F1)Is it not true, ^(C1)though you were ^(F2)insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the LORD anointed you as king over Israel.

"And the LORD sent you on a ^(F1)mission, and said, '^(C1)Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are eliminated.'

"Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? ^(C1)Instead, you loudly rushed upon the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD!"

Then Saul said to Samuel, "^(C1)I did obey the voice of the LORD, for I went on the ^(F1)mission on which the LORD sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have completely destroyed the Amalekites.

"But ^(C1)the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things designated for destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

Samuel said, "^(C1)Does the LORD have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, ^(C2)to obey is better than a sacrifice, And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

-"For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of ^(C1)divination, And insubordination is as reprehensible as ^(C2)false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the LORD, ^(C3)He has also rejected you from being king."

Then Saul said to Samuel, "^(C1)I have sinned, for ^(C2)I have violated the ^(F1)command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.

"Now then, ^(C1)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 ^(C1)you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel."

Then Samuel turned to go, but ^(C1)Saul grasped the edge of his robe, and it tore off.

So Samuel said to him, "^(C1)The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.

"Also the ^(F1)(C1)Glory of Israel ^(C2)will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind."

Then Saul said, "I have sinned; ^(C1)but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before all Israel, and go back with me, ^(C2)so that I may worship the LORD your God."

So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came to him ^(F1)cheerfully. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is gone!"

But Samuel said, "^(C1)As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to ^(C1)Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at ^(C2)Gibeah of Saul.

And ^(C1)Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel ^(C2)mourned for ^(F1)Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Now the LORD said to Samuel, "^(C1)How long are you going to mourn for ^(F1)Saul, since ^(C2)I have rejected him from being king over Israel? ^(C3)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to ^(C4)Jesse the Bethlehemite, because I have ^(C5)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, "^(C1)Take a heifer ^(F1)with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

"And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and ^(C1)I will let you know what you shall do; and ^(C2)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I ^(F1)designate to you."

So Samuel did what the LORD told him, and he came to ^(C1)Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, "^(C2)Do you come in peace?"

And he said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. ^(C1)Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they entered, he looked at ^(C1)Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is standing before Him."

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for ^(F1)God does not see as man sees, since man looks at ^(F2)the outward appearance, ^(C1)but the LORD looks at the heart."

Then Jesse called ^(C1)Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel. But he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

Next Jesse had ^(F1)(C1)Shammah pass by. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."

Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all the boys?" And he said, "^(C1)The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep." So Samuel said to Jesse, "Send word and bring him; for we will not take our places at the table until he comes here."

So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was ^(F1)reddish, with ^(C1)beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, "^(C2)Arise, anoint him; for this is he."

So Samuel took the horn of oil and ^(C1)anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and ^(C2)the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

^(C1)Now the Spirit of the LORD left Saul, and ^(C2)an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you.

"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 ^(C1)he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will become well."

So Saul said to his servants, "Now select for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

Then one of the young men responded and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, ^(C1)a valiant mighty man, a warrior, skillful in speech, and a handsome man; and ^(C2)the LORD is with him."

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse ^(F1)to say, "Send me your son David, who is with the flock."

And Jesse ^(C1)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.

Then David came to Saul and ^(F1)(C1)attended him; and Saul greatly loved him, and he became his armor bearer.

So Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, "Let David now ^(F1)be my attendant for he has found favor in my sight."

So it came about whenever ^(C1)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.