Study Desk

Now the ark of the LORD had been in the territory of the Philistines for seven months.

And ^(C1)the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What are we to do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us ^(F1)how we may send it to its place."

And they said, "If you are going to send the ark of the God of Israel away, ^(C1)do not send it empty; but you shall certainly ^(C2)return to Him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be revealed to you why His hand does not leave you."

Then they said, "What is to be the guilt offering that we shall return to Him?" And they said, "Five gold ^(C1)tumors and five gold mice ^(C2)corresponding to the number of the governors of the Philistines, since one plague was on all of ^(F1)you and on your governors.

"So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that are ruining the land, and ^(C1)you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps ^(C2)He will lighten His hand from you, ^(C3)your gods, and your land.

"Why then do you harden your hearts ^(C1)as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, ^(C2)did they not let ^(F1)the people go, and they left?

"Now then, take and ^(C1)prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there ^(C2)has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves back home, away from them.

"Then take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart; and put ^(C1)the articles of gold which you return to Him as ^(C2)a guilt offering in a saddlebag by its side. Then send it away that it may go.

"But watch: if it goes up by the way of its own territory to ^(C1)Beth-shemesh, then He has done this great evil to us. But if not, then ^(C2)we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance."

Then the men did so: they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut in their calves at home.

And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the saddlebag with the gold mice and the likenesses of their tumors.

Now the cows went straight in the ^(F1)direction of ^(C1)Beth-shemesh; they went on ^(C2)the same road, bellowing as they went, and did not turn off to the right or to the left. And the governors of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.

Now the people of Beth-shemesh were gathering in their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced at seeing it.

And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stopped there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and ^(C1)offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

And ^(C1)the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the saddlebag that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the LORD.

When the ^(C1)five governors of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.

Now ^(C1)these are the gold tumors which the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron;

and the gold mice, corresponding to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five governors, ^(C1)both of fortified cities and of country villages. ^(C2)The large ^(F1)stone on which they placed the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

^(C1)Now He fatally struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.

And the men of Beth-shemesh said, "^(C1)Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom will He go up from us?"

So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of ^(C1)Kiriath-jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to yourselves."

And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and ^(C1)brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they ^(F1)consecrated his son Eleazar to watch over the ark of the LORD.

From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the ^(F1)time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel ^(F2)mourned after the LORD.

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "^(C1)If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then ^(C2)remove the foreign gods and the ^(C3)Ashtaroth from among you, and ^(C4)direct your hearts to the LORD and ^(C5)serve Him alone; and He will save you from the hand of the Philistines."

So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD alone.

Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to ^(C1)Mizpah and ^(C2)I will pray to the LORD for you."

So they gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and ^(C1)poured it out before the LORD, and ^(C2)fasted on that day and said there, "^(C3)We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the governors of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard about it, ^(C1)they were afraid of the Philistines.

So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, "^(C1)Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines!"

Samuel took ^(C1)a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and ^(C2)the LORD answered him.

Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines advanced to battle Israel. But ^(C1)the LORD thundered with a great ^(F1)thunder on that day against the Philistines and ^(C2)confused them, so that they were struck down before Israel.

And the men of Israel came out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and killed them as far as below Beth-car.

Then Samuel ^(C1)took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it ^(F1)Ebenezer, saying, "^(F2)So far the LORD has helped us."

^(C1)So the Philistines were subdued, and ^(C2)they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel ^(F1)recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and ^(C1)the Amorites.

Now Samuel ^(C1)judged Israel all the days of his life.

And he used to go annually on a circuit to ^(C1)Bethel, ^(C2)Gilgal, and ^(C3)Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.

Then he would make his return to ^(C1)Ramah, because his house was there, and there he also judged Israel; and there he ^(C2)built an altar to the LORD.

Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that ^(C1)he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in ^(C1)Beersheba.

His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they ^(C1)took bribes and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at ^(C1)Ramah;

and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now ^(C1)appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations."

But the matter was ^(F1)(C1)displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And ^(C2)Samuel prayed to the LORD.

And the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because ^(C1)they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.

"Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.

"Now then, listen to their voice; ^(C1)however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of ^(C2)the ^(F1)practice of the king who will reign over them."

So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to ^(C1)the people who had asked him for a king.

And he said, "^(C1)This will be the ^(F1)practice of the king who will reign over you: ^(C2)he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and ^(C3)they will run before his chariots.

"^(C1)He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to ^(F1)do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

"He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

"^(C1)He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.

"And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants.

"He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and ^(F1)use them for his work.

"He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

"Then ^(C1)you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but ^(C2)the LORD will not answer you on that day."

Yet the people ^(C1)refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us,

^(C1)so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, ^(C1)he ^(F1)repeated them in the LORD'S hearing.

And the LORD said to Samuel, "^(C1)Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go, every man to his city."

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^(C1)Kish the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a ^(F1)valiant mighty man.

He had a son whose name was Saul, a ^(C1)young and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; ^(C2)from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, had wandered off. So Kish said to his son Saul, "Now take with you one of the servants and arise, go search for the donkeys."

So he passed through ^(C1)the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of ^(C2)Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of ^(C3)Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.

When they came to the land of ^(C1)Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let's return, ^(C2)or else my father will stop being concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious about us."

But he said to him, "Behold now, there is ^(C1)a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; ^(C2)everything that he says definitely comes true. Now let's go there, ^(C3)perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out."

Then Saul said to his servant, "But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sacks and there is ^(C1)no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"

The servant answered Saul again and said, "Look, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will ^(C1)tell us our way."

(Previously in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, "Come, and let's go to the seer"; for he who is called a prophet now was previously called ^(C1)a seer.)

Then Saul said to his servant, "^(F1)Good idea; come, let's go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As they went up the slope to the city, ^(C1)they found young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is the seer here?"

They answered them and said, "He is; ^(F1)see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, because ^(C1)the people have a sacrifice on ^(C2)the high place today.

"As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because ^(C1)he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now then, go up, for you will find him about this time."

So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

Now a day before Saul's coming, ^(C1)the LORD had ^(F1)revealed this to Samuel, saying,

"About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^(C1)you shall anoint him as ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^(C2)I have considered My people, because their outcry has come to Me."

When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD ^(F1)said to him, "^(C1)Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people."

Then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."

And Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you everything that is on your mind.

"^(C1)And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And ^(C2)for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?"

Saul replied, "^(C1)Am I not a Benjaminite, of ^(C2)the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ^(F1)tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?"

Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men.

And Samuel said to the cook, "^(F1)Serve the portion that I gave you about which I said to you, 'Set it ^(F2)aside.'"

Then the cook ^(C1)took up the leg with what was on it and placed it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Here is what has been reserved! Place it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ^(F1)since I said I have invited the people." So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

When they came down from the high place into the city, ^(F1)Samuel spoke with Saul ^(C1)on the roof.

And they got up early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, "Get up, so that I may send you on your way." So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Speak to the servant and have him go on ahead of us and pass by; but you stand here now, so that I may proclaim the word of God to you."

Then ^(C1)Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on ^(F1)Saul's head, ^(C2)kissed him, and said, "Has ^(C3)the LORD not anointed you as ruler over ^(C4)His inheritance?

"When you leave me today, then you will find two men close to ^(C1)Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, '^(C2)The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has stopped talking about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, "What am I to do about my son?"'

"Then you will go on farther from there, and you will come as far as the ^(F1)(C1)oak of Tabor, and there three men going up ^(C2)to God at Bethel will meet you: one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine.

And they will ^(F1)greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand.

"Afterward you will come to ^(F1)(C1)the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet ^(C2)a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre in front of them, and ^(C3)they will be prophesying.

"Then ^(C1)the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and ^(C2)you will prophesy with them and be changed into a different man.

"And it shall be when these signs come to you, ^(C1)do for yourself what ^(F1)the occasion requires, because ^(C2)God is with you.

"And ^(C1)you shall go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will be coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and ^(C2)sacrifice peace offerings. ^(C3)You shall wait seven days until I come to you and inform you of what you should do."

Then it happened, when he turned his back to leave Samuel, that God ^(C1)changed ^(F1)his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.

^(C1)When they came there to ^(F1)the hill, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he prophesied among them.

And it came about, when all who previously knew him saw that he was indeed prophesying with the prophets, that the people said to one another, "What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? ^(C1)Is Saul also among the prophets?"

And a man from there responded and said, "And who is their father?" Therefore it became a saying: "^(C1)Is Saul also among the prophets?"

When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

Now ^(C1)Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "^(C2)To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel."

Saul's uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you."

So Saul said to his uncle, "^(C1)He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.

Now Samuel called the ^(C1)people together to the LORD at Mizpah;

and he said to the sons of Israel, "^(C1)This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the ^(F1)power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.'

"But today you ^(C1)have rejected your God, who saves you from all your catastrophes and your distresses; yet you have ^(F1)said, 'No, but put a king over us!' Now then, ^(C2)present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your ^(F2)groups of thousands."

So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel forward; and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.

Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin forward by its families, and the Matrite family was selected by lot. And Saul the son of Kish was selected by lot; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.

Therefore ^(C1)they inquired further of the LORD: "Has the man come here yet?" And the LORD said, "Behold, he is hiding himself among the baggage."

So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, ^(C1)he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him ^(C1)whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people." So all the people shouted and said, "^(F1)(C2)Long live the king!"

Then Samuel told the people ^(C1)the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book, and ^(C2)placed it before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house.

Saul also went ^(C1)to his house in Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

But certain ^(F1)(C1)useless men said, "How can this one save us?" And they despised him and ^(C2)did not bring him a gift. But ^(F2)he kept silent about it.