The Holy Bible

[14:24] The Israelites were weak with hunger that day, because Saul, with a solemn oath, had given the order: “A curse be on anyone who eats any food today before I take revenge on my enemies.” So nobody had eaten anything all day.

[14:25] They all came into a wooded area and found honey everywhere.

[14:26] The woods were full of honey, but no one ate any of it because they were all afraid of Saul's curse.

[14:27] But Jonathan had not heard his father threaten the people with a curse; so he reached out with the stick he was carrying, dipped it in a honeycomb, and ate some honey. At once he felt much better.

[14:28] But one of the men told him, “We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, ‘A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.’”

[14:29] Jonathan answered, “What a terrible thing my father has done to our people! See how much better I feel because I ate some honey!

[14:30] How much better it would have been today if our people had eaten the food they took when they defeated the enemy. Just think how many more Philistines they would have killed!”

[14:31] That day the Israelites defeated the Philistines, fighting all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. By this time the Israelites were very weak from hunger,

[14:32] and so they rushed over to what they had captured from the enemy, took sheep and cattle, slaughtered them on the spot, and ate the meat with the blood still in it.

[14:33] Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.” “You are traitors!” Saul cried out. “Roll a big stone over here to me.”

[14:34] Then he gave another order: “Go among the people and tell them all to bring their cattle and sheep here. They are to slaughter them and eat them here; they must not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.” So that night they all brought their cattle and slaughtered them there.

[14:35] Saul built an altar to the Lord, the first one that he built.

[14:36] Saul said to his men, “Let's go down and attack the Philistines in the night, plunder them until dawn, and kill them all.” “Do whatever you think best,” they answered. But the priest said, “Let's consult God first.”

[14:37] So Saul asked God, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give us victory?” But God did not answer that day.

[14:38] Then Saul said to the leaders of the people, “Come here and find out what sin was committed today.

[14:39] I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything.

[14:40] Then Saul said to them, “All of you stand over there, and Jonathan and I will stand over here.” “Do whatever you think best,” they answered.

[14:41] Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Lord, why have you not answered me today? Lord, God of Israel, answer me by the sacred stones. If the guilt is Jonathan's or mine, answer by the Urim; but if it belongs to your people Israel, answer by the Thummim.” The answer indicated Jonathan and Saul; and the people were cleared.

[14:42] Then Saul said, “Decide between my son Jonathan and me.” And Jonathan was indicated.

[14:43] Then Saul asked Jonathan, “What have you done?” Jonathan answered, “I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am—I am ready to die.”

[14:44] Saul said to him, “May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!”

[14:45] But the people said to Saul, “Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Lord that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help.” So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.

[14:46] After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they went back to their own territory.

[14:47] After Saul became king of Israel, he fought all his enemies everywhere: the people of Moab, of Ammon, and of Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he fought he was victorious.

[14:48] He fought heroically and defeated even the people of Amalek. He saved the Israelites from all attacks.

[14:49] Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His older daughter was named Merab, and the younger one Michal.

[14:50] His wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; his army commander was his cousin Abner, the son of his uncle Ner.

[14:51] Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.

[14:52] As long as he lived, Saul had to fight fiercely against the Philistines. So whenever he found a man who was strong or brave, he would enlist him in his army.

[15:1] Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one whom the Lord sent to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord Almighty says.

[15:2] He is going to punish the people of Amalek because their ancestors opposed the Israelites when they were coming from Egypt.

[15:3] Go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Don't leave a thing; kill all the men, women, children, and babies; the cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.”

[15:4] Saul called his forces together and inspected them at Telem: there were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 from Judah.

[15:5] Then he and his men went to the city of Amalek and waited in ambush in a dry riverbed.

[15:6] He sent a warning to the Kenites, a people whose ancestors had been kind to the Israelites when they came from Egypt: “Go away and leave the Amalekites, so that I won't kill you along with them.” So the Kenites left.

[15:7] Saul defeated the Amalekites, fighting all the way from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt;

[15:8] he captured King Agag of Amalek alive and killed all the people.

[15:9] But Saul and his men spared Agag's life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good; they destroyed only what was useless or worthless.

[15:10] The Lord said to Samuel,

[15:11] “I am sorry that I made Saul king; he has turned away from me and disobeyed my commands.” Samuel was angry, and all night long he pleaded with the Lord.

[15:12] Early the following morning he went off to find Saul. He heard that Saul had gone to the town of Carmel, where he had built a monument to himself, and then had gone on to Gilgal.

[15:13] Samuel went up to Saul, who greeted him, saying, “The Lord bless you, Samuel! I have obeyed the Lord's command.”

[15:14] Samuel asked, “Why, then, do I hear cattle mooing and sheep bleating?”

[15:15] Saul answered, “My men took them from the Amalekites. They kept the best sheep and cattle to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have destroyed completely.”

[15:16] “Stop,” Samuel ordered, “and I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul said.

[15:17] Samuel answered, “Even though you consider yourself of no importance, you are the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you king of Israel,

[15:18] and he sent you out with orders to destroy those wicked people of Amalek. He told you to fight until you had killed them all.

[15:19] Why, then, did you not obey him? Why did you rush to grab the loot, and so do what displeases the Lord?”

[15:20] “I did obey the Lord,” Saul replied. “I went out as he told me to, brought back King Agag, and killed all the Amalekites.

[15:21] But my men did not kill the best sheep and cattle that they captured; instead, they brought them here to Gilgal to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord your God.”

[15:22] Samuel said, “Which does the Lord prefer: obedience or offerings and sacrifices? It is better to obey him than to sacrifice the best sheep to him.

[15:23] Rebellion against him is as bad as witchcraft, and arrogance is as sinful as idolatry. Because you rejected the Lord's command, he has rejected you as king.”

[15:24] “Yes, I have sinned,” Saul replied. “I disobeyed the Lord's command and your instructions. I was afraid of my men and did what they wanted.

[15:25] But now I beg you, forgive my sin and go back with me, so that I can worship the Lord.”

[15:26] “I will not go back with you,” Samuel answered. “You rejected the Lord's command, and he has rejected you as king of Israel.”

[15:27] Then Samuel turned to leave, but Saul caught hold of his cloak, and it tore.

[15:28] Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today and given it to someone who is a better man than you.

[15:29] Israel's majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being—he does not change his mind.”

[15:30] “I have sinned,” Saul replied. “But at least show me respect in front of the leaders of my people and all of Israel. Go back with me so that I can worship the Lord your God.”

[15:31] So Samuel went back with him, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

[15:32] “Bring King Agag here to me,” Samuel ordered. Agag came to him, trembling with fear, thinking to himself, “What a bitter thing it is to die!”

[15:33] Samuel said, “As your sword has made many mothers childless, so now your mother will become childless.” And he cut Agag to pieces in front of the altar in Gilgal.

[15:34] Then Samuel went to Ramah, and King Saul went home to Gibeah.

[15:35] As long as Samuel lived, he never again saw the king; but he grieved over him. The Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king of Israel.

[16:1] The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you go on grieving over Saul? I have rejected him as king of Israel. But now get some olive oil and go to Bethlehem, to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

[16:2] “How can I do that?” Samuel asked. “If Saul hears about it, he will kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a calf with you and say that you are there to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.

[16:3] Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell you what to do. You will anoint as king the man I tell you to.”

[16:4] Samuel did what the Lord told him to do and went to Bethlehem, where the city leaders came trembling to meet him and asked, “Is this a peaceful visit, seer?”

[16:5] “Yes,” he answered. “I have come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me.” He also told Jesse and his sons to purify themselves, and he invited them to the sacrifice.

[16:6] When they arrived, Samuel saw Jesse's son Eliab and said to himself, “This man standing here in the Lord's presence is surely the one he has chosen.”

[16:7] But the Lord said to him, “Pay no attention to how tall and handsome he is. I have rejected him, because I do not judge as people judge. They look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart.”

[16:8] Then Jesse called his son Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “No, the Lord hasn't chosen him either.”

[16:9] Jesse then brought Shammah. “No, the Lord hasn't chosen him either,” Samuel said.

[16:10] In this way Jesse brought seven of his sons to Samuel. And Samuel said to him, “No, the Lord hasn't chosen any of these.”

[16:11] Then he asked him, “Do you have any more sons?” Jesse answered, “There is still the youngest, but he is out taking care of the sheep.” “Tell him to come here,” Samuel said. “We won't offer the sacrifice until he comes.”

[16:12] So Jesse sent for him. He was a handsome, healthy young man, and his eyes sparkled. The Lord said to Samuel, “This is the one—anoint him!”

[16:13] Samuel took the olive oil and anointed David in front of his brothers. Immediately the spirit of the Lord took control of David and was with him from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

[16:14] The Lord's spirit left Saul, and an evil spirit sent by the Lord tormented him.

[16:15] His servants said to him, “We know that an evil spirit sent by God is tormenting you.

[16:16] So give us the order, sir, and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then when the evil spirit comes on you, the man can play his harp, and you will be all right again.”

[16:17] Saul ordered them, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.”

[16:18] One of his attendants said, “Jesse of the town of Bethlehem has a son who is a good musician. He is also a brave and handsome man, a good soldier, and an able speaker. The Lord is with him.”

[16:19] So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the one who takes care of the sheep.”

[16:20] Jesse sent David to Saul with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a leather bag full of wine.

[16:21] David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much and chose him as the man to carry his weapons.

[16:22] Then Saul sent a message to Jesse: “I like David. Let him stay here in my service.”

[16:23] From then on, whenever the evil spirit sent by God came on Saul, David would get his harp and play it. The evil spirit would leave, and Saul would feel better and be all right again.

[17:1] The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.

[17:2] Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in Elah Valley, where they got ready to fight the Philistines.

[17:3] The Philistines lined up on one hill and the Israelites on another, with a valley between them.

[17:4] A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall

[17:5] and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet.

[17:6] His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder.

[17:7] His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield.

[17:8] Goliath stood and shouted at the Israelites, “What are you doing there, lined up for battle? I am a Philistine, you slaves of Saul! Choose one of your men to fight me.

[17:9] If he wins and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I win and kill him, you will be our slaves.

[17:10] Here and now I challenge the Israelite army. I dare you to pick someone to fight me!”

[17:11] When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.

[17:12] David was the son of Jesse, who was an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and at the time Saul was king, he was already a very old man.

[17:13] His three oldest sons had gone with Saul to war. The oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

[17:14] David was the youngest son, and while the three oldest brothers stayed with Saul,

[17:15] David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.

[17:16] Goliath challenged the Israelites every morning and evening for forty days.

[17:17] One day Jesse said to David, “Take a half-bushel of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and hurry with them to your brothers in the camp.

[17:18] And take these ten cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along and bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well.

[17:19] King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”

[17:20] David got up early the next morning, left someone else in charge of the sheep, took the food, and went as Jesse had told him to. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelites were going out to their battle line, shouting the war cry.

[17:21] The Philistine and the Israelite armies took positions for battle, facing each other.

[17:22] David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting along.

[17:23] As he was talking with them, Goliath came forward and challenged the Israelites as he had done before. And David heard him.

[17:24] When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror.

[17:25] “Look at him!” they said to each other. “Listen to his challenge! King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills him; the king will also give him his daughter to marry and will not require his father's family to pay taxes.”

[17:26] David asked the men who were near him, “What will the man get who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?”

[17:27] They told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.

[17:28] Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He became angry with David and said, “What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You smart aleck, you! You just came to watch the fighting!”

[17:29] “Now what have I done?” David asked. “Can't I even ask a question?”

[17:30] He turned to another man and asked him the same question, and every time he asked, he got the same answer.

[17:31] Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him.

[17:32] David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”

[17:33] “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You're just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!”

[17:34] “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my father's sheep. Any time a lion or a bear carries off a lamb,

[17:35] I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death.

[17:36] I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine, who has defied the army of the living God.

[17:37] The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine.” “All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

[17:38] He gave his own armor to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David's head, and a coat of armor.

[17:39] David strapped Saul's sword over the armor and tried to walk, but he couldn't, because he wasn't used to wearing them. “I can't fight with all this,” he said to Saul. “I'm not used to it.” So he took it all off.

[17:40] He took his shepherd's stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.

[17:41] The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer,

[17:42] and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy.

[17:43] He said to David, “What's that stick for? Do you think I'm a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David.

[17:44] “Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”

[17:45] David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied.

[17:46] This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God,

[17:47] and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”

[17:48] Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him.

[17:49] He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground.

[17:50] And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone!

[17:51] He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away.

[17:52] The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.

[17:53] When the Israelites came back from pursuing the Philistines, they looted their camp.

[17:54] David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.