1 Samuel 11-20

New Life Version

Saul Wins the Battle over the Ammonites

11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came and his soldiers set up their tents around Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make an agreement with us, and we will work for you.” ² But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “I will make an agreement with you only if I may cut out the right eye of every one of you. This way I will put all Israel to shame.” ³ The leaders of Jabesh said to him, “Let us alone for seven days, so we may send men with news through the land of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” ⁴ The men came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news to the people. And all the people cried with a loud voice.

⁵ Now Saul was coming from the field behind the cattle, and he said, “What troubles the people? Why are they crying?” So they told him the news the men had brought from Jabesh. ⁶ The Spirit of God came upon Saul with power when he heard this news, and he became very angry. ⁷ He took two bulls and cut them in pieces and sent them through the land of Israel with the men who had brought the news, saying, “This will be done to the bulls of those who will not come out after Saul and Samuel.” The fear of the Lord came upon the people, and they all came out together. ⁸ Saul numbered them at Bezek. There were 300,000 men of Israel, and 30,000 men of Judah. ⁹ They said to the men who had brought the news, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead that tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have help.” So the men went and told the news to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. ¹⁰ Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you. And you may do to us whatever you think is good.” ¹¹ The next morning, Saul put the people in three groups. They came among the tents early in the morning and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who were left alive were divided, so that no two of them stayed together.

¹² Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Should Saul rule over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” ¹³ But Saul said, “No man will be put to death this day. For today the Lord has saved Israel.”

¹⁴ Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and make it the place for the king.” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal. There they made Saul king before the Lord, in Gilgal. There they gave peace gifts to the Lord. And there Saul and all the men of Israel were filled with much joy.

Samuel’s Last Words to Israel

12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “See, I have listened to all you have said to me. I have chosen a king to rule over you. ² Now see, the king walks in front of you. But I am old. My hair is growing white. See, my sons are with you. I have walked in front of you since I was young, until this day. ³ Here I am. Speak against me to the Lord and Saul His chosen one. Whose bull have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? To whom have I not been honest? For whom have I made it hard? From whose hand have I taken pay for closing my eyes to the truth? I will return it to you.” ⁴ They said, “You have always been honest with us. You have not made it hard for us, or taken anything from any man’s hand.” ⁵ Samuel said to them, “The Lord has heard you. And His chosen one has heard this day that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “The Lord has heard.” ⁶ Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the One Who chose Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ Now stand where you are, that I may argue with you before the Lord about all His saving acts which He did for you and your fathers. ⁸ When Jacob went into Egypt and the Egyptians made it hard for them, your fathers cried to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron. They brought your fathers out of Egypt, and had them live in this place. ⁹ But they forgot the Lord their God. So He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. ¹⁰ Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned because we have turned away from the Lord. We have worshiped the false gods, the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now save us from the power of those who hate us, and we will worship You.’ ¹¹ The Lord sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and saved you from the power of those all around who hated you. So you were safe. ¹² But then you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you. So you said to me, ‘No! A king must rule over us,’ when the Lord your God was your King. ¹³ Now see the king you have chosen, the king you have asked for. See, the Lord has given you a king. ¹⁴ Fear the Lord and worship Him. Listen to His voice and do not go against the Word of the Lord. If both you and the king who rules over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. ¹⁵ But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, and go against the Lord’s Word, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers. ¹⁶ Now stand still and see this great thing which the Lord will do in front of your eyes. ¹⁷ Is it not the time to gather grain today? I will call to the Lord, and He will send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that you have done a bad sin in the eyes of the Lord by asking for a king.” ¹⁸ So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were very much afraid of the Lord and Samuel.

¹⁹ Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so we will not die. For we have added to all our sins this bad thing, to ask for a king.” ²⁰ Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have done all these sins. But do not turn aside from following the Lord. Worship the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn aside after things that have no worth and cannot save you, for they are nothing. ²² The Lord will not leave His people alone, because of His great name. The Lord has been pleased to make you His people. ²³ And as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by not praying for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way. ²⁴ Only fear the Lord and be faithful to worship Him with all your heart. Think of the great things He has done for you. ²⁵ But if you still sin, both you and your king will be destroyed.”

War with the Philistines

13 Saul was forty years old when he began to rule. He ruled over Israel thirty-two years. ² Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel. There were 2,000 of them with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel. And 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. ³ Jonathan destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul sounded the horn through all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” ⁴ All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were. And they heard that Israel had become a hated thing to the Philistines. Then the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, with 30,000 war-wagons, 6,000 horsemen, and people like the sand on the sea shore. They came and set up their tents at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. ⁶ The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble. The people were in a place of danger. So the people hid themselves in caves, bushes, hill-sides, graves and wells. ⁷ Some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him in fear.

⁸ Saul waited seven days, the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people were leaving him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt gift and the peace gifts.” And he gave the burnt gift to the Lord. ¹⁰ As soon as he finished giving the burnt gift, Samuel came. Saul went out to meet him and say hello. ¹¹ But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “I saw that the people were leaving me. You did not come when you said you would. And the Philistines were gathering at Michmash. ¹² So I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor.’ So I made myself give the burnt gift.” ¹³ Samuel said to Saul, “You have done a foolish act. You have not kept the Law that the Lord your God gave you. For now the Lord would have made your rule over Israel last forever. ¹⁴ But now your rule will not last. The Lord has found a man who is pleasing to him in every way. He has chosen him to rule over his people, because you have not obeyed the Lord.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people that were left with him, about 600 men.

No Swords or Spears

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan, and the people with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines stayed at Michmash. ¹⁷ Soldiers came from the tents of the Philistines in three groups. One group turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual. ¹⁸ Another group turned toward Bethhoron. And another group turned toward the side of the country that looks over the valley of Zeboim toward the desert.

¹⁹ Now there was no one to be found in all the land of Israel who made things of iron. For the Philistines said, “The Hebrews might make swords or spears.” ²⁰ So each one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to get his plow, his pick, his ax, or his grain cutter sharpened. ²¹ He had to pay two-thirds part of a piece of silver to have the plows and picks sharpened, and one-third part of a piece of silver to have the axes and grain cutters sharpened. ²² So on the day of battle there was no sword or spear in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But Saul and his son Jonathan had them. ²³ And the Philistine soldiers went out to the pass of Michmash.

Jonathan’s Battle with the Philistines

14 One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who was carrying his battle-clothes, “Come, let us go over to the place where the Philistine soldiers are on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. ² Saul was staying beside Gibeah under the pomegranate tree in Migron. There were about 600 men with him, ³ and Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the religious leader of the Lord at Shiloh, wearing the linen vest. And the people did not know Jonathan had gone. ⁴ Between the passes where Jonathan went to cross over to the Philistine soldiers, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side. The name of one was Bozez. The name of the other was Seneh. ⁵ One rock stood on the north in front of Michmash. The other stood on the south in front of Geba.

⁶ Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his battle-clothes, “Come, let us go over to the place where the soldiers are who have not gone through the religious act of the Jews. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for there is nothing to keep the Lord from saving by many or by few.” ⁷ The young man who was carrying his battle-clothes said to him, “Do all that is in your mind. I am with you in whatever you think to do.” ⁸ Jonathan said, “We will cross over to the men and show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has given them into our hands. This will be the special thing for us to see.” ¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine soldiers. The Philistines said, “See, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” ¹² The soldiers of that place said to Jonathan and the one who was carrying his battle-clothes, “Come up to us and we will tell you something.” Jonathan said to the one who was carrying his battle-clothes, “Come up after me. For the Lord has given them into the hands of Israel.” ¹³ Then Jonathan went up the hill on his hands and feet, with the one who was carrying his battle-clothes behind him. The soldiers fell in front of Jonathan. The young man, who was carrying his battle-clothes after him, killed them. ¹⁴ In that first killing done by Jonathan and the man who carried his battle-clothes, about twenty men fell dead within a small piece of land. ¹⁵ There was fear among the Philistines, in the field, and among all the people. Even the soldiers shook with fear. And the earth shook, so there was much fear.

¹⁶ Saul’s men who were watching in Gibeah of Benjamin looked and saw the people running away. They went here and there. ¹⁷ Saul said to the people who were with him, “Number them, and see who has left us.” When they numbered, they found that Jonathan and the young man who carried his battle-clothes were not there. ¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the special box of God here.” For the special box of God was with the people of Israel at that time. ¹⁹ While Saul talked to the religious leader, the noise of the Philistines became louder. So Saul said to the religious leader, “Take your hand away.” ²⁰ Then Saul and all the people with him gathered together and went into the battle. Every man’s sword was against the man next to him. It was as if no one knew what to do. ²¹ The Hebrews, who had been with the Philistines and had gone up with them among the tents returned. They returned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had run away, they ran after them in the battle. ²³ So the Lord saved Israel that day. And the battle spread farther than Beth-aven.

²⁴ Now the men of Israel were troubled that day. For Saul made a promise and said to the people, “Cursed will be the man who eats food before evening and before I have punished those who fight against me.” So none of the people tasted any food. ²⁵ And all the people came among the trees, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶ The people went among the trees and saw honey flowing, but no man tasted it. For the people were afraid of Saul’s promise. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard his father make the promise to the people. So he put the stick that was in his hand into the honeycomb. Then he put it to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. ²⁸ One of the men told him, “Your father put the people under a promise, saying, ‘Cursed will be the man who eats food today.’” The people were tired and weak. ²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much better it would be if the men had been free to eat today of the food that had belonged to those who fought against them! For not many Philistines have been killed.”

³¹ They killed the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very tired and weak. ³² The people rushed upon the things that had belonged to the Philistines. They took sheep and cattle and calves, and killed them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. ³³ Then Saul was told, “See, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.” And Saul said, “You have not been faithful. Roll a big stone to me here.” ³⁴ And he said, “Divide yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his bull or his sheep, and kill it here and eat. Do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his bull with him that night, and killed it there. ³⁵ And Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

³⁶ Then Saul said, “Let us go down to the Philistines during the night and take until morning what belongs to them. Let us not leave a man of them alive.” They said, “Do whatever you think is best.” So the religious leader said, “Let us ask of God here.” ³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Should I go down to the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day. ³⁸ Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people. Look and see how this sin has happened today. ³⁹ For as the Lord lives Who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will die for sure.” But not one of all the people answered him. ⁴⁰ Then Saul said to all Israel, “You will be on one side and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what you think is best.” ⁴¹ So Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “May the right name be drawn.” And the names of Saul and Jonathan were drawn, and the people went free. ⁴² Then Saul said, “Draw names between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan’s name was drawn.

⁴³ Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of the stick that was in my hand. Here I am. I must die.” ⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God do this to me and more also, for you will die for sure, Jonathan.” ⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who has saved all these people of Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground. For he has worked with God this day.” So the people saved Jonathan and he did not die. ⁴⁶ Then Saul stopped going after the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul’s Family

⁴⁷ When Saul had become king over Israel, he fought against all those around him who hated him. He fought against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. He punished them in every way he turned. ⁴⁸ He acted with strength of heart and destroyed the Amalekites. He saved Israel from those who came to rob them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchishua. And he had two daughters. The name of the first-born was Merab, and the name of the younger one was Michal. ⁵⁰ The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, the brother of Saul’s father. ⁵¹ Kish was the father of Saul. And Abner’s father Ner was the son of Abiel.

⁵² There was fighting against the Philistines all of Saul’s life. When Saul saw any strong man, or any man with strength of heart, he would have the man join him.

War with the Amalekites

15 Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to choose you to be king over His people Israel. Now listen to the Words of the Lord. ² This is what the Lord of All says. ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel in standing against them on the way, when they came up from Egypt. ³ Now go and destroy Amalek. Destroy all they have, and do not let them live. Kill both man and woman, child and baby, cattle and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

⁴ So Saul called the people together and numbered them in Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. ⁵ Saul came to the city of Amalek and hid, waiting in the valley. ⁶ Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, leave the Amalekites, or I might destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites left the Amalekites. ⁷ Then Saul destroyed the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, east of Egypt. ⁸ He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and destroyed all the people with the sword. ⁹ But Saul and the people did not kill Agag and the best of the sheep, the cattle, the fat animals ready to be killed, the lambs, and all that was good. They would not destroy them. But they destroyed everything that was hated and was of no worth.

Saul Is No Longer King

¹⁰ The Word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹ “I am sorry that I have made Saul king. For he has turned away from following Me. He has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel was much troubled in his heart. He cried out to the Lord all night. ¹² When Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul, he was told, “Saul came to Carmel and set up a stone in his honor. Then he turned and went down to Gilgal.” ¹³ Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “May the Lord bring good to you. I have done what the Lord told me to do.” ¹⁴ But Samuel said, “Then why do I hear the sounds of sheep and cattle?” ¹⁵ Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people saved the best of the sheep and cattle to give to the Lord your God. But we have destroyed all the rest.” ¹⁶ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And Saul said to him, “Speak.”

¹⁷ Samuel said, “Is it not true that even when you were not important in your own eyes, you were made the head of the families of Israel? The Lord chose you to be king over Israel. ¹⁸ And the Lord sent you to go and destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are no more. ¹⁹ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? You rushed upon what was left after the battle and did what was sinful in the Lord’s eyes.”

²⁰ Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the Lord. I went where the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek. And I have destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹ But the people took some of their things that were left. They took sheep and cattle and the best of the things to be destroyed, to give to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” ²² Samuel said, “Is the Lord pleased as much with burnt gifts as He is when He is obeyed? See, it is better to obey than to give gifts. It is better to listen than to give the fat of rams. ²³ To go against what you are told is like the sin of witchcraft. Not to obey is like the sin of worshiping false gods. You have turned away from the Word of the Lord. So He has turned away from you being king.”

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I have sinned against the Word of the Lord and your words, because I was afraid of the people and listened to them. ²⁵ Now I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” ²⁶ But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have turned away from the Word of the Lord. And the Lord has turned away from you being king over Israel.” ²⁷ As Samuel turned to go, Saul took hold of part of his clothing, and it tore. ²⁸ So Samuel said to him, “Today the Lord has torn the rule of Israel away from you. He has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. ²⁹ And the shining greatness of Israel will not lie or change His mind. For He is not a man that He should change His mind.” ³⁰ Saul said, “I have sinned. But I beg you, honor me now in front of the leaders of my people and in front of Israel. Return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” ³¹ So Samuel returned with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

³² Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” Agag was happy when he came to him. Agag said, “For sure the bad feelings of death are past.” ³³ But Samuel said, “As your sword has killed the children of women, so will your mother have no children.” And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵ Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death. But Samuel was filled with sorrow because of Saul. And the Lord was sorry that He had made Saul king over Israel.

David Becomes King

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you be filled with sorrow because of Saul, since I have turned away from him being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have chosen a king for Myself among his sons.” ² But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will kill me when he hears about it.” The Lord said, “Take a young cow with you, and say, ‘I have come to give a gift to the Lord.’ ³ Ask Jesse to come when you give the gift, and I will show you what you should do. You will choose for Me the one I name to you.” ⁴ So Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. The leaders of the city came shaking with fear to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” ⁵ Samuel said, “I have come in peace to give a gift to the Lord. Make yourselves holy and come with me as I give the gift.” He set apart Jesse and his sons also, and asked them to come to the gift-giving. ⁶ When they had come, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “For sure he is the Lord’s chosen one who is standing before Him.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at the way he looks on the outside or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. For the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one.” ⁹ Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse made seven of his sons pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And Jesse said, “There is yet the youngest one. See, he is taking care of the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him. We will not sit down until he comes here.” ¹² So he sent for him and brought him in. His youngest son had good color in his skin, beautiful eyes and was good-looking. The Lord said, “Rise up and choose him. For this is the one.” ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and poured the oil on him in front of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David with strength from that day on. And Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

Saul’s Spirit Is Troubled

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord left Saul. And a bad spirit sent from the Lord brought trouble upon him. ¹⁵ Saul’s servants said to him, “See, a bad spirit from God is bringing you trouble. ¹⁶ Let our lord now tell your servants who are in front of you to look for a man who is a good player of the harp. When the bad spirit sent from God is upon you, he will play the harp, and you will be well.” ¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” ¹⁸ One of the young men said, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who plays music well. He is a man with strength of heart, a man of war, wise in his speaking, and good-looking. And the Lord is with him.” ¹⁹ So Saul sent men with news to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David who is with the sheep.” ²⁰ Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them to Saul with David his son. ²¹ David came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much, and he became the man who carried Saul’s battle-clothes. ²² Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David serve me, for he has found favor in my eyes.” ²³ When the bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand. And Saul would receive new strength and be well. The bad spirit would leave him.

David and Goliath

17 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. They were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah. They set up their tents between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and set up their tents in the valley of Elah. They came up dressed for battle to fight against the Philistines. ³ The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. ⁴ Then a strong fighter came out from the armies of the Philistines. His name was Goliath, from Gath. He was almost twice as tall as most men. ⁵ He had a head covering of brass, and wore brass battle-clothes that weighed as much as 5,000 silver pieces. ⁶ He wore brass leg-coverings, and had a brass spear on his shoulders. ⁷ The long part of his spear was like a cross-piece used on a cloth-maker. The iron head of his spear weighed as much as 600 pieces of silver. A man walked before him to carry his shield. ⁸ Goliath stood and called out to the army of Israel, saying, “Why have you come out dressed for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I fight him and kill him, then you must become our servants and work for us.” ¹⁰ Again the Philistine said, “I stand against the army of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were troubled and very afraid.

¹² Now David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and was old in the days of Saul. He had lived many years. ¹³ Jesse’s three older sons had followed Saul to the battle. Their names were Eliab the first-born, next Abinadab, and third Shammah. ¹⁴ David was the youngest. The three oldest sons followed Saul. ¹⁵ But David went to and from Saul, to take care of his father’s flock at Bethlehem. ¹⁶ The Philistine came out and showed himself morning and evening for forty days.

¹⁷ Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take for your brothers a basket of this baked grain and these ten loaves. Hurry and carry them to your brothers among the army. ¹⁸ And take these ten pieces of cheese to the leader of the thousand man group who is with them. See how your brothers are doing, and bring me news of them. ¹⁹ Saul and your brothers and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

²⁰ So David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the food and went, as Jesse had told him. And he came to the tents as the army was going out dressed for battle, calling out the war cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines came near each other dressed for battle, army against army. ²² David left the things with the man to take care of them. He ran to the army, and went to meet with his brothers. ²³ As he talked with them, Goliath the Philistine from Gath came out of the army of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. ²⁴ When all the men of Israel saw the man, they ran away from him and were very much afraid. ²⁵ The men of Israel said, “Have you seen the man who has come out? He has come out to stand against Israel. The king will make the man who kills him rich. And he will give him his daughter, and make his father’s family free from paying taxes in Israel.” ²⁶ Then David said to the men standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away Israel’s shame? For who is this Philistine who has not gone through the religious act of the Jews? Who is he, that he should make fun of the armies of the living God?” ²⁷ And the people answered him in the same way, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

²⁸ His oldest brother Eliab heard what he said to the men. He became very angry with David and said, “Why have you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the desert? I know of your pride and the sin of your heart. You have come to see the battle.” ²⁹ But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?” ³⁰ Then David turned away from him to another and asked the same question. And the people gave him the same answer.

³¹ When David’s words were heard, they were told to Saul, and Saul sent for him. ³² David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart become weak because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” ³³ Saul said to David, “You are not able to go and fight against this Philistine. You are only a young man, while he has been a man of war since he was young.” ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant was taking care of his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵ I went after him and fought him and saved it from his mouth. When he came against me, I took hold of him by the hair of his head and hit him and killed him. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. And this Philistine who has not gone through our religious act will be like one of them. For he has made fun of the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ And David said, “The Lord Who saved me from the foot of the lion and from the foot of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” ³⁸ Then Saul dressed David with his clothes. He put a brass head covering on his head, and dressed him with heavy battle-clothes. ³⁹ David put on his sword over his heavy battle-clothes and tried to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them.” And David took them off. ⁴⁰ He took his stick in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the river. He put them in his shepherd’s bag. His sling was in his hand, and he went to the Philistine.

⁴¹ The Philistine came near to David, with the man carrying his shield in front of him. ⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he thought nothing of him. For he was only a young man, with good color in his skin, and good-looking. ⁴³ The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine spoke against David by his gods. ⁴⁴ The Philistine said to David, “Come to me. I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the animals of the field.” ⁴⁵ Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of All, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have stood against. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will give you into my hands. I will knock you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth. Then all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All these people gathered here may know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” ⁴⁸ Then the Philistine rose up and came to meet David. And David rushed to the center of the valley to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹ David put his hand into his bag, took out a stone and threw it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone went into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

⁵⁰ So David won the fight against the Philistine with a sling and a stone. He hit the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in David’s hand. ⁵¹ Then David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took his sword out of its holder and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong soldier was dead, they ran away. ⁵² The men of Israel and Judah rose up and called out and went after the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines lay on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. ⁵³ Then the Israelites returned from following the Philistines and took what had belonged to them among their tents. ⁵⁴ David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his battle-clothes in his tent.

⁵⁵ When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the head of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O king, I do not know.” ⁵⁶ The king said, “Find out whose son the young man is.” ⁵⁷ So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand. ⁵⁸ Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

King Saul Is Jealous of David

18 When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became one with the soul of David. Jonathan loved him as himself. ² Saul took David that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. ³ Then Jonathan made an agreement with David, because he loved him as himself. ⁴ Jonathan took off his long coat and gave it to David. He gave him his battle-clothes, his sword, his bow and his belt also. ⁵ David went everywhere that Saul sent him, and did well. Saul had him lead the men of war. And it was pleasing to all the people and to Saul’s servants.

⁶ When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, playing songs of joy on timbrels. ⁷ The women sang as they played, and said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” ⁸ Then Saul became very angry. This saying did not please him. He said, “They have given David honor for ten thousands, but for me only thousands. Now what more can he have but to be king?” ⁹ And Saul was jealous and did not trust David from that day on.

¹⁰ The next day a bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul with power. He acted like a crazy man in his house, while David was playing the harp. Saul had a spear in his hand, ¹¹ and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will nail David to the wall.” But David jumped out of his way twice. ¹² Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him but had left Saul. ¹³ So Saul made David go away from him, and had him lead a thousand men. And David went out to the people. ¹⁴ David did well in all that he did, because the Lord was with him. ¹⁵ When Saul saw how well he did, he was afraid of him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

¹⁷ Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as a wife, if you only work for me with strength of heart and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I will not go against him. Let the Philistines go against him.” ¹⁸ David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” ¹⁹ But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

²⁰ Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. When they told Saul, it pleased him. ²¹ Saul thought, “I will give her to David. I will use her to trap him, and the Philistines will go against him.” So Saul said to David a second time, “Now you may be my son-in-law.” ²² Then Saul told his servants, “Speak to David in secret. Tell him, ‘See, the king is happy with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king’s son-in-law.’” ²³ So Saul’s servants said this to David. But David said, “Is it not important to you to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and am not very respected.” ²⁴ Saul’s servants told Saul what David had said. ²⁵ Then Saul said, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no marriage gift except the pieces of skin from the sex parts of a hundred Philistines, to punish those who hate the king.’” Saul planned to have the Philistines kill David. ²⁶ When his servants told this to David, it pleased him to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was finished, ²⁷ David and his men went and killed 200 Philistine men. Then David brought their pieces of flesh and gave all of them to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. ²⁸ When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹ Saul was even more afraid of David. So he hated David always.

³⁰ Then the Philistine leaders went out to battle. And when they did, David acted with more wisdom than all the servants of Saul. So his name became very important.

Saul Tries to Kill David

19 Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan found much joy in David. ² So Jonathan told David, “My father Saul wants to kill you. I beg you, be careful in the morning. Stay hidden in a secret place. ³ I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak to my father about you. If I find out anything, I will tell you.” ⁴ Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, saying, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David. He has not sinned against you. What he has done has been good for you. ⁵ He put his life in danger and killed the Philistine. And the Lord helped all Israel with His saving power. You saw it and were glad. Why then will you sin against him who has done no wrong, by killing David for no reason?” ⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan, and promised, “As the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” ⁷ Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. He brought David to Saul, and David stayed with Saul as before.

⁸ When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines. He killed many of them, and the others ran away from him. ⁹ Then a bad spirit sent from the Lord came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing the harp. ¹⁰ Saul tried to nail David to the wall with the spear, but David got out of the way. Saul hit the wall with the spear, and David ran away that night.

¹¹ Then Saul sent men to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” ¹² So Michal let David down through a window, and he ran away. ¹³ Michal took a house god and laid it on the bed. She put a goat hair pillow at its head, and covered it with clothes. ¹⁴ When Saul sent men to take David, Michal said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Then Saul sent men to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” ¹⁶ When the men came in, the house god was on the bed, with the goat hair pillow at its head. ¹⁷ So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you fooled me like this and let the man I hate go? Now he has run away to be safe.” Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

¹⁸ Now David ran away from Saul and came to Samuel at Ramah. He told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. ¹⁹ Saul was told, “See, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” ²⁰ So Saul sent men to take David. But when they saw the men of God saying what was going to happen, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon the men sent by Saul. And they began saying what was going to happen also. ²¹ When Saul heard this, he sent other men, and they began saying what was going to happen. So Saul sent men for the third time, and they began saying what was going to happen. ²² Then he himself went to Ramah, and came as far as the large well in Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “See, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” ²³ So he went to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also. As he traveled he said what would happen, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴ He took off his clothes and said what was going to happen in front of Samuel. He lay down without clothing all that day and all that night. So they say, “Is Saul among those who say what will happen?”

Jonathan Is Good to David

20 Then David ran from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my sin? What have I done wrong to your father, that he wants to kill me?” ² Jonathan said to him, “Far from it, you will not die. See, my father does nothing big or small without telling me about it. So why should my father hide this from me? It is not so!” ³ But David answered, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes. He has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, because it would fill him with sorrow.’ But it is true. As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is only a step between me and death.” ⁴ Then Jonathan said to David, “I will do for you whatever you say.” ⁵ David said to Jonathan, “See, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should sit down to eat with the king. But let me go. I will hide myself in the field until the third evening. ⁶ If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David asked me to let him leave to run to his city Bethlehem. It is the time for the whole family to gather there for the gift given on the altar in worship each year.’ ⁷ If he says, ‘Good!’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, then you will know that he has decided to do what is bad. ⁸ So be kind to your servant. For you have brought me into an agreement of the Lord with you. But if I am guilty, kill me yourself. For why should you bring me to your father?” ⁹ Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that my father has decided to do something bad to you, would I not tell you about it?” ¹⁰ Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father is angry when he answers you?” ¹¹ Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.

¹² Jonathan said to David, “May the Lord, the God of Israel, see it. I will speak with my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day. If he feels good about David, will I not send news to you and let you know it? ¹³ But if my father wants to hurt you, may the Lord do the same to Jonathan and even more, if I do not let you know and send you away, so you may be safe. May the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. ¹⁴ If I am still alive, show me the faithful love of the Lord, that I may not die. ¹⁵ Do not stop being faithful to my house forever, not even when the Lord destroys from the earth all who hate David. ¹⁶ Do not let the name of Jonathan be lost from the family of David. And may the Lord punish those who hate you.” ¹⁷ Jonathan made David promise again, by his love for him. For he loved him as he loved his own life.

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the new moon. You will be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ On the third day hurry and come to the place where you hid yourself the other time. Stay by the stone called Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as if I shot at a mark. ²¹ Then I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy these words, ‘See, the arrows are on this side of you, get them!’ then you may come. For it is safe for you and there is no danger, as the Lord lives. ²² But if I say to the boy, ‘See, the arrows are farther away,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away. ²³ As for the agreement you and I have spoken, see, the Lord is between you and me forever.”

²⁴ So David hid in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁵ The king sat on his seat by the wall as he did other times. Jonathan sat on the other side from him, and Abner sat beside Saul. But David’s place was empty. ²⁶ But Saul did not say anything that day. For he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean. For sure he is not clean.” ²⁷ But David’s place was empty the next day, the second day of the new moon. So Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the supper yesterday and today?” ²⁸ Jonathan answered Saul, “David asked me to let him go to Bethlehem. ²⁹ He said, ‘I beg you, let me go. Our family is giving a gift on the altar in the city. And my brother has told me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me leave and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”

³⁰ Then Saul was very angry with Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a sinful woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother who gave birth to you? ³¹ As long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you and the power you would have as king will not last. So send for him and bring him to me. For he must die.” ³² Jonathan answered his father Saul, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?” ³³ But Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him, so he knew that his father had decided to kill David. ³⁴ Jonathan rose from the table very angry. He did not eat any food on the second day of the new moon. For he was filled with sorrow for David, because his father had brought shame upon him.

³⁵ In the morning Jonathan went out to the field at the time he and David agreed to meet. A little boy was with him. ³⁶ Jonathan said to his boy, “Run, find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy was running, he shot an arrow past him. ³⁷ The boy came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow. Jonathan called to the boy and said, “Is not the arrow farther away?” ³⁸ Jonathan called to the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” Then Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrow and came to his owner. ³⁹ The boy knew nothing. Only Jonathan and David knew what had happened. ⁴⁰ Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to his boy and told him, “Go, take them to the city.” ⁴¹ When the boy was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground. He bowed three times. Then they kissed each other and cried together, but David more. ⁴² Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace. For we have promised each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord will be between me and you, and between my children and your children forever.’” Then David got up and left, and Jonathan went into the city.