Day 77: 1 Samuel 14-16
Jonathan’s Faith, Saul’s Oaths, the Rejection of Saul, and the Anointing of David
1 Samuel 14
1 Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side.” But he didn’t tell his father.
2 Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men;
3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Yahweh’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan had gone.
4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.
6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few.”
7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn and behold, I am with you according to your heart.”
8 Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.
9 If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.
10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”
11 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!”
12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing!”
Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and his feet, and his armor bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.
14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within about half a plow’s length in an acre of land.
15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling.
16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered.
17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Number now, and see who has gone from us.” When they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring here God’s ark.” For God’s ark was at that time with the children of Israel.
19 While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great confusion.
21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the country all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23 So Yahweh saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.
24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted any food.
25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.
26 When the people came into the forest, behold, the honey dropped; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28 Then one of the people answered and said, “Your father straitly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” The people were faint.
29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please see how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more, if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter of the Philistines has not been great.”
31 They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon; and the people were very faint.
32 The people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood.”
He said, “You have dealt treacherously. Roll a great stone to me today!”
34 Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating with the blood.’” All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.
35 Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.
36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man of them.”
They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”
But the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.”
37 Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.
38 Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in what this sin has been this day.
39 For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it were in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.”
The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot; but the people escaped.
42 Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. Behold, I must die.”
44 Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
45 The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day.”
So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he didn’t die.
46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.
47 Now when Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, against the children of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he defeated them.
48 He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.
49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger 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, Saul’s uncle.
51 Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him into his service.
1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh’s words.
2 Yahweh of Armies says, ‘I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way when he came up out of Egypt.
3 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
4 Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and set an ambush in the valley.
6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.
8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, but utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and didn’t utterly destroy them; but everything that was worthless and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
10 Then Yahweh’s word came to Samuel, saying,
11 “It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.”
Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.
12 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”
13 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you by Yahweh! I have performed Yahweh’s commandment.”
14 Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear?”
15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.”
He said to him, “Say on.”
17 Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;
18 and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’
19 Why then didn’t you obey Yahweh’s voice, but flew on the spoil, and did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight?”
20 Saul said to Samuel, “Yes, I have obeyed Yahweh’s voice, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.”
22 Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and false gods. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed Yahweh’s commandment and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh.”
26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected Yahweh’s word, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27 As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
28 Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
29 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”
30 Then he said, “I have sinned. Yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.”
31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
32 Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.”
Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33 Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.”
Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
1 Samuel 16
1 Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided myself a king among his sons.”
2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’
3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”
4 Samuel did that which Yahweh said, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.”
He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.”
11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?”
He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and with beautiful eyes, and good-looking.
Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the middle of his brothers; and Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward.
So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
15 Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It will happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”
17 Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who knows how to play, a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and Yahweh is with him.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
23 It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Scripture: World English Bible (WEB), public domain.
