1 Samuel 15; 1 Samuel 16; 1 Samuel 17

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1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel told Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to the LORD's words.
2 This is what the LORD of Armies says: I will punish Amalek for what they did to Israel. They blocked Israel's way after the Israelites came from Egypt.
3 Now go and attack Amalek. Claim everything they have for God by destroying it. Don't spare them, but kill men and women, infants and children, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys."
4 Saul organized the troops, and he counted them at Telaim: 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah.
5 Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.
6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Get away from the Amalekites so that I won't destroy you with them. You were kind to all the Israelites when they came from Egypt." So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
7 Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt.
8 He captured King Agag of Amalek alive. But he claimed all the people for God by destroying them.
9 Saul and the army spared Agag and the best sheep and cows, the fattened animals, the lambs, and all the best [property]. The army refused to claim them for God by destroying them. But everything that was worthless and weak the army did claim for God and destroy.
10 Then the LORD spoke to Samuel:
11 "I regret that I made Saul king. He turned away from me and did not carry out my instructions." Samuel was angry, and he prayed to the LORD all night.
12 Early in the morning he got up to meet Saul. Samuel was told, "Saul went to Carmel to set up a monument in his honor. Then he left there and went to Gilgal."
13 Samuel came to Saul, who said, "The LORD bless you. I carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 However, Samuel asked, "But what is this sound of sheep in my ears and this sound of cows that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to the LORD your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed."
16 "Be quiet," Samuel told Saul, "and let me tell you what the LORD told me last night." "Speak," Saul replied.
17 Samuel said, "Even though you don't consider yourself great, you were the head of Israel's tribes. The LORD anointed you king of Israel.
18 And the LORD sent you on a mission. He said, 'Claim those sinners, the Amalekites, for me by destroying them. Wage war against them until they're wiped out.'
19 Why didn't you obey the LORD? Why have you taken their belongings and done what the LORD considers evil?"
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul told Samuel. "I went where the LORD sent me, brought [back] King Agag of Amalek, and claimed the Amalekites for God.
21 The army took some of their belongings--the best sheep and cows were claimed for God--in order to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."
22 Then Samuel said, "Is the LORD as delighted with burnt offerings and sacrifices as he would be with your obedience? To follow instructions is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than sacrificing the fat of rams.
23 The sin of black magic is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. Because you rejected the word of the LORD, he rejects you as king."
24 Then Saul told Samuel, "I have sinned by not following the LORD's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them.
25 Now please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD."
26 Samuel told Saul, "I will not go back with you because you rejected what the LORD told you. So the LORD rejects you as king of Israel."
27 When Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
28 Samuel told him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today. He has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
29 In addition, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind, because he is not a mortal who changes his mind."
30 Saul replied, "I have sinned! Now please honor me in front of the leaders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me, and let me worship the LORD your God."
31 Then Samuel turned and followed Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 "Bring me King Agag of Amalek," Samuel said. Agag came to him trembling. "Surely, the bitterness of death is past," Agag said.
33 But Samuel said, "As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women." And Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of the LORD at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went to his home at Gibeah.
35 Samuel didn't see Saul again before he died, though Samuel mourned over Saul. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king of Israel.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

1 Samuel 16

1 The LORD asked Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I've selected one of his sons to be king."
2 "How can I go?" Samuel asked. "When Saul hears about it, he'll kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I've come to sacrifice to the LORD.'
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do, and you will anoint for me the one I point out to you."
4 Samuel did what the LORD told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, "May peace be with you."
5 "Greetings," he replied, "I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice." He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, "Certainly, here in the LORD's presence is his anointed king."
7 But the LORD told Samuel, "Don't look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart."
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
9 Then Jesse had Shammah come to Samuel. "The LORD has not chosen this one either," Samuel said.
10 So Jesse brought seven [more] of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen [any of] these.
11 Are these all the sons you have?" "There's still the youngest one," Jesse answered. "He's tending the sheep." Samuel told Jesse, "Send someone to get him. We won't continue until he gets here."
12 So Jesse sent for him. He had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. The LORD said, "Go ahead, anoint him. He is the one."
13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. The LORD's Spirit came over David and stayed with him from that day on. Then Samuel left for Ramah.
14 Now, the LORD's Spirit had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
15 Saul's officials told him, "An evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Your Majesty, why don't you command us to look for a man who can play the lyre well? When the evil spirit from God comes to you, he'll strum a tune, and you'll feel better."
17 Saul told his officials, "Please find me a man who can play well and bring him to me."
18 One of the officials said, "I know one of Jesse's sons from Bethlehem who can play well. He's a courageous man and a warrior. He has a way with words, he is handsome, and the LORD is with him."
19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
20 Jesse took six bushels of bread, a full wineskin, and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much and made David his armorbearer.
22 Saul sent [this message] to Jesse, "Please let David stay with me because I have grown fond of him."
23 Whenever God's spirit came to Saul, David took the lyre and strummed a tune. Saul got relief [from his terror] and felt better, and the evil spirit left him.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

1 Samuel 17

1 The Philistines assembled their armies for war. They assembled at Socoh, which is in Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim.
2 So Saul and the army of Israel assembled and camped in the Elah Valley. They formed a battle line to fight the Philistines.
3 The Philistines were stationed on a hill on one side, and the Israelites were stationed on a hill on the other side. There was a ravine between the two of them.
4 The Philistine army's champion came out of their camp. His name was Goliath from Gath. He was ten feet tall.
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze coat of armor scales weighing 125 pounds.
6 On his legs he had bronze shin guards and on his back a bronze javelin.
7 The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of 15 pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and called to the Israelites, "Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and aren't you Saul's servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to [fight] me.
9 If he can fight me and kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I overpower him and kill him, then you will be our slaves and serve us."
10 The Philistine added, "I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so that we can fight each other."
11 When Saul and all the Israelites heard what this Philistine said, they were gripped with fear.
12 David was a son of a man named Jesse from the region of Ephrath and the city of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul's day he was an old man.
13 Jesse's three oldest sons joined Saul's army for the battle. The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, the third was Shammah,
14 and David was the youngest. The three oldest joined Saul's army.
15 David went back and forth from Saul's camp to Bethlehem, where he tended his father's flock.
16 Each morning and evening for 40 days, the Philistine came forward and made his challenge.
17 Jesse told his son David, "Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. Take them to your brothers in the camp right away.
18 And take these ten cheeses to the captain of the regiment. See how your brothers are doing, and bring back some news about them.
19 They, along with Saul and all the soldiers of Israel, are in the Elah Valley fighting the Philistines."
20 David got up early in the morning and had someone else watch [the sheep]. He took [the food] and went, as Jesse ordered him. He went to the camp as the army was going out to the battle line shouting their war cry.
21 Israel and the Philistines formed their battle lines facing each other.
22 David left the supplies behind in the hands of the quartermaster, ran to the battle line, and greeted his brothers.
23 While he was talking to them, the Philistine champion, Goliath from Gath, came from the battle lines of the Philistines. He repeated his words, and David heard them.
24 When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him because they were terrified.
25 The men of Israel said, "Did you see that man coming [from the Philistine lines]? He keeps coming to challenge Israel. The king will make the man who kills this Philistine very rich. He will give his daughter to that man to marry and elevate the social status of his family."
26 David asked the men who were standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and gets rid of Israel's disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should challenge the army of the living God?"
27 The soldiers repeated [to David] how the man who kills Goliath would be treated.
28 Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. Then Eliab became angry with David. "Why did you come here," he asked him, "and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how overconfident and headstrong you are. You came here just to see the battle."
29 "What have I done now?" David snapped at him. "Didn't I [merely] ask a question?"
30 He turned to face another man and asked the same question, and the other soldiers gave him the same answer.
31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, who then sent for him.
32 David told Saul, "No one should be discouraged because of this. I will go and fight this Philistine."
33 Saul responded to David, "You can't fight this Philistine. You're just a boy, but he's been a warrior since he was your age."
34 David replied to Saul, "I am a shepherd for my father's sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
35 I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. If it attacked me, I took hold of its mane, struck it, and killed it.
36 I have killed lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has challenged the army of the living God."
37 David added, "The LORD, who saved me from the lion and the bear, will save me from this Philistine." "Go," Saul told David, "and may the LORD be with you."
38 Saul put his battle tunic on David; he put a bronze helmet on David's head and dressed him in armor.
39 David fastened Saul's sword over his clothes and tried to walk, but he had never practiced doing this. "I can't walk in these things," David told Saul. "I've never had any practice doing this." So David took all those things off.
40 He took his stick with him, picked out five smooth stones from the riverbed, and put them in his shepherd's bag. With a sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
41 The Philistine, preceded by the man carrying his shield, was coming closer and closer to David.
42 When the Philistine got a good look at David, he despised him. After all, David was a young man with a healthy complexion and good looks.
43 The Philistine asked David, "Am I a dog that you come to [attack] me with sticks?" So the Philistine called on his gods to curse David.
44 "Come on," the Philistine told David, "and I'll give your body to the birds."
45 David told the Philistine, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the army of Israel, whom you have insulted.
46 Today the LORD will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And this day I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals. The whole world will know that Israel has a God.
47 Then everyone gathered here will know that the LORD can save without sword or spear, because the LORD determines every battle's outcome. He will hand all of you over to us."
48 When the Philistine moved closer in order to attack, David quickly ran toward the opposing battle line to attack the Philistine.
49 Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, hurled it from his sling, and struck the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into Goliath's forehead, and he fell to the ground on his face.
50 So using [only] a sling and a stone, David proved to be stronger than the Philistine. David struck down and killed the Philistine, even though David didn't have a sword in his hand.
51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took Goliath's sword, pulled it out of its sheath, and made certain the Philistine was dead by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw their hero had been killed, they fled.
52 Then the soldiers of Israel and Judah rose up, shouted a battle cry, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines lay on the road to Shaaraim and all the way to Gath and Ekron.
53 When the Israelites came back from their pursuit of the Philistines, they looted all the goods in the Philistine camp.
54 David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's armor in his tent.
55 As Saul watched David going out against the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" Abner answered, "I solemnly swear, as you live, Your Majesty, I don't know."
56 The king said, "Find out whose son this young man is."
57 When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul. David had the Philistine's head in his hand.
58 Saul asked him, "Whose son are you, young man?" "The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem," David answered.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.