Study Desk

Samuel said he would meet Saul at Gilgal. Saul waited there seven days. But Samuel had not yet come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to leave Saul.

But now your kingdom won't continue. The Lord was looking for a man who wants to obey him. He has found that man—and the Lord has chosen him to be the new leader of his people, because you didn't obey his command."

That day, Saul's son Jonathan was talking with the young man who carried his weapons. Jonathan said, "Let's go to the Philistine camp on the other side of the valley." But Jonathan did not tell his father.

But if the Philistine men say, ‘Come up here,' then we will climb up to them. That will be a sign from God. That will mean that the Lord will allow us to defeat them."

Saul was talking to Ahijah the priest waiting for advice from God . But the noise and confusion in the Philistine camp was growing and growing. Saul was becoming impatient. Finally, he said to Ahijah the priest, "That's enough. Put your hand down and stop praying ."

There were Hebrews who served the Philistines in the past and who stayed in the Philistine camp. But now these Hebrews joined the Israelites with Saul and Jonathan.

But Saul made a big mistake that day. He made this oath: "If any man eats food before evening comes, before I finish defeating my enemies, he will be under a curse." He made the soldiers promise not to eat. So none of them ate anything.

Because of the fighting, the people went into some woods. Then they saw a honeycomb on the ground. The Israelites went up to the honeycomb, but they didn't eat any of it. They were afraid to break the promise.

But Jonathan didn't know about the oath. He didn't hear his father make the soldiers promise not to eat. Jonathan had a stick in his hand, so he dipped the end of the stick into the honeycomb and pulled out some honey. He ate the honey and began to feel much better.

Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight. We will take everything from them. We will kill them all!" The army answered, "Do whatever you think is best." But the priest said, "Let's ask God."

So Saul asked God, "Should I go chase the Philistines? Will you let us defeat the Philistines?" But God did not answer Saul that day.

Then Saul prayed, " Lord , God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Show us who sinned. If it was I or my son Jonathan, give Urim. But if it was your people Israel who sinned, give Thummim." Saul and Jonathan were shown to be the ones who sinned, and the people went free.

But the soldiers said to Saul, "Jonathan led Israel to a great victory today. Must Jonathan die? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of Jonathan's head will fall to the ground! God helped Jonathan fight against the Philistines today." So the people saved Jonathan from death.

Agag was the king of the Amalekites. Saul captured Agag alive. Saul let Agag live, but he killed all the men in Agag's army.

Samuel got up early the next morning and went to meet Saul. But the people told Samuel, "Saul went to Carmel. He went there to set up a stone monument to honor himself. Then he left there and went down to Gilgal." So Samuel went to Saul. Saul had just offered the first part of the things he took from the Amalekites as a burnt offering to the Lord.

But Samuel said, "Then what is that sound I hear? Why do I hear sheep and cattle?"

Saul said, "The soldiers took them from the Amalekites. They saved the best sheep and cattle to burn as sacrifices to the Lord your God. But we destroyed everything else."

Samuel said, "In the past you didn't think that you were important, but the Lord chose you to be the king. So you became the leader of the tribes of Israel.

Saul said, "But I did obey the Lord ! I went where the Lord sent me. I destroyed all the Amalekites. I brought back only one—their king Agag.

But Samuel answered, "Which pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obeying his commands? It is better to obey the Lord than to offer sacrifices to him. It is better to listen to him than to offer the fat from rams.