Study Desk

She named the child Ichabod (which means "Where is the glory?"), for she said, "Israel's glory is gone." She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead.

Then she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured."

The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, "Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it will kill us all." For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town.

The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the Lord as a burnt offering.

The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

Then Samuel told them, "Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you."

Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means "the stone of help"), for he said, "Up to this point the Lord has helped us!"

So the Philistines were subdued and didn't invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel's lifetime, the Lord 's powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.

Samuel continued as Israel's judge for the rest of his life.

But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance.

"Do everything they say to you," the Lord replied, "for they are rejecting me, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer.

So Samuel passed on the Lord 's warning to the people who were asking him for a king.

The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him.

He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.

When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you."

One day Kish's donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, "Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys."

(In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, "Let's go and ask the seer," for prophets used to be called seers.)

"About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry."

And don't worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel's hopes."