Study Desk

Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name."

Then Saul swore to her by the LORD: "As surely as the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this."

"Whom shall I bring up for you?" the woman asked. "Bring up Samuel," he replied.

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, "Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

and David inquired of the LORD: "Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," the LORD replied, "for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives."

a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.

but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man's wife and children. They may take them and go."

And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute as an ordinance for Israel to this very day.

When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, "Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies."

Then he begged me, 'Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me but my life still lingers.'

They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

For David had said to the Amalekite, "Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth testified against you, saying, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'"

Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.

O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.

I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.

Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king."

Saul's son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.