Study Desk

Sh'mu'el got up early in the morning to meet Sha'ul; however, Sh'mu'el was told, "Sha'ul came to Karmel to set up a monument for himself there, but now he has left and is on his way down to Gilgal."

But the people took some of the spoil, the best of the sheep and cattle set aside for destruction, to sacrifice to Adonai your God in Gilgal."

"For rebellion is like the sin of sorcery, stubbornness like the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Adonai , he too has rejected you as king."

Adonai said to Sh'mu'el, "How much longer are you going to go on grieving for Sha'ul, now that I have rejected him as king over Isra'el? Fill your horn with oil, and set out; I will send you to Yishai the Beit-Lachmi, because I have chosen myself a king from among his sons."

Summon Yishai to the sacrifice. I will tell you what to do, and you are to anoint for me the person I point out to you."

Let our lord now command your servants who are here with you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then, if the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play; and it will do you good."

The P'lishtim rallied their troops for war, assembling at Sokhoh in Y'hudah and setting up camp between Sokhoh and ‘Azekah in Efes-Damim.

He stood and yelled at the armies of Isra'el, "Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a P'lishti, and you are servants of Sha'ul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.

The people answered with what they had been saying, adding, "That's what will be done for the man who kills him."

The P'lishti looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw — a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks.

and everyone assembled here will know that Adonai does not save by sword or spear. For this is Adonai 's battle, and he will hand you over to us."

Sha'ul became very angry, because this song displeased him. He said, "They give David credit for tens of thousands, but me they give credit for only thousands. Now all he lacks is the kingdom!"

Sha'ul said to David, "Here is my older daughter Merav. I will give her to you as your wife; only continue displaying your courage for me, and fight Adonai 's battles." Sha'ul was thinking, "I don't dare touch him, so let the P'lishtim do away with him."

However, when it was time for Merav Sha'ul's daughter to be given to David, she was given to Adri'el the Mecholati as his wife.

Sha'ul said, "Here's what you are to say to David: ‘The king doesn't want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P'lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king's enemies." For Sha'ul was hoping to have David killed by the P'lishtim.

When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king's son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married],

This only made Sha'ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha'ul became David's enemy for the rest of his life.

Y'honatan spoke well of David to Sha'ul his father and said to him, "The king shouldn't sin against his servant David, because he hasn't sinned against you. On the contrary, his work for you has been very good indeed.

He put his life in his hands to attack the P'lishtim, and Adonai accomplished a great victory for all Isra'el. You yourself saw it, and you were happy about it. So why do you want to sin against innocent blood by killing David without any reason?"