Study Desk

Then Saul replied to the boy, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?"

(Formerly in Israel, anyone who went to inquire of God would say, "Come, let us go to the seer"; for the one who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)

As soon as you enter the town, you will find him, before he goes up to the shrine to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately."

"Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the suffering of my people, because their outcry has come to me."

Samuel answered Saul, "I am the seer; go up before me to the shrine, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.

As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, give no further thought to them, for they have been found. And on whom is all Israel's desire fixed, if not on you and on all your ancestral house?"

The cook took up the thigh and what went with it and set them before Saul. Samuel said, "See, what was kept is set before you. Eat; for it is set before you at the appointed time, so that you might eat with the guests." So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

When they came down from the shrine into the town, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep.

As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the boy to go on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God."

Now when these signs meet you, do whatever you see fit to do, for God is with you.

But Saul said, "No one shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has brought deliverance to Israel."

Now therefore take your stand, so that I may enter into judgment with you before the Lord , and I will declare to you all the saving deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your ancestors.

See, here is the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; see, the Lord has set a king over you.

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord , that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the Lord is great in demanding a king for yourselves."

All the people said to Samuel, "Pray to the Lord your God for your servants, so that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of demanding a king for ourselves."

and do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they are useless.

For the Lord will not cast away his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Only fear the Lord , and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.

When the Israelites saw that they were in distress (for the troops were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns.