Study Desk

And they said to the messengers who came, So you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead. Tomorrow there shall be deliverance for you, in the heat of the sun. And the messengers came and related this to the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced.

And Saul said, Not a man shall be executed on this day, for today Jehovah worked deliverance in Israel.

And they cried to Jehovah and said, We have sinned, for we forsook Jehovah and served the Baals and the Ashtoroth, but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve You.

And you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, No, for a king shall reign over us even though Jehovah your God was king over you.

Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah and He will give sounds and rain. And know and see that your evil is great, that which you have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask a king for yourselves.

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants, that we may not die, for we have added this evil to all our sins to ask a king for ourselves.

And do not turn aside to go after worthless things which do not profit and do not deliver, for they are worthless.

For Jehovah will not abandon His people, for the sake of His great name. For Jehovah undertakes to make you a people for Himself.

Also I, far be it from me from sinning against Jehovah, from ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Only fear Jehovah and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for see that He has done great things for you.

And Saul chose for himself three thousand out of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in the hills of Bethel. And a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And he sent the rest of the people each to his tent.

And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, with thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the lip of the sea for multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

And the men of Israel saw that they were distressing to them, for the people were distressed. And the people hid themselves in caves, and in crevices, and in crags, and in tombs, and in cisterns.

And Samuel said to Saul, You have acted foolishly that you have not kept the command of Jehovah your God which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought out for Himself a man according to His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him as leader over His people. For you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.

And there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.

And the sharpening charge was a pim for the plowshares, and for the mattocks, and for the three pronged forks, and for the axes, and for setting the plowshares.

And Jonathan said to the young man bearing his weapons, Come, we shall cross over to the fort of these uncircumcised ones. It may be Jehovah will work for us, for there is no hindrance to Jehovah, to save by many or by few.

But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this will be the sign for us.

And the men of the fort answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has given them into the hand of Israel.