Study Desk

On hearing the shout, the P'lishtim asked, "What does this great shout in the Hebrews' camp mean?" Then they realized that the ark of Adonai had arrived in the camp,

Be strong; and behave like men, you P'lishtim; so that you won't become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Behave like men, and fight!"

Y'honatan assassinated the governor of the P'lishtim in Geva. The P'lishtim heard of it; so Sha'ul had the shofar sounded throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

while some of the Hebrews crossed the Yarden to the territory of Gad and Gil‘ad. But Sha'ul was still in Gilgal, where all the people were eager to follow him.

Now there was no metalsmith to be found anywhere in all the land of Isra'el, because the P'lishtim had said, "We don't want the Hebrews making themselves swords or spears."

So both of them let their presence be known to the garrison of the P'lishtim; and the P'lishtim said, "Look, some Hebrews coming out of the holes they've been hiding in!"

The Hebrews from the surrounding countryside who had previously been with the P'lishtim and had gone up with them into the camp deserted and went over to Isra'el with Sha'ul and Y'honatan.

The chiefs of the P'lishtim asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Akhish answered the chiefs of the P'lishtim, "This is David, who was a servant of Sha'ul, king of Isra'el. He's been with me now for well over a year, and I haven't found anything wrong with him between the time he deserted to me and now."