1 Samuel 13-15 What God Wants Most

1 Samuel 13-15 What God Wants Most

Psalm 42:1-5 Talking to Your Soul

Ps 42:1 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day. 5 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise Him for the saving help of His presence.

Observations: Once again God has put you on hold, and your soul is going through withdrawal. Eating tears isn't very soul-nourishing. So what's the solution?

Application: Continue to hope in God and look to praise Him for His presence and help.

See: Praying in the Garden on Truthbase.net for how Jesus poured out His soul to God.

Prayer: God of My Hope, I praise You, the Living God, for being the One who saves and helps His children. Fill me with joy in Your presence. Amen.

Proverbs 11:24-31 The Wise and Righteous Flourish

Pr 11:24 “There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty. 25 The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself. 26 People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27 He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls. 31 Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth; how much more the wicked and the sinner!“

Observations: 11:24-29 This first group of verses advocate a generosity that seeks the good of others, and results in multiple blessings accruing to the giver. The selfish person who seeks only their own benefit will be cursed and come to ruin. So choose the wise objective of doing what is benefical to others, and you will flourish.

11:30-31 Proverbs said that wisdom was a tree of life for those who hold on to her. The righteous live and speak wisely, so that others can find life. The one who is wise wins souls, or as some translations put it, the one who wins souls is wise. Either way, souls should be won by the wise, bringing them into the paths of wisdom and righteousness. Those people will be rewarded, repaid here on earth. The wicked will also be paid back, with consequences they could have avoided if they followed the way of wisdom.

Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

Application: Be generous with your material and spiritual blessing, and you will be blessed even more.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the abundance You've bestowed upon me in meeting my needs so that I can share what is good with others; may my words also bless others, winning them to the way of wisdom and life. Amen

1Samuel 13-15 Even though he was God's supernaturally appointed and anointed choice for king, Saul didn't develop a dependent relationship with God. As a result, he unfaithfully looked to his own natural resources when in need, disobeyed God's word, and gets disqualified from his privileged position. He is emblematic of God's chosen people. If you're short on time, skip to the middle of Chapter 15, where God tells us what He values from us above all else.

1 Samuel 13 The Test of the Timetable

13:1 Saul reigned...over Israel 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" 4 All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. 5 The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. 7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering. 10 It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; 12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of Yahweh.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering."

13 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you."

15 Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18 and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears"; 20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, picks, axe, and sickle; 21 yet they had a file for the pick, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Observations: 13:1-7 The exact number of years are corrupted in the original Hebrew text which is why translations differ here; no biggie. Jonathan, Saul's son attacks the Philistines; they counter-attack with a multitude; Saul assembles the troops who start to panic.

13:8-12 Saul half-heartedly obeys the first command given him (10:8), to wait seven days for Samuel to come and offer the sacrifice. Looking at the people scattering rather than at God's command, Saul concludes that Samuel isn't going to show up, and violates another command of intruding into the priest's office. Just as he finishes (great timing, as are most of God's tests) Samuel shows up as promised. He blames Samuel and justifies himself with excuses, cloaking his disobedience under the religious veneer of seeking God's favor (he had to force himself to do it, since he knew it was wrong). If only he had waited like God said...(sigh).

13:13-14 The consequence of his unfaithful disobedience is loss of the kingship. Ouch! He rejected God's command; God rejects him, and seeks a man after God's own heart, who will do what God wants. We'll meet him in a few chapters.

13:15-23 Samuel leaves, and Saul is left with 600 men without real weapons. The Philistines deploy their troops to utterly destroy Saul.

Questions: When God doesn't meet your “reasonable” timetable, what do you do?

Application: God is never late, but tests our loyalty and obedience by sometimes waiting to beyond the last minute (from our perspective) to act. When tempted to take matters into your own hands, choose to obey the revealed will of God and trust Him for the fallout.

Prayer: Great and Mighty God, You have repeatedly shown Yourself to be trustworthy; don't let me ever abandon my commitment of trust and let me obey You. Amen.

1 Samuel 14 Smart Son, Stupid King

14: 1 Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side." But he didn’t tell his father. 2 Saul stayed in Gibeah...3 and Ahijah, the son of Ichabod’s brother...wearing an ephod. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few." 7 His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart." 8 Then Jonathan said, "we will reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us." 11 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" 12 "Come up to us, and we will show you something!" Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 13 Jonathan climbed up..and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time. 19 It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand!" 20 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow: a very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines...turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’" The people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines." 31 They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 32 and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood." He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me this day!" 34 Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.’" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there. 
35 Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh. 36 Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God." 37 Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn’t answer him that day. 38 Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 39 For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." 41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Show the right." Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped. 42 Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." Jonathan was selected. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!" Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die." 44 Saul said, "God do so (to me) and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan." 45 The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day!" So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. 48 He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 52 There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Observations: 14:1-5 Here's an interesting variation on a theme, the son surpasses the father in trusting and serving God. Usually it's the other way around. Jonathan, who initiated the offensive against the Philistines (king's job) is now used by God to deliver the nation (king's job). Saul stays in camp with a nephew of Ichabod (glory departed). Saul eventually moves in the right direction, after a couple of stupid, self-centered blunders.

14:6-16 Jonathan has the right view of the situation and of God, recognizing that He can save with many or few (Lev 26:8; Dt 32:20), against hundreds of thousands of the uncircumcised enemies of God and His people. He steps out in faith in the revelation that God is the deliverer of Israel, and that He uses people to accomplish His purposes. A victory over twenty and a timely earthquake causes the multitude to melt and attack each other.

14:17-33 Impotent Saul-come-lately and the Israelites join in chasing the fleeing Philistines. Even though Yahweh had saved Israel in verse 23, Saul pridefully wants to be avenged against “his” enemies, so he troubles/distresses Israel by cursing anyone who eats anything rather than killing Philistines. Jonathan is busy doing God's work, didn't hear and tastes some honey, which strengthens him. Due to their lack of energy, the slaughter of the enemy was much less than it could have been. The hunger impels people to eat the improperly slaughtered captured animals with the blood, sinning against Yahweh.

14:34-46 Saul sets up a stone and altar, his first (about time) and inquires of God to see if they should continue the moping up at night. God doesn't answer (sin has that effect on one's relationship with God), so Saul pronounces a death sentence upon whomever has sinned, even if it's Jonathan (ha-ha). Casting lots reveal that Jonathan has violated the kings rash curse. Jonathan confesses without any excuse or justification, and accepts the death sentence. Saul with a repulsive slimy hypocrisy takes another stupid oath asking God to punish himself (and more) if Jonathan doesn't die. Fortunately the people have more sense than stupid Saul and rescue Jonathan whom God used to rescue them. Historically, it usually doesn't work like this. Saul reveals his insensitivity to God's heart and will, and is disgraced as the people overrule his silliness.

14:47-52 Saul has limited success in constant battles all of his days. He doesn't secure peace for Israel by eliminating their enemies. He has to recruit his army of valiant men (people volunteered for David's army).

Application: God works through those who have faith in His revealed will and character, and disgraces the disloyal.

Prayer: Lord, I believe that You will do what You said You'd do; I devote my life to being used by You for Your glory. Amen.

1 Samuel 15 Obedience Beats Ritual

15:1 Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the words of Yahweh. 2 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, ‘I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’"

4 Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn’t utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 "It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night. 12 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal." 13 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by Yahweh! I have performed the commandment of Yahweh." 14 Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?" 15 Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest."

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me last night." He said to him, "Say on." 17 Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel; 18 and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then didn’t you obey the voice of Yahweh, but took the spoils, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?" 20 Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal." 22 Samuel said, "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king."

24 Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh." 26 Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel." 27 As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 29 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent." 30 Then he said, "I have sinned: yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God." 31 So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh.

32 Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites!" Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 33 Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Observations: 15:1-15 Saul again fails to completely and wholeheartedly obey, and blames others for his failure. Even though chosen by God, he is so insensitive to His will (because of his preoccupation with his own will stemming from his inadequacy), that he boasts that he's doing good. The bleating of the sheep betrays his folly of turning from following God.

15:16-23 Even though he knows he's wrong (next comment) Saul adds more lies to his rebellion (they often go hand in hand), again asserting his innocence, and blaming the people. Samuel reproves him in words that every religiously inclined person should cross-stitch on their pillowcase: God values the total obedience of our will more than the totality of the trinkets we offer Him. Failure to obey is rebellion, as displeasing to God as demonic divination. So is stubbornness, which comes from a word that means to push or urge one's will upon another; it was used of the Sodomites seeking to exert their will upon Lot's visitors (Gen 19). In the Hiphil (causative stem) it carries the meaning of arrogant presumption, and in our verse is equated with idolatry (see the first commandment -Ex 20).

15:24-31 The hypocritical liar is unmasked, as Saul confess the conscious reason for his sin: he feared people rather than God, and obeyed them rather than Him. In response to the disloyal exercise of Saul's will, God rejects him, because Saul first rejected God. Saul appears more concerned about how things will appear in front of people than with losing the kingship.

15:32-35 Samuel finishes the job in killing Agag. He mourns for Saul, and God grieves (just like in the days of Noah) that He made Saul king.

Application: Never confuse religious ritual with obsessive obedience to the revealed will of God. God requires our totally loyal obedience, and will accept no substitutes.

Prayer: God, You are worthy of the utter and complete devotion of my life; may I never offer You anything less. Show me any spots where the stain of Saul has soiled my service of You. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God has a will that He expects us to do. He delights in our complete unreserved obedience, and despises our disloyalty and rebellion. He intervenes in human affairs for the benefit of His people, using our faithful service to accomplish His purposes to bless or curse. He can bring about incredible victory through one individual who is willing to take Him at His word. God patiently and graciously spares us from some of the consequences of our sin, giving us time to learn and repent, but when we reject Him, He has no choice but to give us the sovereign consequences we've chosen.

Us in a nutshell: We are masters at coming up with reasons for doing our will at the expense of God's will. If we don't get our worth and value from pleasing God, we will sell out our obedience to Him in order to get our self-worth and significance from doing what is pleasing in the sight of others. This usually backfires, and we get covered with soot. We foolishly think we can deceive God with excuses and appease Him with religious ritual. (He's too smart to be taken in by our schemes.) We have the capacity to reject God and His will for us, and reap what we have sown. When caught by our sin, repentance is always the best course of action, even if it doesn't remove all our consequences.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net
Role of Obedience (see part 2 and the contrast with Rebellion)
How Obedience Glorifies God

1Samuel complete text

1 Samuel 13

13:1 Saul reigned a year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" 4 All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. 5 The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. 7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering. 10 It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; 12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favour of Yahweh.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering." 13 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you."

15 Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18 and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears"; 20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; 21 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

1 Samuel 14

14: 1 Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armour, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side." But he didn’t tell his father. 2 Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone. 4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few." 7 His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart." 8 Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us." 11 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" 12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something!" Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time. 19 It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand!" 20 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow: a very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’" The people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines." 31 They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 32 and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood." He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me this day!" 34 Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.’" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there. 35 Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.

36 Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God." 37 Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn’t answer him that day. 38 Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 39 For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." 41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Show the right." Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped. 42 Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." Jonathan was selected. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!" Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die." 44 Saul said, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan." 45 The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day!" So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. 48 He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50 and the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

1 Samuel 15

15:1 Samuel said to Saul, "Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the words of Yahweh. 2 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, ‘I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’" 4 Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 8 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn’t utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 "It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night. 12 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal." 13 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by Yahweh! I have performed the commandment of Yahweh." 14 Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?" 15 Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest." 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me last night." He said to him, "Say on." 17 Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel; 18 and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then didn’t you obey the voice of Yahweh, but took the spoils, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?" 20 Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal." 22 Samuel said, "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king."

24 Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh." 26 Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel." 27 As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours who is better than you. 29 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent." 30 Then he said, "I have sinned: yet please honour me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God." 31 So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshipped Yahweh.

32 Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites!" Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 33 Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 8-12 Israel Disses God and Demands a King

1 Samuel 8-12 Israel Disses God and Demands a King

Psalm 41:6-13 Knowing God Delights in You

Ps 41:6 (4 I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you.") 6 If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it. 7 All who hate me whisper together against me. They imagine the worst for me. 8 "An evil disease," they say, "has afflicted him. Now that he lies he shall rise up no more." 9 Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But you, Yahweh, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me. 12 As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. 13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen."

Observations: 41:1-5 See post on Numbers 18-20 for vv 1-5, in which the psalmist implores God to heal him from the physical illness he has incurred because of his spiritual ill-health. He had previously been blessed because of his concern for the poor and humble, but now finds himself in dire straits.

41:6- Adding to his grief are the false friends and false speakers. Those with whom he ate bread have violated Middle Eastern custom in turning against him. But his trust is in God who has mercy on His repentant people. The psalmist asks to be raised up to repay his enemies. He knows that God delights in Him, because He has not allowed his enemies to triumph over him. He blesses God, because he knows God will uphold and bless him once again.

Application: The fact that we are not consumed by our enemies is a token of God's favor, for which we should praise Him, while awaiting further deliverance and delight.

Prayer: God, thanks that I can trust in You, and know I will never be disappointed (unlike when I trust in people); thanks too, that You protect me and will set me in Your presence to enjoy You forever. Amen.

Proverbs 11:19-23 Pick a Path to Pleasure or Pain

Pr 11:19 “As righteousness leads to life. He who pursues evil finds his own death. 20 Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Yahweh, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight. 21 Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the seed of the righteous will be delivered. 22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous is only good. The expectation of the wicked is wrath.“

Observations: 11:19-23 This group of proverbs describe the outcomes of two choices or behaviors, and in doing so are classic wisdom literature. Righteousness results in life, delighting God, deliverance, and good. Evil results in death, displeasing God, punishment, and wrath. Which is the wiser choice? Verse 22 doesn't initially appear to fit the pattern until one recognizes the chiastic structure centered around verse 21, with 19 corresponding to 23 and 20 to 22 (around the theme of what is pleasing or displeasing). Taken on it's own, there is an important lesson in verse 22. Beauty with window dressing (ie, make-up, jewelery, etc) but without character (discretion) is about as attractive as an ornamented pig.

Application: Where do you want to go? What path will get you there? (Wisdom is choosing the right objective and the right means of attaining it.)

Prayer: Lord, I want to have an abundant life, and use it to please and glorify You, as I experience your goodness. Amen.

1Samuel 8-12 These chapters detail the demand of the people for a king to fight their battles, in spite of the downsides and the disloyalty to God their demand entails. Instead of being holy to God and looking to Him for deliverance, they want to look just like the pagan nations (who incur God's destruction rather than deliverance). God lets them choose their way, and they violate the covenant, but He remains loyal to His promises to bless or curse depending upon their obedience.

1 Samuel 8 Seeking a King

8:1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah; 5 and they said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. 9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them." 10 Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king. 11 He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; 12 and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. 18 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." 21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. 22 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

Observations: 8:1-3 Samuel was so busy running all over the country side judging God's people, that he neglected the home front. He might as well have been sitting in Eli's lazy-boy recliner, for just like Eli, he raised boys without self-control who did not fear God. This proves to be a stumbling block for the nation, serving as the impetus to repudiate God's rulership.

8:4-6 Instead of being a holy people, separate and distinct from all the nations, the Israelites reject God as their king, and want to be just like the other nations with a king to go before them and fight their battles instead of Yahweh.

8:7-18 God has Samuel warn them that the king will take the best of their stuff and people, and then levy a ten percent tax on top of that; they will cry out to God for deliverance from the king, but God won't listen (because they didn't want to listen to Him). The last chapter of Judges (See that post, under Digging Deeper) presents an “ad hoc” form of government which was much less expensive than supporting a kingly administration and a standing army.

8:19-22 Like all stupid sinners intent on having their poisonous will at the expense of God's perfect will, they are immune to reason, and want to be just like the other nations. God agrees, because He's spent enough time dealing with their rejection, and, He has a plan.

Application: Confidence in God gives courage to not be a lemming like everyone else.

Prayer: Mighty and wise God, may I never settle for the security of decaying flesh at the expense of living under Your protection and blessing. Amen.

1 Samuel 9 Seeking Donkeys

9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish...a mighty man of valour. 2 He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3 The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys." 5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys, and be anxious for us." 6 He said to him, "See now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go." 7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" 8 The servant answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way."

15 Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me." 17 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, "Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people."

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Please tell me where the seer’s house is." 19 Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father’s house?" 21 Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?" 27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant pass on before us" (and he passed on), "but stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God."

Observations: 9:1-8 Saul is introduced as an outwardly impressive young man, on a quest for his father's donkeys. He providentially finds himself at Saul's town and stops to ask for help.

9:15-17 The Lord of heaven, earth, kings and donkeys revealed to Samuel that Saul was His choice for king. A seer, someone who could see or perceive God's will is what they called a prophet.

9:18-27 Saul's response to the honor Samuel showed him betrayed his basic sense of inadequacy, similar to Gideon's.

Application: Our inner identity must conform to God's revelation about us, not our past imperfect reality.

Prayer: God who calls into being what previously didn't exist, may I view myself as You view me, and eagerly embrace Your truth about myself. Amen.

1 Samuel 10 No Confidence in God

10:1 Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, "Isn’t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"’ 3 "Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and three men shall meet you there going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 4 and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. 5 "After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: 6 and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 7 Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you. 8 "You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do."

9 It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. 10 When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them. 11 It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" 12 One of the same place answered, "Who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 13 When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14 Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" He said, "To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel." 15 Saul’s uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you." 16 Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

17 Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah; 18 and he said to the children of Israel, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you’: 19 but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands." 20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, "Is there yet a man to come here?" Yahweh answered, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage." 23 They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the people shouted, and said, "Let the king live!" 25 Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?" They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Observations: 10:1 Samuel anoints Saul as a prince (who rules under a King) of God's inheritance/possession, the nation of Israel.

10:2-8 Prophets also thanked and praised God (1Chron 25:1-3) Through Samuel, God gives Saul three signs that He is with him, and one instruction: wait for Samuel before the sacrifice.

All three signs are fulfilled, validating beyond a doubt that all Samuel said was from God. The instruction places the kingship under spiritual direction and was probably elaborated upon in conversation. It was not something to immediately do (as the next chapters indicate it would be impossible to do so), but a general rule for the future (so writes Josephus). Unfortunately by the time we get to Chapter 13, Saul will have forgotten this first command and the priority of obedience.

10:9-16 Even though Saul had the Spirit of God upon Him (although temporarily), and he had a different heart (10:6,9), his self image doesn't appear to change. Saul is silent about God's plan and his role in it, revealing his basic inadequacy. Hiding in the baggage rather than shouldering the responsibility to serve God is a sad picture of those who focus on themselves rather than God. Neither he nor Israel had confidence in God.

10:19 God again honors the choice of the people, even though they reject Him in making that choice. He doesn't force them to accept Him.

10:23-27 Samuel presents Saul as God's choice for their king; most acclaim him; some follow; and some reject.

Application: Rejecting God's way is always the more costly and painful option.

Prayer: God who delivers, help me have my focus and faith exclusively in You and Your promises. Amen.

1 Samuel 11 God Delivers Through Saul

11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." 2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel." 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven day, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, "What ails the people that they weep?" They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’" The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you." 11 It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 The people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!" 13 Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel." 14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there." 15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Observations: 11:1 The town had been wiped out in Judges 21, and eventually repopulated.

11:2-9 When farmer-king Saul hears the weeping and its cause, the Spirit of God comes temporarily upon him again, and he rallies the troops with fear of turning their oxen (means of farming) into BBQ. The fear of Yahweh comes upon the people and they unite to defend Jabesh Gilead.

11:8-14 God delivers under the leadership of Saul and people embrace (literally=intentionally renew) Saul's kingship.

Application: People who don't have a relationship with God based upon His revelation, rally around what they can see, rather than what God has said (no faith).

Prayer: God, no human can ever replace You in my life. Amen.

1 Samuel 12

12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom/bribe to blind my eyes therewith? I will restore it to you." 4 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man’s hand." 5 He said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness."

6 Samuel said to the people, "It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 "When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9 "But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us’; when Yahweh your God was your king. 13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.

14 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God. 15 But if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 "Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes. 17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for a king." 18 So Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. 19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king." 20 Samuel said to the people, "Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn aside to go after vain things which can’t profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people to himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king."

Observation: 12:1-5 Samuel was blameless in not defrauding or taking Israel's possessions (unlike future kings).

12:6-13 A brief history lesson shows the folly of wanting a king other than Yahweh, yet God gives them their demand, and the way to prosper under second-best.

12:14-20 Wholehearted obedience (fear, serve, listen, not rebel) is still required for blessing, and curses are promised for disloyalty. Samuel calls for and God delivers a unseasonal thunder and rain show to reinforce the teaching. Samuel underscores the evilness of the people in seeking protection apart from God (covenantal disloyalty). The people confess their sins and seek Yahweh's protection.

12:20-25 Samuel prays for and instructs the people, repeating the covenantal obligation to follow in truth with all their heart for continued blessing, and promising destruction for disloyalty.

Application: Regardless of whether we're experiencing God's best or second-best, the best course of action is to wholeheartedly trust and obey.

Prayer: God, I've set my heart to follow You all of my days; guide my heart and will to do what is pleasing in Your sight. Thanks. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God patiently nudges people toward what's best for them, but lets them make choices and live with the consequences of their choices, even though they choose poorly. He is faithful to let us reap the mandated consequences for sin, and when we repent, He graciously relents and rescues us. He calls us to hear, fear, serve, trust obey Him in order to reap His blessings, even when we've rejected Him.

Us in a nutshell: We have a seemingly limitless capacity for stupidity and low tolerance for self-inflicted pain which results from bad choices. We tend to have a limited memory of what God has done for us, and a boundless enthusiasm for straying from Him. We base our worth and value on what we incorrectly perceive, and improperly process, rather than on what God has revealed; consequently, we reject Him and feel inadequate. We can't experience His best, or even second-best, while rejecting Him.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

1Samuel complete text

1 Samuel 8

8:1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3 His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah; 5 and they said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to Yahweh. 7 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. 9 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them." 10 Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked of him a king. 11 He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; 12 and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. 18 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." 21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yahweh. 22 Yahweh said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

1 Samuel 9

9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valour. 2 He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3 The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys." 4 He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren’t there: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them. 5 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys, and be anxious for us." 6 He said to him, "See now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honour. All that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go." 7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" 8 The servant answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way." 9 (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, "Come, and let us go to the seer"; for he who is now called a prophet was before called a Seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?" 12 They answered them, and said, "He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place. 13 As soon as you have come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you shall find him." 14 They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place. 15 Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me." 17 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, "Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people."

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Please tell me where the seer’s house is." 19 Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father’s house?" 21 Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?" 22 Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’" 24 The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, "Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because for the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’" So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. 26 They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, "Get up, that I may send you away." Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant pass on before us" (and he passed on), "but stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God."

1 Samuel 10

10:1 Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, "Isn’t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"’ 3 "Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and three men shall meet you there going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 4 and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. 5 "After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: 6 and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 7 Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you. 8 "You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do."

9 It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. 10 When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them. 11 It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" 12 One of the same place answered, "Who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 13 When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14 Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" He said, "To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel." 15 Saul’s uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you." 16 Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

17 Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah; 18 and he said to the children of Israel, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you’: 19 but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands." 20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, "Is there yet a man to come here?" Yahweh answered, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage." 23 They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the people shouted, and said, "Let the king live!" 25 Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?" They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

1 Samuel 11

11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." 2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel." 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven day, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." 4 Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, "What ails the people that they weep?" They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 8 He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’" The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you." 11 It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

12 The people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!" 13 Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel." 14 Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there." 15 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel 12

12:1 Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? I will restore it to you." 4 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man’s hand." 5 He said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness."

6 Samuel said to the people, "It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 "When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9 "But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us’; when Yahweh your God was your king. 13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God. 15 But if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 "Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes. 17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for a king." 18 So Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. 19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king." 20 Samuel said to the people, "Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn aside to go after vain things which can’t profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people to himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 25 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king."