…When he had ruled two years…Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; …two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in Mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan Saul’s son in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in number: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a difficult situation, (for the people were distressed) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

And Saul waited seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from Saul. And he said, "Bring here a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings." And Saul offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering it, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

And Samuel said, "What have you done? And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you came not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; So said I, ‘The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made a plea unto the LORD’: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering."

And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom upon Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has found him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be captain over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you." And Samuel arose, and got him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin.

And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, stayed in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines camped in Michmash. And there was terrible war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

Samuel also said unto Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen…unto the voice of the words of the LORD. This says the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."

And Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah until you come to Shur, that is over against Egypt. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, "It regrets me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, "Blessed be you of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD."

And Samuel said, "What is the meaning then this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"

And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed."

Then Samuel said unto Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me this night. When you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel? And the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but did fly upon the loot, and did evil in the sight of the LORD?" And Saul said unto Samuel, "Truly, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD your God in Gilgal."

And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Look, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king."

And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray you, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD."

And Samuel said unto Saul, "I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel." And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it tore.

And Samuel said unto him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, that is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent."

Then Saul said, "I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God." So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house.… And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

And the LORD said unto Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go, I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, "Come you peacefully?" And Samuel said, "Peacefully: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when they were come, that Samuel looked on Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him."

But the LORD said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these…are all your children here?" And Jesse said, "There remains yet the youngest, and, look, he keeps the sheep." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he comes here." And Jesse sent, and brought David in.

Now David was ruddy, and had a beautiful countenance, and was good to look at. And the LORD said,

"Arise, anoint him: for this is he." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were…at Shochoh, which belonged to Judah…. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us." When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

REFERENCES

1 Samuel 13:1-2, 5-16; 1 Samuel 14:52; 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7, 9-11, 13-31, 34-35; 1 Samuel 16:1, 4-7, 10-13; 1 Samuel 17:1, 4, 10; 1 Samuel 17:9,11.

CHAPTER 23