43Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me, what have you done?” And Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a bit of honey with the tip of the stick in my hand. I am ready to die.” 44Saul said, “Thus and more may God do:n You shall be put to death, Jonathan!” 45But the troops said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, after bringing this great victory to Israel? Never! As the LORD lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground! For he brought this day to pass with the help of God.” Thus the troops saved Jonathan and he did not die. 46Saul broke off his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their homes.
47After Saul had secured his kingship over Israel, he waged war on every side against all his enemies: against the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the Philistines, and the kingso of Zobah; and wherever he turned he worsted [them]. 48He was triumphant, defeating the Amalekites and saving Israel from those who plundered it.
49Saul’s sons were: Jonathan, Ishvi,p and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were Merab, the older, and Michal, the younger. 50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of his army commander was Abinerq son of Saul’s uncle Ner. 51Kish, Saul’s father, and Ner, Abner’s father, were sons of Abiel.
52There was bitter war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and whenever Saul noticed any stalwart man or warrior, he would take him into his service.
15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over His people Israel. Therefore, listen to the LORD’s command!
2“Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I am exacting the penalty for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt. 3Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribea all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses!”
4Saul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 men of Judah. 5Then Saul advanced as far as the city of Amalek and b-lay in wait-b in the wadi. 6Saul said to the Kenites, “Come, withdraw at once from among the Amalekites, that I may not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they left Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
7Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt, 8and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword; 9but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born,c the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only b-what was cheap and worthless.-b
10The word of the LORD then came to Samuel: 11“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated the LORD all night long. 12Early in the morning Samuel went to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, where he erected a monument for himself; then he left and went on down to Gilgal.”
13When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have fulfilled the LORD’s command.” 14“Then what,” demanded Samuel, “is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of oxen that I hear?” 15Saul answered, “They were brought from the Amalekites, for the troops spared the choicest of the sheep and oxen for sacrificing to the LORD your God. And we proscribed the rest.” 16Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night!” “Speak,” he replied. 17And Samuel said, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the tribes of Israel. The LORD anointed you king over Israel, 18and the LORD sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and proscribe the sinful Amalekites; make war on them until you have exterminated them.’ 19Why did you disobey the LORD and swoop down on the spoil d-in defiance of the LORD’s will?”-d 20Saul said to Samuel, “But I did obey the LORD! I performed the mission on which the LORD sent me: I captured King Agag of Amalek, and I proscribed Amalek, 21and the troops took from the spoil some sheep and oxen—the best of what had been proscribed—to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” 22But Samuel said:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As much as in obedience to the LORD’s command?
Surely, obedience is better than sacrifice,
Compliance than the fat of rams.
23For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
Defiance, like the iniquity of teraphim.e
Because you rejected the LORD’s command,
He has rejected you as king.”
24Saul said to Samuel, “I did wrong to transgress the LORD’s command and your instructions; but I was afraid of the troops and I yielded to them. 25Please, forgive my offense and come back with me, and I will bow low to the LORD.” 26But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s command, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel.”
27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore. 28And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has this day torn the kingship over Israel away from you and has given it to another who is worthier than you. 29Moreover, the Gloryb of Israel does not deceive or change His mind, for He is not human that He should change His mind.” 30But [Saul] pleaded, “I did wrong. Please, honor me in the presence of the elders of my people and in the presence of Israel, and come back with me until I have bowed low to the LORD your God.” 31So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul bowed low to the LORD.
32Samuel said, “Bring forward to me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag approached him f-with faltering steps;-f and Agag said, “Ah, bitter death is at hand!”b
33Samuel said:
“As your sword has bereaved women,
So shall your mother be bereaved among women.”
And Samuel b-cut Agag down-b before the LORD at Gilgal.
34Samuel then departed for Ramah, and Saul went up to his home at Gibeah of Saul.
16 34Samuel never saw Saul again to the day of his death. But Samuel grieved over Saul, because the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. 1And the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and set out; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have decided on one of his sons to be king.” 2Samuel replied, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrificial feast, and then I will make known to you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I point out to you.” 4Samuel did what the LORD commanded. When he came to Bethlehem, the elders of the city went out in alarm to meet him and said, “Do you come on a peaceful errand?” 5”Yes,” he replied, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and join me in the sacrificial feast.” He also instructed Jesse and his sons to purify themselves and invited them to the sacrificial feast.
6When they arrived and he saw Eliab, he thought: “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands before Him.” 7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Pay no attention to his appearance or his stature, for I have rejected him. For not as man sees [does the LORD see];a man sees only what is visible, but the LORD sees into the heart.” 8Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel; but he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9Next Jesse presented Shammah; and again he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 10Thus Jesse presented seven of his sons before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”
11Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the boys you have?” He replied, “There is still the youngest; he is tending the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send someone to bring him, for we will not b-sit down to eat-b until he gets here.” 12So they sent and brought him. He was b-ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed,-b and handsome. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.” 13Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD gripped David from that day on. Samuel then set out for Ramah.
14Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD began to terrify him. 15Saul’s courtiers said to him, “An evil spirit of God is terrifying you. 16Let our lord give the order [and] the courtiers in attendance on you will look for someone who is skilled at playing the lyre; whenever the evil spirit of God comes over you, he will play itb and you will
