1samuel s2019 PDF

1 Samuel - www.usefulbible.com - page 1.
[index]
www.usefulbible.com
1 Samuel: Bible Study and Commentary
Samuel, Saul and David

A Bible Study in EasyEnglish (2800 word
vocabulary) on the Book of 1 Samuel
Keith Simons
EasyEnglish is a system of simple English
designed by Wycliffe Associates (UK).
1 Samuel - www.usefulbible.com - page 2. [index]
Contents:
1 Samuel chapter 1 1 Samuel chapter 18
1 Samuel chapter 15 1 Samuel: a study
1 Samuel chapter 16 guide
1 Samuel chapter 17
1 Samuel chapter 1
God uses weak and humble
people to do great things
(1 Samuel 1:1-2)
Although 1 Samuel is a history book, its purpose is not to
teach history. 1 Corinthians 10:11 explains why such books
are in the Bible. God uses the events in these books to
teach and to warn his people today. The Bible’s history
books contain essential lessons for all of God’s people, today.
So we must not neglect their message.
The Book of 1 Samuel begins near the end of the period that
the Book of Judges describes. For several hundred years,
Israel had been a weak nation, without a king or even a
government. Although God had established a relationship
with that nation, its people were not often loyal to God.
Whenever an enemy dealt with the people in Israel cruelly,
they appealed to God for help. So God appointed someone to
act as Israel’s leader (or ‘judge’). That person gathered
Israel’s men into an army to defeat the enemy. During each
judge’s life, the people continued to serve God, but
afterwards, they started to serve false gods again.
The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel describe how God saved Israel

from this unsatisfactory situation. He made Israel into a
strong nation with a capable government and a king, David,
who truly loved God. God defeated Israel’s enemies and he
brought peace to the country. He also taught Israel’s people
how they could serve him in a better and more loyal manner.
We might imagine that it is only possible to achieve such

great things by means of powerful and impressive leaders.
Nations usually choose proud people with strong opinions to
be their rulers (Mark 10:42). That was the kind of king that
the people in Israel wanted (1 Samuel 8:20). But that is not
how God works.
David, the king whom God chose for Israel, was a sincere and
humble man. (A ‘humble’ person is willing to learn the lessons
that God teaches and to obey his instructions.) That was the
character of the man whom God used to defeat Israel’s
enemies. David loved God; and God made wonderful promises
to David about the future of David’s family (2 Samuel 7:12-
16).
God began to do these wonderful things with two events that

seemed very weak. At about the same time, two babies were
born. In the Book of Ruth, we read about how Ruth became a
mother. She was a poor widow and a foreigner. However,
Israel’s royal family came from her family.
At the start of the Book of 1 Samuel, we read how Hannah

became a mother. She had been unable to have a child; but
God gave her a son, Samuel. Samuel was the prophet (holy
man) who appointed David to be Israel’s king.
Christian readers will notice how similar these events were

to the birth of Christ. At that time, Israel was again in a
weak situation. Foreign kings and foreign armies controlled
the nation. But God worked in a similar way. He used two
women, Elizabeth and Mary, whom people did not expect to
have babies. Elizabeth’s son was John, who prepared the
nation for Jesus. Mary’s son, of course, was Jesus, whom
Christians believe to be Israel’s king, from the family of
David. That is what his title, Christ, means: the king of
Israel. See Luke 1:5 to 2:7, and Matthew 1:1.
Elkanah and his family
(1 Samuel 1:3-8)
Even during the worst periods of Israel’s history, it seems
that a few people remained loyal to God. God used those few
people to rescue the nation and to carry out his purposes.
Those few people mattered more in God’s plans than all the
people who were not loyal to him.
Such a man was Elkanah. He lived at a time when even

leaders of the priests, Hophni and Phinehas, were behaving
in a wicked manner. However, Elkanah still continued to
serve God in a loyal manner.
Each year, Elkanah took an animal to God’s house in Shiloh.

At this time, God’s house was the sacred tent that Moses had
built (Exodus chapter 40). Elkanah’s gift to God was the kind
that Leviticus chapter 3 describes. The priests burned some
parts of the animal as a gift to God, and they kept some parts
for themselves. Elkanah received back the rest of the animal
for himself and his family to eat.
It was not wrong for Elkanah to have two wives. God’s law
permitted him to do that. However, the practice often caused
the kind of troubles that Hannah suffered. Often, one wife
was cruel to the other wife. Also, the children of different
wives often argued and fought against each other. It is
better for a man to have only one wife (1 Timothy 3:2).
Although Peninnah was cruel to Hannah, Elkanah himself

was kind to Hannah. He realised how difficult it was for
Hannah to be without children in such a situation. So he
showed her how much he loved her. Even if Hannah never
had any children, Elkanah would still love her. But still,
Hannah felt deeply sad. She strongly desired to have a son.
Hannah’s reaction to her sad

feelings
(1 Samuel 1:9-11)
When people feel deeply sad, they do not always behave in
the same way. Some people become bitter and angry against
God; they blame him for their troubles. However, in other
people’s lives, their troubles cause them to desire God more
and to ask for his help.
That is what Hannah did. She desired a son so much that she
made an extraordinary promise to God. If God gave her a
son, she would not keep that boy for herself. She would give
him to God, and he would be a Nazirite for his whole life.
The Nazirites were the people who obeyed the special rules
in Numbers chapter 6. They did not cut their hair. They did
not eat the fruit called grapes; and they did not drink grape
juice or any alcohol. They could not go near to a dead body,
so they could not attend a funeral, even for a close relative.
Usually people only became Nazirites for a certain period of

time, perhaps a few months. They did it because they wanted
to make a special promise to God. However, an angel (special
servant of God) had told Samson’s parents that Samson
should be a Nazirite for his whole life (Judges 13:2-5).
Perhaps Hannah had heard about that; it happened during
the same period of Israel’s history.
Hannah’s prayer was desperate, but her promise was

sincere. Her attitudes had changed. She no longer wanted a
son in order to please herself and her husband. Instead, she
now wanted a son who would serve God. Now she only
desired to please God. All that she hoped for, she had handed
over to him.
Eli gives God’s promise to

Hannah
(1 Samuel 1:12-20)
Eli was Israel’s chief priest. He was an old man, and he was a
weak man.
In fact, he was weak in many different ways. His eyes were

weak (1 Samuel 3:2) and his legs were probably weak (1
Samuel 1:9). He was too weak to stop his sons who were
behaving wickedly (1 Samuel 3:13). Also, although he
genuinely served God, his own relationship with God seemed
weak (1 Samuel 2:29).
Eli was unable to recognise the true nature of Hannah’s

prayer. People usually prayed aloud. Hannah was praying to
God silently, but in a sincere and desperate manner.
However, Eli thought that she had merely drunk too much
alcohol. So he spoke severely to her.
Eli had misunderstood, but Hannah explained her situation.

She had been praying to God in that strange manner because
she was so desperate and so sad. Eli realised his mistake
and he replied politely.
Perhaps Eli only intended a polite reply, but his words had
special meaning to Hannah. Because he was Israel’s chief
priest, he had authority to speak on God’s behalf. He had
said: ‘May the God of Israel give you what you have asked
for.’ Eli had authority from God to speak those words, so
Hannah accepted those words as a promise from God. She
believed that God had answered her prayer. That is faith: in
other words, active belief and trust in God.
Hannah’s sad feelings left her immediately. She had no

reason to be sad when she was trusting God. She returned
home and God helped her to have a baby by her husband.
After the usual time, her son was born. She called him
‘Samuel’; his name means ‘God hears’. She prayed silently,
but God still heard her prayer.
Hannah gives her son to God
(1 Samuel 1:21-28)
Hannah now had the son that she had so much desired.
However, she had promised God that she would give her
son to him (1 Samuel 1:11).
She explained her intentions to her husband. The boy would

remain at home with her while he still needed his mother’s
milk.
In ancient Israel, the time when a child no longer needed his

mother’s milk was an opportunity for a special party (Genesis
21:8). However, for young Samuel’s parents, this was a very
serious occasion. This was the day when they had promised
to hand over their son as a gift to God.
On this day, they took Samuel to God’s house, the sacred

tent at Shiloh. With him, they took some valuable gifts to
offer to God. When they had offered their gifts, they handed
their son over to Eli, the chief priest. Then they left Samuel
there. Now he belonged to God.
Leviticus 27:1-8 refers to the gift of people to God; Judges

11:34-39 may refer to the same thing. Those passages are
difficult to understand; 1 Samuel chapter 3 explains the
nature of Samuel’s work more clearly. Eli looked after the
boy; Samuel had to carry out duties as Eli’s servant. Samuel
could not become a priest because he did not belong to the
families of the priests (1 Chronicles 6:16-28). So, Samuel’s
duties were physical tasks, for example to act as a guard,
to look after lamps, to carry water or wood.
Such was the work that Samuel’s parents probably expected

him to do for the rest of his life. However, they did not yet
know about God’s plans for their son. When they gave their
boy to God, God accepted their gift. God had prepared a
great work for Samuel to do as his (God’s) servant.
1 Samuel chapter 2
Hannah’s prayer
(1 Samuel 2:1)
Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2:1-10) is one of a series of
important songs and prayers by women in the Bible. Other
examples are Miriam’s song (Exodus 15:20-21), Deborah’s
song with Barak (Judges chapter 5) and Mary’s song (Luke
1:46-55).
Poems by women from the ancient world are very rare.

Usually, men did not respect women and women had no
opportunity to learn to write. However, the Bible always
respects those women who served God. Although they did
not always serve God in the same ways as men, their work
for God was very important. Often the women served God in
a better and more loyal manner than the men did.
When Hannah spoke these words, she was speaking by the

power of the Holy Spirit. The words were hers, but God
gave her the power and knowledge to speak them. That fact
becomes clear when we compare Hannah’s prayer with other
similar passages, for example Luke 1:67-70, or 2 Samuel
chapter 22 and 2 Samuel 23:1-4. The fact should not surprise
us. Women can speak by the power of the Holy Spirit, even
as men can (Luke 1:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:5). In fact,
nobody can declare the truth about God except by the power
of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
At the start of her prayer, Hannah expresses the joy that

God has given to her. A horn is a sharp, bony point that
grows on the heads of some animals; Hannah uses the word
‘horn’ as a word-picture for strength. God has made her
strong and he has saved her from her enemies.
Hannah is not referring to the cruelty of her husband’s

second wife (1 Samuel 1:6-7). She speaks by the power of the
Holy Spirit; she declares future events. God saves his people
from all their enemies: from evil deeds, death, the devil and
hell.
It was right for Hannah to declare these things as she gave

her son to God. Samuel’s work for God was an important part
of God’s plan to save his people.
The one and only God
(1 Samuel 2:2)
Hannah prayed this prayer when she handed over her son,
Samuel, to work for God. God filled her with his Spirit and
with joy as she praised him. It seems clear that she did not
just speak these words from her own mind. God showed her
what she should say.
In 1 Samuel 2:1, Hannah spoke about the good things that

God does for his people. However, God’s people do not only
praise him because of the things that he does for them. They
also praise him because of who he is. In other words, they
praise him because of his perfect and wonderful character.
He is the holy God; and he is the only God.
All other gods are therefore false gods. None of them has
the right to be called holy. None of them is like the real God.
So really, they are not gods, although people may wrongly
call them that.
Hannah calls God her ‘Rock’, that is, her strong defence. In
several places, the Bible calls God a ‘Rock’. For example, see
Deuteronomy 32:4 and Psalm 18:2. As a storm has no effect
on a strong rock, so troubles cannot disturb God. As a house
on rock stands firm (Matthew 7:24-27), so God’s people can
always trust him. They do not need ever to be afraid,
because he will never disappoint them.
People may imagine that a false god can provide safety; but
of course, they are wrong. No other god can save (or
rescue) his people. No other god can keep his people safe.
Only the real God who created heaven and earth, can do
these things.
God’s judgements against his

proud enemies
(1 Samuel 2:3)
The way that God saves his people is perfect (1 Samuel 2:1).
His holy nature is perfect (1 Samuel 2:2). His judgements
against his proud enemies are perfect (1 Samuel 2:3).
Because God is holy, he saves his people from the proud
plans of their wicked enemies (1 Samuel 2:1-3).
These proud enemies prepare to fight against God’s servants.

They speak proudly because they are confident of success
(Psalm 2:1-3). They even dare to insult God himself.
However, their words are in vain, because God is on the

side of his people (Daniel 7:20-22). He will fight for them,
and nobody can defeat God (Psalm 2:4-6).
God has perfect knowledge; he knows everything. He is

aware of how those proud enemies have insulted his people.
He knows about their evil plans even before they begin to
carry them out (2 Kings 6:8-12).
By the power of the Holy Spirit, Hannah declares God’s

judgement against his enemies. God knows what they are
saying; and he is their judge.
People weigh an object to test whether it is the proper

weight. In the same manner, God weighs (or examines)
deeds. He makes sure that they are right and proper. This
could refer to people’s deeds; if so, the meaning is that God
is our judge. However, the phrase seems to refer to God’s
deeds; in other words, the acts that God carries out. So, the
meaning is that all God’s acts - especially his judgements -
are right and proper.
God saves his people from their

enemies
(1 Samuel 2:4)
In ancient battles, the bows were among the most powerful
tools for war. The strongest soldiers carried the bows; the
sight of them made people very afraid.
Bows were especially frightening because soldiers with them

could stand away from any danger. Those soldiers could kill
people who were completely unable to attack them. A soldier
who attacks with a sword is in great personal danger; a
soldier who uses a bow and arrows is much safer.
However, Hannah describes a battle where God is acting to

save his people. So the opposite is true. The strong soldiers
with bows usually frighten people. However, in this battle,
the soldiers with bows have themselves become very
afraid.
The people who stumble (fall) would usually be in the

greatest danger during a battle. They are too weak to attack
the enemy. In fact, they are too weak even to run away.
However, in this battle, these weak people have become
strong.
That is because God is acting to save his people. So, the

weakest people, because they are God’s people, have
become strong. The strongest people, because they are
fighting against God, have become weak.
Because God is on the side of his people, nobody can

successfully oppose them. God’s people may be weak; the
proud words of their enemies may make them afraid.
However, nothing can separate God’s people from the love of
God. In the end, their success is certain. Read Romans 8:31-
39.
Safety, satisfaction and peace

for God’s people
(1 Samuel 2:5)
God does not merely save (or rescue) his people. He also
brings them safety, satisfaction and peace.
Clearly, Hannah refers to her own experience when she

speaks about the woman without children. God had given
Hannah the son that she had prayed for. However, by the
power of the Holy Spirit, Hannah describes something that
was beyond her own experience. That woman without
children now has a complete family of 7 sons. Hannah is
expressing how completely God satisfies his people. They
lack nothing, because he provides for them (Psalm 23:1).
On the other hand, the proud enemies of God’s people lose

everything. For them, hunger replaces greed, and despair
replaces satisfaction. God has taken away from them all the
things of which they were so proud.
Of course, we do not always see such things happen in this

life. For the author of Ecclesiastes, that fact was proof that
there is life beyond death (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17). God is the
judge of everyone, and his purposes cannot fail
(Ecclesiastes 12:14).
We can see that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary

expresses similar ideas to Hannah, in Luke 1:51-53. Jesus too
seems to refer to Hannah’s words in Luke 6:20-26 and
perhaps Mark 10:28-30. Both Isaiah (Isaiah 54:1) and
Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:15-17) repeat the ideas that Hannah
expressed. In fact, for Isaiah, the idea of the woman without
children becomes a major part of the later chapters in his
book. He uses it to express the promise that God would bring
back his people to their own country, Israel.
However, God’s promise is not just for the people in that

nation. God will bring safety, satisfaction and peace to all his
people, from every nation.
God’s power over life and death
(1 Samuel 2:6)
God has power, even over life and death.
The fact that God gives life should not surprise anyone. He is
the maker of every living thing. It is because of him that they
have life and strength (Acts 17:24-25). They could not exist
without him (John 1:1-4). They depend on him for their life,
their food and everything else that they need (Psalm 104:27-
29).
However, it may surprise us to read that God has power

over death. Death is one of God’s enemies (Revelation 20:14;
1 Corinthians 15:26). It is an evil force that the devil uses,
even against God’s people (Hebrews 2:14-15). God never
intended that people should die. Death entered the world
because of people’s evil deeds (Genesis 3:19).
God never does any evil thing (Job 34:10-12). However, God
is not doing anything evil when he acts as our judge
(Genesis 18:25). It is right and proper for a judge to issue
right judgements. Death is the punishment that we all
deserve because of our evil deeds (Romans 6:23). However,
God is very kind. He allowed his Son, Jesus, to suffer death
so that he can forgive us (Romans 3:23-24). We must confess
our evil deeds to him and we must invite him into our lives.
Then he will give us life that never ends (John 3:16).
The most astonishing statement here is that God brings

people back to life. However, that is what the Bible clearly
declares (John 11:24-26; Revelation 20:4-6). By his death,
Jesus defeated death for all God’s people (1 Corinthians
15:50-57; Isaiah 25:7-8). He himself became alive again
after his death (1 Corinthians 15:3-6). So too will all God’s
people at his return (1 Corinthians 15:22-26; 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18).
God’s attitude towards humble

people
(1 Samuel 2:7-8)
In this world, hardly anyone really respects poor people and
humble people. Rich people receive honour; proud people
have authority (Mark 10:42).
God’s opinion about people is very different from ours (1

Samuel 16:7). The things that impress people do not impress
God. God sees the true attitude of a person’s heart. It is a
humble attitude that impresses God most (Isaiah 57:15). It
is better to be humble than to give even the most valuable
gifts to God (Micah 6:6-8). A ‘humble’ person is willing to
learn the lessons that God teaches and to obey his
instructions. So God gives people the importance that they
really deserve. Where he rules, he gives authority to humble
people. He does not neglect poor people, but he provides for
them. All his people receive honour, because they are the
loyal servants of God their King.
Clearly God will do these things in the future, when his power
and authority will be complete. However, he has already
started to do these things, even in the present age. He
changes people’s situation. Proud kings and powerful
governments can suddenly lose their authority (Daniel 5:22-
31). The strongest rulers can become weak in a moment of
time (Daniel 4:28-33). In the end, wealth and power can
protect nobody. All people must die and so they must lose
their money, their authority and their importance.
Even in his world, God can give honour to his humble

servants. David was a humble man (2 Samuel 7:18-21), but
God appointed him to be king of Israel.
We may ask why God approves so strongly of humble

attitudes. The answer is that only a humble person can
truly trust God. Proud people trust in themselves: their own
greatness, their wealth or their authority. Because they care
so much about themselves, they do not respect God. So only
a humble person gives God the honour that he deserves.
God will separate good people

from wicked people
(1 Samuel 2:9)
In this world, good people and wicked people live together
(Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:38). Here, only their
different choices and different behaviour separate the two
kinds of people (Psalm 1:1-2). The same kinds of events
happen in the lives of all people (Ecclesiastes 9:1-2).
However, God is establishing his rule. In his perfect

government, wicked people cannot remain with good
people; nothing unholy can enter his holy place (Revelation
21:3-8; Revelation 21:27).
That perfect government is still in the future. However, God

wanted to show the nature of his government in this world.
First, he established it among his people in Israel. There, he
appointed the family of his loyal servant, King David, to rule
on his behalf. Then, he sent Christ, who came from David’s
family. Christ established God’s rule among God’s people
from every nation.
Before David’s rule began, strong armies often gained control

over Israel. Israel was a weak nation at that time. It seemed
as if only the strongest and most cruel people would ever
have authority. It only seemed possible to oppose them by
even greater force. Humble, weak and poor people could do
nothing to defend themselves.
That may be the nature of human politics; but it is not how

God acts. So God used a humble man, David, to establish his
(God’s) rule. (A ‘humble’ person is willing to learn the lessons
that God teaches and to obey his instructions.) David was
just a poor man who led a small group of soldiers (1 Samuel
22:1-2). God made David the king over Israel, which was
then a weak nation. However, God rescued David from all
his enemies (2 Samuel 22:1). The result was that Israel
became a strong, peaceful and wealthy nation (1 Kings
10:23-24).
That did not happen by human strength. It happened

because weak and poor people trusted God. God did it in
order to show the nature of his rule.
The king and the Messiah
(1 Samuel 2:10-11)
The words that we call Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2:1-10)
are in fact a prophecy (a message from God). Hannah
received this prophecy from the Holy Spirit at the time when
she handed over her son Samuel to work for God.
Afterwards, Hannah returned to Ramah with her husband
Elkanah.
At that time, Israel had never had a king. However, Hannah

saw by the power of the Holy Spirit that God would appoint
a king to rule his people. In fact, God did that by means of
Hannah’s own son, Samuel.
Hannah also calls the king: ‘his (God’s) anointed’. That word
refers to the special ceremony that 1 Samuel 16:13
describes. The purpose of that ceremony was to separate the
king for a holy task: to rule God’s people.
The word ‘anointed’ is a very special word in the Bible. In the

Hebrew language, that word is Messiah; in the Greek
language it is Christ. Originally, those words were titles for
the kings of Israel from David’s family. Christians use those
words today as titles for Jesus, who also came from David's
family.
God would give strength to the king, God’s anointed, to rule

the nation on his behalf. However, although God is especially
the God of Israel, he is also the God of the whole world.
David was only the king of Israel, but Christ is the King of
kings, who will rule every nation (Revelation 19:16; Psalm
2:7-8; Psalm 110).
In her prophecy, Hannah understood this. She said that God

would act as judge of ‘the ends of the earth’. That phrase
means the most distant parts of the world. Israel’s kings
never achieved that. However, God will do it by means of his
Messiah, the Christ (Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25;
Philippians 2:9-11).
Evil priests at Shiloh
(1 Samuel 2:12-17)
Eli’s sons were the leaders of the priests at God’s
tabernacle in Shiloh. The tabernacle was the sacred tent that
Moses had built. It was the only place where God allowed his
people to make their sacrifices to him.
The sacrifices were animals that God’s people killed as a gift

to God. It was necessary for the priests to offer these
animals on behalf of the people. We have already seen that
Elkanah took his sacrifice to Shiloh for that reason each year
(1 Samuel 1:3).
At Shiloh, however, religion was in a bad state. There were

not many people like Elkanah who still served the real God.
Instead, people gave sacrifices to the false gods whose
images were in their homes, in the towns and on the hills (1
Samuel 7:2-4). Even many people who still served the real
God may have preferred to offer him their sacrifices on the
hills (see 1 Kings 3:2-4).
So, only a few loyal people went to Shiloh. There, they had to
deal with wicked priests who did not respect God.
The people wanted to offer sacrifices that showed fellowship

(a right relationship) between themselves, their priests and
God. Leviticus chapter 3 and Leviticus 7:11-36 contain
instructions about this type of sacrifice. First the priest
burned the fat from the animal as a gift to God. Then the
priest waved the breast and the shoulder of the meat in front
of God. Those parts then belonged to the priest. The person
who brought the gift then cooked the rest of the meat for his
family (see 1 Samuel 1:3-5). That was God’s law about this
kind of sacrifice.
However, Eli’s sons (the priests) were so wicked and greedy

that they did not obey these rules. They wanted more of the
meat; and, like thieves, they would even use cruel methods to
get it. In fact, they were even worse than thieves. That is
because the sacrifices were holy. It is very terrible to deal
with a holy thing in an unholy and wicked manner.
The boy Samuel
(1 Samuel 2:18-21)
Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were the leaders of
the priests, were behaving very wickedly. However, the boy
Samuel still learned how to live a holy life, although very
unholy things were constantly happening round him.
Samuel was working as the servant or slave of Eli, Israel’s

chief priest, who was now very old. It was Eli who had the
responsibility to teach the boy. We do not know how much Eli
really understood about God. However, Eli knew about his
duty to bless God’s people (1 Samuel 2:20). He understood
something about God’s standards (1 Samuel 2:22-25). He
knew about the importance of God’s word (1 Samuel 3:17).
He realised the importance of his duties as God’s priest (1
Samuel 4:17-18).
So Eli trained the boy; but it was God who provided young
Samuel’s food. Leviticus 22:11 says that a priest’s slave may
eat the sacred food. That means food from the gifts that
Israel’s people give to God. God gave that part of these holy
gifts to the priests; they shared it with their close family,
including their slaves.
Elkanah and Hannah had given their son to God, but they still
cared very much for him. Eli taught the boy and God provided
his food; but his parents gave him his clothes. God was kind
to them; Hannah had 5 more children.
It was not unusual for a young boy to work as a servant or

slave. However, it was unusual for a boy to work at God’s
house, as Samuel did. People saw his holy behaviour and
his sincere attitudes, and they respected him (1 Samuel
2:26). Maybe they even hoped that, by means of him, God
would bring about a change in the behaviour of their priests.
Such a change was very necessary. All God’s people were
suffering because of the wicked behaviour of their priests (1
Samuel 2:14).
The priests who had wrong sex
(1 Samuel 2:22)
The Bible has already told us how wicked Eli’s sons (Hophni
and Phinehas, the priests) were. However, 1 Samuel 2:22 still
gives us a shock.
There were certain women who worked at the entrance to

God’s house. (God’s law did not allow women to go inside
God’s house.) Someone had probably given these women to
God, even as Samuel’s parents had given him to God. So they
were holy women, who carried out sacred tasks.
The priests, Hophni and Phinehas, were having sex with

those women.
That kind of behaviour was not unusual at the houses of false

gods. For example, in the religion of Baal (a male god) and
Asherah (a female god), sex was a normal part of the
ceremonies (see Judges 6:25; Numbers 25:1-3). In some evil
religions, priestesses (female priests) worked as prostitutes
(that is, they were available to have sex with any man).
It was very terrible that the priests of the real God were
imitating this wicked behaviour. God’s word, the Bible,
warns clearly that his people must never carry out such
wicked acts (Leviticus chapters 18 and 20). It is wrong to
have sex, except between husband and wife.
God’s people should not do whatever they may desire to do.

They must not allow their feelings to rule their lives. God
made them holy, so now they belong to God. So, they should
use their bodies in a manner that pleases God (1
Corinthians 6:18-20).
Israel’s priests had a duty to teach the people how to serve

God (Leviticus 10:11). However, the priests were not even
obeying God themselves. Anyone who teaches other people
must be especially careful to behave in a proper manner. God
demands even higher standards from a leader of his people
(James 3:1).
The chief priest who would not

stop his sons’ wicked behaviour
(1 Samuel 2:23-25)
1 Samuel 3:13 says that Eli did not stop his sons’ wicked
behaviour. Clearly he warned them; but he did not stop
them. As Israel’s chief priest, he could have stopped them.
He could have removed their authority to act as priests. He
could have ordered them to leave Shiloh, or even to leave
Israel. He had the authority to do that; he should have done
it.
Eli tried to persuade them to change their behaviour, but he

was not successful. 1 Samuel 2:25 gives the reason. He had
already allowed these evil deeds to continue for too long;
God had already made his judgement against Eli’s sons.
Perhaps if Eli had acted sooner, his sons would have been
willing to follow his advice. However, when Eli spoke, he was
too late. His sons liked to do these wicked things; they were
behaving like that on purpose.
However, Eli’s words to warn his sons did have a proper

purpose. Those words show clearly that God’s judgement
against Eli’s sons was right. Numbers 15:30-31 explains the
proper punishment for a person who, on purpose, decided to
oppose God. Such a person would not remain one of God’s
people, so the proper punishment was death (Numbers
15:35).
Eli told his sons that their wrong deeds were not against any
person, but against God. Afterwards, they continued their
wicked behaviour, so they clearly chose on purpose to do it.
In the end, it was God who carried out the punishment

against Eli’s sons. They died in a terrible battle because God
had made his judgement against them (1 Samuel 4:10-11).
God wants to forgive every kind of evil deed (Exodus 34:6-
7). However, for God to forgive anyone, that person must be
humble and he must confess his evil behaviour to God. He
must ask God to help him, so that he can change his
behaviour. He must invite God into his life, and he must trust
God to save him. If anyone refuses to do these things,
God’s judgement will be against him.
A child who chooses to serve God
(1 Samuel 2:26)
There is something wonderful about the attitude of a child
who sincerely wants to serve God.
In his body, that child becomes stronger. However, he is not

like other children, who may use that strength to please
themselves or even to serve the devil. That child gives his
strength to God, and with it he gladly works to help other
people.
At the same time, the child’s mind develops as he learns new

things. However, such a child does not waste his thoughts
with efforts to imitate evil behaviour or to make evil
schemes. Instead, he learns so that he can become wise.
That child’s first lesson in wisdom is to respect God (Proverbs
1:7). His next lesson is to refuse to do evil things (Job 28:28).
God’s word, the Bible, is that child’s best teacher; God’s law
is the child’s most precious possession (Psalm 119:97-100).
People may be unkind to that child. His sensible behaviour

may cause them to feel foolish; his right behaviour may cause
them to feel guilty. They may say that he is wasting his life.
Really, however, it is they themselves who may be wasting
their lives.
However, God approves of such a child, and God’s people

should approve of that child too. That is what happened to
the boy Samuel. The people were watching him; they wanted
to see what God would do by means of that child. The Bible
uses very similar words about the boy Jesus (Luke 2:52).
Samuel, of course, was not perfect. Like other children he

would have done many wrong things. However, his attitude
towards God was right. The boy Samuel truly wanted to
serve God.
God’s message to the priests
(1 Samuel 2:27)
Eli’s family were Israel’s priests. It was their duty and
honour to act on God’s behalf in Israel. However, Eli’s sons
were behaving wickedly and Eli was too weak to stop them. It
became necessary for God himself to act, in order to defend
his own honour.
So, God sent a certain man to Eli. We know nothing about

that man, except for the message that he gave. The Bible
simply calls him ‘a man of God’. That phrase probably means
a prophet, in other words, someone who spoke messages
from God. That did not happen often in Israel during this
period of its history (1 Samuel 3:1).
The message from God emphasises the importance of

Israel’s priests in God’s plan. They all belonged to one
family, the family of Aaron, whom the passage calls ‘your
(Eli’s) father’. In fact, Aaron lived several centuries before
Eli. Aaron is called Eli’s ‘father’ because Eli came from
Aaron’s family.
Perhaps Eli’s sons felt as if they were carrying on a family

business, like any other family in Israel. Other families were
farmers, or traders, or skilled workmen, and the work passed
from father to son in the same family. Eli’s sons probably
thought that they knew much better than their father how to
make money as priests.
Their attitude was foolish and wicked. God had freed all
Israel’s people from their hard work as slaves in Egypt. Then,
by means of Moses and Aaron, he showed them how they
should serve him. It was God who chose Aaron’s family to be
Israel’s priests. It was God who showed them to carry out
their special duties as his priests.
So it was God whom Eli’s sons were opposing by their wicked

behaviour.
The work of the priests
(1 Samuel 2:28)
God reminded Eli, the chief priest, about the importance of
the work that Israel’s priests carried out.
In Israel, a priest was not just someone whom the people had
appointed to look after their relationship with God. God
himself had chosen Aaron’s family to act on his behalf as
priests. So, they were responsible to God for the work that
they did as priests. In 1 Samuel 2:28, God mentions some of
their most important tasks.
(1) God’s law only permitted Israel’s priests to work at his

altar. The altar was the place where the priests burned
sacrifices as a gift to God. The sacrifices were the animals
that Israel’s people gave to God. The wrong things (called
sin) that people do, separate them from God. They could not
even offer their own sacrifices; the priests had to do it on
their behalf. So, by their work at the altar, the priests were
dealing with sin. They were making it possible for Israel’s
people to have a relationship with God.
(2) Only the priests had the right to enter the sacred tent
(called the tabernacle), which was the house of God. There
they burned incense (a substance with a sweet smell). That
incense was an expression to God of the prayers and love of
his people (Psalm 141:2). It was the proper way to praise
God in that holy place.
(3) The ephod was a long shirt. The priests (and also the boy
Samuel - 1 Samuel 2:18) wore a plain white shirt (Exodus
39:27). However, the chief priest alone wore the splendid
and beautiful ephod that Exodus 39:2-21 describes. The
sacred objects called the URIM and THUMMIM were in the
ephod (Exodus 28:30). By means of those objects, God
guided the chief priest when Israel’s people inquired of God.
So, the priests’ work was to deal with sin and to praise God.
Also, by means of the chief priest, God guided his people.
These were extremely important tasks. Together, these
tasks were essential for the relationship between God and
his people.
God did not ask his priests to do this work without proper
payment. God himself paid them from the gifts that people
gave for his altar. God gave them their proper part of each of
the sacrifices (see, for example, Leviticus 7:28-36). So, their
food was sacred food.
It was those rules that Eli’s sons, the leaders of Israel’s

priests, were refusing to obey. Their wicked behaviour
insulted God. That was why God had decided to act against
his own priests, the family of Eli.
Priests who were greedy
(1 Samuel 2:29)
God accused his priests in a very severe manner: ‘You are
taking the best parts of the meat that my people in Israel are
giving to me. And you are using that meat to make
yourselves fat.’
You can read what the priests were doing in 1 Samuel 2:12-
17. They were taking pieces of meat that God’s law did not
allow them to take. They were doing it because they were
greedy and wicked. Their behaviour offended God. It also
upset God’s people in Israel.
God’s words here may refer to the same word-picture that

appears in James 5:5. Before a farmer kills an animal, he
gives it plenty of food in order to make it fat. James
compared those animals to some rich people who were
behaving in a wicked and cruel manner. Those rich people
had plenty of everything now, but God would soon punish
them. That was God’s message to the priests in Eli’s family
too. Soon, God would punish them; he would stop their evil
deeds.
However, God’s words about Eli’s family were not just a

word-picture. 1 Samuel 4:18 says that Eli was a heavy man.
1 Samuel 2:12-16 shows that Eli’s sons were taking even
more meat than him. It seems that they cared about
nothing, except their own desires. They neither cared about
God nor about his people.
All this was happening during a period of history when

Israel’s people were poor. Judges 6:1-5 describes how
Israel’s enemies used to steal and to destroy everything in
Israel. Often, as in Ruth 1:1, the people had to leave their
country because of a lack of food.
In the ancient world, only the richest people could eat

plentifully. Most people were poor; they were hungry, and
thin. So their priests, Eli’s family, were imitating the bad
habits of the richest people.
The person who gave an animal to God had the right to eat
most of its meat, with his family. Only the shoulder and
breast of the animal belonged to the priest. So by their
actions in 1 Samuel 2:12-16, the priests were stealing meat
from the person who brought the animal.
However, the priests were offending against God, and not

just against the person who brought the animal. Eli, and not
only his sons, was responsible. Eli was giving honour to his
sons that only God deserved. These arrangements about the
meat were not just customs. God had made these rules in
order to show fellowship (friendship) between himself, his
priests and his people. When the priests did not obey, they
were acting against God.
How Eleazar’s family became

Israel’s chief priests
(1 Samuel 2:30)
In Exodus 29:9, God said that Aaron’s family would always
be Israel’s priests. So, Israel’s chief priest must be from
Aaron’s family (Exodus 29:29-30)
When Aaron died, his son Eleazar became chief priest

(Numbers 20:23-29). After Eleazar, his son, Phinehas,
became chief priest; God had made special promises to him
(Numbers 25:10-13).
The Bible does not explain how Eli became Israel’s chief
priest. He was from the family of Aaron, but he did not
belong to the families of Eleazar or Phinehas. Instead, he
came from the family of Ithamar, Eleazar’s brother.
However, it is clear that God accepted Eli as the proper

chief priest. If Eli’s family had served God properly, then
Israel’s chief priest would always be from Eli’s family. But
now, God declared that he would not permit that to happen.
God does not give honour to people who hate him. The sons
of Eli had dealt with God’s holy things in a shameful manner.
God was not removing from Eli’s future family their right to
act as priests (1 Samuel 2:36). However, the chief priest
would not still come from that family. (The chief priest
would still be from Aaron’s family, as God promised to
Aaron.)
These things did not happen immediately. Eli’s two sons died
before Eli, so neither of them became chief priest. During the
rule of King Saul (1 Samuel 14:3; 1 Samuel 22:11) and the
rule of King David (1 Chronicles 24:3), Eli’s family still served
as chief priests. However, Abiathar (who was from Eli’s
family) opposed King Solomon. So, Solomon would not allow
Abiathar to act as chief priest (1 Kings 2:27). Instead, Zadok
(who came from the family of Eleazar) served alone as
chief priest. After that, Israel’s chief priests no longer came
from Eli’s family.
God removes the authority from

wicked people
(1 Samuel 2:31-33)
God was making great changes in Israel, and those changes
began at his own house.
Since the time of Joshua, God’s house - the sacred tent

called the tabernacle - had stood at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1).
So, for about 400 years, God’s people gathered there to pray
and to offer their gifts to God. But now, God had chosen to
leave that place (Psalm 78:60). It would no longer be a holy
place; Jeremiah 7:12-14 describes its terrible state
afterwards.
God’s chief priest would no longer come from Eli’s family. You
can read about the terrible things that happened to Eli’s
family in 1 Samuel 4:10-22, 1 Samuel 22:16-20 and 1 Kings
2:26-27.
These events were awful; but God was still doing something
good in Israel. He was removing the authority from wicked
people in order to give authority to people who served him
(1 Samuel 2:7-10).
God would have a new house: the magnificent building called

the temple, which Solomon built in Jerusalem. God would
continue to have chief priests in Israel - but they would come
from Zadok’s family, not from Eli’s family.
Israel would have a king whom God had chosen: King David.
David would organise the priests properly, so that they could
serve God in a better manner. Then, for the first time, Israel
would have peace, with a strong government and loyal
priests.
God does not want people to suffer. He wants to forgive

people, so that they do not suffer his punishment. When Eli
heard this news, the proper reaction for him was to be
humble in front of God (compare 1 Kings 21:27-29). But the
Bible does not say that Eli ever did that. His sons did not ask
God to forgive them. They continued to act in a proud
manner until they suffered their punishment (1 Samuel 4:4-
11).
Hophni and Phinehas
(1 Samuel 2:34)
Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had the opportunity to
achieve great things in their lives. However, they both
wasted their lives completely. They both chose, on purpose,
to live in a greedy and wicked manner. Eli had tried to warn
them about their foolish behaviour, but they refused to listen
(1 Samuel 2:23-25).
God told Eli how his two sons would die. They would die
together, suddenly. That event would prove to Eli that this
message about Eli’s family really was from God. God knew
what would happen; God had already warned Eli about these
future events.
These things seem especially sad when we think about

Hophni’s and Phinehas’s opportunities in life. Eli had chosen
for his son Phinehas the name of one of the great heroes in
the Bible: Phinehas, son of Eleazar. You can read what that
first Phinehas did to save his nation in Numbers 25:6-13. But
this second Phinehas, Eli’s son, did nothing good. He and his
brother Hophni only caused trouble for themselves, for their
family, and for all Israel.
Everyone expected that, after the death of Eli, one of his

sons would become the chief priest. In fact, that never
happened, because God’s judgement against them for their
evil deeds happened first. They both died before their
father died. They were not the first sons of a chief priest to
die because of God’s judgement against their unholy acts.
Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu also died for that reason
(Leviticus 10:1-3).
A loyal priest: Zadok
(1 Samuel 2:35)
Even God’s judgement against the family of Eli came with a
promise. This promise would bring comfort to those people
who were loyal to God. Perhaps, therefore, it also offered
some comfort to Eli. Although Eli was very weak in his
relationship with God, he always wanted to be loyal to God.
The chief priest could not continue to come from Eli’s family.
Eli would have considered God’s judgement in that matter to
be right. He certainly would not want either of his two
wicked sons to become chief priest.
However, God would not leave Israel without a chief

priest. God knew that Israel’s people needed a chief priest
to pray for them and to lead them in their religion. So, God
would appoint a chief priest who was loyal to him. This
chief priest would serve God sincerely, with the king whom
God had chosen.
Originally, that chief priest meant Zadok (1 Kings 1:32-40; 1

Kings 2:35). Zadok was not from Eli’s family. After Zadok, the
chief priest came from Zadok’s family. Zadok’s name means
‘righteous’ (in other words, someone who does what is right
and good). That is how God’s priests should be (Ezekiel
44:15).
God did not allow Israel’s priests to be kings, nor its kings to
be priests. However, the Bible refers to a time when God’s
king would also be his priest (Psalm 110:1-4). For
Christians, that is a very important promise, because it
refers to Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:11-25).
So, when 1 Samuel 2:35 refers to a ‘loyal priest’, it does not

just refer to Zadok. It refers to God’s perfect priest, even
as 1 Samuel 2:10 refers to God’s perfect king.
How the evil deeds of Eli’s family

would end
(1 Samuel 2:36)
This last verse of God’s message to Eli may remind us of some
verses from Hannah’s prayer. God makes proud people
humble (1 Samuel 2:7). God makes greedy people hungry, so
that they must work for their food (1 Samuel 2:5).
It is very sad when people make themselves into God’s

enemies. It is even worse when, as here, those people were
the servants and the priests of God. However, when God
makes his people humble, it gives them the opportunity to
return to him. They see how their wrong attitudes, their
wrong desires and their wrong behaviour could not satisfy
them. They should realise how much they depend on God.
They should trust him completely.
So, although Eli’s family would suffer greatly, that family

would not disappear completely. Israel’s chief priest would
not still come from their family, but they would still be able
to work as priests.
Someone else, who was loyal to God, would be the chief

priest. He would arrange the work of the priests who were
less important, including the members of Eli’s family. They
would go to him for silver (in other words, money) and for
bread (in other words, food).
That chief priest would allow them to work as priests in

God’s house. Then, they would receive a regular share of
food from the gifts that God’s people brought. They would
not still take more meat than God’s law gave to them (see 1
Samuel 2:12-17). They would be humble enough to be
grateful to God for what he had provided.
So, the evil deeds of Eli’s family would end.

1 Samuel chapter 3
Samuel hears God’s voice
(1 Samuel 3:1-7)
We have already studied two prophecies (messages from
God) that people received during the early years of Samuel’s
life: 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and 1 Samuel 2:27-36. However,
prophecies were rare during this period of Israel’s history.
1 Samuel chapter 3 is the account of how Samuel became a

prophet (a person who spoke messages from God).
Samuel was just a boy; he worked as the servant of Eli,

Israel’s chief priest. Really, however, Samuel was the
servant of God; his mother had given him to work for God (1
Samuel 1:28).
One of Samuel’s duties was to sleep in the house of God.

Many of the objects there were gold; Samuel was acting as a
guard. If anyone entered that place, Samuel had to run away
to call the priests. Then, the priests and the other men from
the town would fight the thieves.
At that time, the house of God was not a building; it was a

tent. So, Samuel could easily hear if Eli called him from his
(Eli’s) home. Eli probably called Samuel often; Eli was old and
weak.
On this particular night, Samuel thought that he heard his

master’s voice. Samuel was a willing servant; he ran to help
Eli. However, Eli had not called the boy, and he did not need
help. So Samuel returned to the sacred tent to sleep.
Again the voice called Samuel by name. Again Samuel went

to help Eli. Samuel was sure that his master had called him.
But Eli insisted that he had not called him.
In fact, Samuel’s master had called Samuel: not Eli, but

Samuel’s real master, that is, God. However, Samuel did
not yet know God in that way. Of course Samuel loved God
and he served God. But he could not yet recognise God’s
voice.
The most important lesson in life
(1 Samuel 3:8-9)
When God called Samuel for the third time, the boy still did
not recognise him. He again went to Eli, the chief priest, to
offer his help.
Eli could have been angry. The boy had woken him three
times without any proper reason. However, on this occasion,
Eli understood what was happening.
Eli’s relationship with God often seems very weak, but still,
Eli believed in God. Eli recognised that, on rare occasions,
God might still speak to his people (1 Samuel 3:1). Eli even
realised that a boy like Samuel could be the proper person to
hear God’s voice. Samuel had the right attitudes: he was
willing, sincere and humble. (A ‘humble’ person is willing to
learn the lessons that God teaches and to obey his
instructions.) Samuel had served Eli well; he would be a good
servant of God.
So, it was Eli who taught the boy Samuel the most important
lesson of his life. Eli taught Samuel how he should serve
God.
Eli explained to Samuel that God still does call people to

serve him. So, people must not be too afraid to listen to
God; and they must not be too proud to obey him. Their
relationship with him is like a servant’s relationship with his
master. They must listen to God’s words in a humble
manner; they must speak to him in a manner that respects
him.
As Samuel returned to his place, something very important

had happened in his life. He still had a duty to serve Eli; but
Samuel had the much more important duty to serve God.
Even Eli had recognised that the boy’s true master was God.
So now Samuel was ready to hear God’s word to him.
God’s message to Samuel
(1 Samuel 3:10-14)
When the boy Samuel was ready to hear God’s message, God
came to him again. The Bible records that God ‘stood there’;
he was actually present with Samuel.
Again God called Samuel by his name. Samuel replied as Eli

had taught him. Then God spoke his message to Samuel.
The message was a very serious message. Soon, God would

do certain things that would cause a great shock to
everyone in Israel. Eli’s sons had done terrible things
against God (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Although Eli, the chief
priest, had warned them, he had not stopped them. God had
already made his judgement against Eli’s family, and that
judgement would certainly happen.
God had already sent a message to Eli about these things. So

Eli already knew what would happen (1 Samuel 2:27-36).
Every one of those things would happen, God told Samuel.
The family of Eli must not imagine that their gifts to God
would stop this punishment. God had made a serious promise
that these things had to happen.
Samuel listened carefully to the message from God. He

recognised its importance, and it caused him to be afraid. It
was a very severe message, and he was just a boy.
Samuel needed to hear such a message from God at that

time. Soon, Eli and his two sons would be dead. Soon, the ark
of God, which Samuel guarded, would go into a foreign
country. The ark was a box that acted as evidence of God’s
relationship with Israel; its loss would be a very terrible
event. Soon, the lamp of God would no longer burn in the
sacred tent where Samuel had slept. Samuel had to be
ready for these events.
Samuel’s fear to speak God’s

message
(1 Samuel 3:15-18)
When Samuel received his first message from God, he was
afraid to tell anyone about it. He was just a boy, and the
message was very serious.
So Samuel tried to act as if nothing had happened. He

remained until morning in the place where he usually slept.
Then he opened the doors of the sacred tent that was God’s
house. He would have continued to carry out all his usual
duties but then Eli called him.
This time, it really was Eli, the chief priest, who called.
Samuel did not want to tell God’s message to Eli, but he still
went to him. Eli knew that God had been calling the boy (1
Samuel 3:8). It was clear to Eli that God had given a message
to the boy. So Eli insisted that Samuel must tell him God’s
message.
In the end, Eli had to be strict with Samuel. God’s message to

Samuel was not a private message; Samuel had a duty to
speak that message. Also, Samuel had a responsibility to
declare God’s message accurately. He must not miss out
anything that God had said. Eli even asked God to punish
Samuel if Samuel still refused to declare God’s message to
him. As God’s chief priest, Eli had the right to ask God to do
that.
When Samuel heard that, he told God’s message to Eli. Eli

had heard what God had said about these matters on a
previous occasion (1 Samuel 2:27-36). So it was clear to Eli
that Samuel really had heard from God.
Eli simply accepted the message. God would do what he

considered to be right. We do not read that Eli made himself
humble in front of God. We do not even read that he prayed
for his sons or his family. Usually people did those things
when they received such a severe message from God.
Sometimes God was kind to them. But Eli neither asked for
nor received any special kindness from God.
Samuel becomes a prophet
(1 Samuel 3:19-21)
The news that God was speaking by means of Samuel
spread through all the country called Israel. It did not just
happen on one occasion. As Samuel grew from a boy into a
young man, he received messages from God often.
Those messages would have brought help and comfort to

God’s people, especially during the severe troubles that
would soon happen. Because God was still speaking to the
people in Israel, clearly he still cared about them. Even when
there seemed to be no hope for Israel, God had not forgotten
his promises to them.
Many of God’s messages by Samuel, like his message to Eli (1

Samuel 3:11-14), would have warned the people. Most of the
people were not loyal to God; instead, they served false gods
(1 Samuel 7:3). God would not allow this situation to
continue. The people in Israel must serve only the real God.
His judgement against people who were not loyal to him was
certain.
Samuel continued to work at Shiloh. There, at or near the

sacred tent that was God’s house, God spoke to him. Samuel
declared publicly the messages that God gave him.
Dan and Beersheba were towns at the northern and

southern borders of Israel. God’s messages by Samuel
reached even these border towns. Everywhere in Israel,
people recognised that Samuel was a prophet from God. A
‘prophet’ means someone who speaks God’s words.
There had been few national prophets in Israel. We read

about Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10-12) and the prophetess
(female prophet) Deborah (Judges 4:4). But now Israel had
a new prophet, Samuel, and God was speaking by means of
him.
1 Samuel chapter 4
Why Israel’s leaders sent for the
ark
(1 Samuel 4:1-3)
The Philistines were the people from a nation called
Philistia, on the south-west border of Israel. Although their
nation was small, its army became very powerful. It was
Israel’s most serious enemy during the lives of Samson,
Samuel, Saul and David. During that period of history, the
two nations fought each other often.
Our passage describes a typical battle during this period of

history. The men from each nation gathered in camps, not far
away from each other. Then they waited to see which side
would begin the battle.
On this particular occasion, the Philistines began the fight,

and they were successful. 4000 of Israel’s men died in the
battle. The other soldiers returned to Israel’s camp and they
were worried. It seemed clear that they would be unable to
defend themselves in the next battle.
Although Israel’s people were not loyal to the real God, its
leaders still blamed him. God had not supported them in the
battle, he had helped their enemies. That is what they said.
Then the leaders of Israel made an extraordinary decision. If

God would not fight for them, they would force him to fight
for them. They would bring the ark of the covenant into the
camp of Israel. If the ark of God was in danger, he would
have to fight on their side. That was their plan.
The ark was a box; it acted as the evidence of God’s covenant

(agreement) with Israel. The leaders thought that no enemy
could ever take that away from them.
The Bible warns that people must never test God

(Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7). In other words, people
must not try to control God. It shows a completely wrong
attitude towards God. We must be humble in front of God. (A
‘humble’ person is willing to learn the lessons that God
teaches and to obey his instructions.)
The priests bring the ark to the

battle
(1 Samuel 4:4-5)
The ark of the covenant was the most sacred object in
Israel. It was a special box that God told Moses to make
(Exodus 25:10-22). That box was evidence of God’s covenant
with Israel. The covenant was the agreement that
established the special relationship between God and Israel.
The ark went with Israel’s people as Moses led them through
the desert called Sinai. It went with them when they crossed
the river Jordan to enter Canaan (Joshua 3:1-4). It was with
them as they fought to gain possession of that country. Then
Joshua set up the sacred tent, which was God’s house, in
Shiloh. From that time, it seems that the ark remained in
its most holy room. During Israel’s many battles with
foreign armies in the Book of Judges, there is no mention of
the ark.
So, it was a bold and foolish decision, after perhaps 400

years, to take the ark back into a battle. The leaders who
made that decision were not, like Moses and Joshua, holy
men. God did not guide those leaders to make that decision;
and Israel’s people were not even loyal to God. Israel’s
soldiers were not humble in front of God. In fact, they even
shouted proudly when the ark entered their camp.
Their army leaders thought that they could force God to fight
on their side. In fact, God had already shown clearly what
must happen. The two priests who brought the ark, Hophni
and Phinehas, were wicked men. God had already issued his
judgement against their unholy acts: both men would die on
the same day (1 Samuel 2:34). The events of that day would
cause a terrible shock to everyone who heard about them (1
Samuel 3:11).
How the Philistines took the ark

of the covenant
(1 Samuel 4:6-11)
The Philistines (the army from Philistia) probably expected
that Israel’s men would go home after the first battle. Israel
had suffered a severe defeat in that battle.
Israel’s army had hoped that they could free their nation
from Philistia’s control. Philistia was already ruling Israel.
After that first battle, it seemed that Israel would continue
to be under Philistia’s rule.
So, it surprised the Philistines very much to hear loud, joyful

shouts from Israel’s camp. The Philistines soon discovered
the reason. The ark of the covenant - the sacred box which
was evidence of God’s covenant (agreement) with Israel -
had arrived in Israel’s camp. The soldiers from Israel were
probably shouting about how, long ago, their God had
defeated Egypt.
That made the Philistines afraid. Egypt was a much

stronger nation than Philistia. It seemed to them that Israel
had, somehow, gained the support of a very powerful God, or
gods. The Philistines could not understand completely what
the men from Israel were shouting. However, they
understood that they were in great danger.
Because they were so afraid, the Philistines fought hard

against Israel. Their soldiers were desperate, so they fought
with all their strength. Their success in the second battle was
much greater than their success in the first battle. It was a
terrible defeat for Israel.
By the end of the battle, 30,000 men from Israel had died.
Among them were Hophni and Phinehas, the priests, who
were the two sons of Eli, Israel’s chief priest. As God had
warned Eli, both of his sons died on the same day (1 Samuel
2:34).
The Philistines also took the ark of the covenant, which

they brought back to Philistia.
The death of Eli
(1 Samuel 4:12-18)
At Shiloh, perhaps nobody waited in a more anxious manner
for news from Israel’s battle than Eli did.
As the chief priest, Eli probably knew his responsibilities well.

Israel’s chief priest did not attend funerals, and he could not
go near to a dead body. Even when his parents died, he could
not join in the sad ceremonies (Leviticus 21:10-12).
God had warned Eli that both his sons would die on the
same day (1 Samuel 2:34). That had also happened to the
first chief priest, Aaron (Leviticus 10:1-2). Aaron too could
not show his sad feelings; he had to continue with the sacred
ceremonies (Leviticus 10:6-7). So, as the army fought their
battle, Eli prepared his mind to behave in a similar manner.
The news reached Shiloh late on the day of the battle. A man
ran all the way there to bring a report of what had happened.
He spoke first to the people in the town; then Eli called him.
We can see Eli’s attitude to bad news in 1 Samuel 3:18. He

would not argue about anything that God chose to do. So,
when Israel’s army suffered defeat, God had allowed that to
happen. When his sons died, all God’s judgements are right
and proper. Eli would not allow any such news to upset him.
But the news about the ark of the covenant was a different
matter. The ark was the most sacred object in Israel. It
was the sacred box that acted as evidence of God’s covenant
(agreement) with Israel. Eli and his family had guarded that
box for 400 years. As chief priest, Eli considered nothing to
be as precious or as important as that box.
At the news of its loss, Eli had no answer. Israel had lost
the one object that proved its relationship with God.
Because of the shock, Eli fell and he died. He was 98 years
old; he had led Israel for 40 years.
About Ichabod
(1 Samuel 4:19-22)
Ichabod was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli,
Israel’s chief priest. So, Ichabod was born into one of the
greatest families in Israel. However, he was born at a
terrible time in Israel’s history.
Like many boys in Israel at that time, Ichabod never knew

his father. Ichabod’s father died on the day that Ichabod
was born, in the battle against Philistia’s army. In that series
of two battles, 34,000 men from Israel died. Many families
lost their fathers during those battles.
Ichabod never knew his mother either. When the news

came of his father’s death, she began to give birth suddenly.
Ichabod was born alive, but his mother died.
We do not know who brought up Ichabod. Perhaps it was his

older brother, Ahijah. Ahijah appears in 1 Samuel 14:3, when
he was carrying out some of the duties of a chief priest.
Even Shiloh, Ichabod’s town and Israel’s most holy place, did
not last long. In 1 Samuel chapter 21, the priests were
carrying out their duties at another town, called Nob.
Ichabod’s name would always remind him of the terrible

events that happened at the time of his birth. It means ‘no
glory’, in other words ‘no greatness’. Nothing seemed great
or good in Israel still. His mother chose that name for him
when she heard about the deaths of Ichabod’s father and
grandfather. However, she chose it because a much worse
thing had happened in Israel on that day. Israel’s enemy
had taken away the ark, or box, which acted as evidence of
Israel’s relationship with God. She said, ‘The glory has left
Israel.’ She did not merely mean that Israel was no longer a
great nation. By the word ‘glory’, she meant God himself.
God had left Israel; and without God’s kindness, there is
no hope for anyone.
1 Samuel chapter 5
How to deal with a sacred object
(1 Samuel 5:1-2)
The Philistines (army from Philistia) had taken the ark of the
covenant from Israel during a battle. The ark was a very holy
object: a box which was evidence of Israel’s covenant
(agreement) with God.
The Philistines did not know the real God. They did not
understand that he alone is the true God. They did not
realise that he is not just Israel’s God. He is the God who has
authority over all people and all nations.
The principal god of the Philistines was a false god called

Dagon. The Philistines put the ark into the house of this false
god. We cannot be sure why they did that. Perhaps they
wanted to show that Dagon had defeated Israel’s God.
Perhaps they wanted to join the two religions; they may have
considered all sacred objects to be alike. Perhaps they simply
thought that the house of Dagon was the best place to keep a
sacred object.
Everything that is truly holy belongs to God. It is a very

serious matter for anyone to have control over someone or
something that is holy. We see the proper reaction to this
situation in Jonah 1:14-16. The sailors considered it
necessary to act against Jonah, a holy man. So, the sailors
acted in a very humble manner in front of God. They asked
God to forgive them. They respected God. They offered a
sacrifice (a gift, usually an animal) to him. Also, they made
promises, probably to serve him.
That is how the Philistines should have behaved too. Israel’s

God is the God who created heaven and earth. All people in
every nation are responsible to him. The Philistines had
control over the holy ark of God, so they should have been
humble in front of him. They should have chosen to serve
him alone as their God.
The ark in Dagon’s temple
(1 Samuel 5:3-5)
When the inhabitants of Ashdod took possession of the ark,
they put it in the house (temple) of their false god, called
Dagon.
That was a very wrong thing to do, but the people in Ashdod
did not realise it. The ark was a very holy object: a box that
belonged in the most holy room of God’s house. It offended
God to put the ark into the house of a false god.
The people in Ashdod did not belong to Israel and they did
not know the real God. So, they did that wicked act because
they were acting without knowledge.
God could have punished them immediately. However, God

cares about people who do not know the truth about him
(Jonah 4:11). His desire is to save people if possible. He does
not want even to punish wicked people if they will turn to
him. He desires to teach people so that they can serve him
properly.
So God did not first act against the people in Ashdod, but
against the image of their false god. He was showing them
that he (the real God) is much greater than any false god. He
gave them an opportunity to choose him as their God.
On the next morning, the priests of Dagon found that the

image of their god had fallen. They would consider that
incident to be very terrible; it was one of the worst events
that could happen in any religion. The image was lying on the
ground in the same manner that people often did during
prayer. It seemed as if the image was giving honour to
Israel’s God.
During the next night, an even more terrible event

happened. The image fell and it broke. The real God had
shown his anger against that false god. It is very wrong to
serve any false god. Only the real God deserves our honour.
The ark in Ashdod
(1 Samuel 5:6-8)
The Philistines (people from Philistia) had taken possession
of the ark of God, a very holy object. However, they were still
serving false gods and they were not giving honour to the
real God.
They wanted to keep the ark, because they had taken it as a

prize from their battle with Israel.
God had warned them about their wrong attitudes, but

they were refusing to listen to him (1 Samuel 6:6). He did
not use words to warn them; he did it by his actions against
their false god called Dagon. First, he caused the image of
that false god to fall to the ground. Then, he destroyed the
image.
Such events should have caused the Philistines in Ashdod to

be very afraid. However, they still did not want to change
their behaviour. They still considered Dagon to be their god,
and they tried to keep the ark in their town.
So, God again acted to warn them. An awful illness began to

spread through their town. They knew that God had
permitted similar troubles to happen in Egypt, long before (1
Samuel 4:8; 1 Samuel 6:6). So they would understand that
God was acting against them, too.
This trouble continued for some time before anyone did

anything. Perhaps the inhabitants of Ashdod hoped that their
troubles would not last. In the end, they saw that the real
God, the God of Israel, was acting against them and their
false god. Still they refused to serve the real God; they
wanted to keep the false god, Dagon. So, they decided to
move the ark of God to another one of the Philistines’ towns.
The ark in Gath and Ekron
(1 Samuel 5:9-12)
Sometimes people imagine that they can work out a way to
control God. That is a very foolish idea. We cannot control
the God who created heaven and earth. Instead, we must
learn to respect him and to obey him in a sincere manner.
God had acted to punish the inhabitants of Ashdod. They had

taken possession of the ark of God, which was a very holy
object. They refused to serve God, because they wanted to
remain loyal to a false god. The result was that many people
in Ashdod became ill.
Their rulers saw that they must act. However, they did not
ask God to forgive them. They continued to serve their false
gods. So those rulers made a plan to try to stop God’s
action against the people. Their plan was to move the ark of
God to another town that they controlled.
That town was Gath (1 Samuel 5:8). There, as in Ashdod,

many people became ill. The illness in Gath was the same
illness that people were suffering from in Ashdod. The
inhabitants of Gath were very afraid.
Still, the rulers wanted to keep the ark. So, they again moved
it to another one of their towns, Ekron.
The people in Ekron became desperate even as the ark

entered their town. They appealed urgently to their rulers to
send the ark away. The illness in Ekron was like that in Gath
and Ashdod, except that it was even more severe. Many
people died; everyone there was ill. The people in Ekron
believed that they all could die. They cried out for help.
1 Samuel chapter 6
The Philistines decide to send
back the ark
(1 Samuel 6:1-3)
The Philistines (people in Philistia) had taken possession of
the ark of the covenant during a battle. They then kept it for
7 months.
During those 7 months, there were great troubles in their

country. Firstly, the image of their god called Dagon fell, and
then it broke apart. Then an awful illness spread through
their towns, and many people died. Also, unclean animals
called rats were destroying everything (1 Samuel 6:5).
These troubles happened because of the way that they

were dealing with the ark. The ark was a very holy object: it
was a box that acted as evidence of God’s relationship with
Israel. Something that is holy belongs to God. However, the
Philistines would not give honour to God; they still wanted to
serve their false gods. Their attitudes remained proud; they
wanted to keep the ark as their prize from the battle.
In the end, the troubles became so serious that the rulers of

the Philistines had to act. They decided that they would
send the ark back to Israel. They then asked the leaders of
their false religion for advice about how they should do that.
Two kinds of people led their religion. The people called

priests carried out the ceremonies. The people called
diviners carried out magic, in order to inquire of their gods.
The priests and diviners belonged to a wrong religion.

However, on this occasion, they knew what to advise. They
agreed that the leaders of the Philistines must not
continue to act in a proud manner. If the Philistines
continued to be proud, then God would continue to punish
their country. Instead, the leaders must declare to God
that they had behaved wrongly towards his sacred ark.
They should do that by means of a gift that they would send
back with the ark.
The Philistines were still not willing to serve the real God.
Their decision was to return the ark so that the troubles in
their country would end.
The Philistines’ strange gifts to

God
(1 Samuel 6:4-6)
Somehow, the Philistines (people in Philistia) knew what God
did to free his people from Egypt. There were terrible
troubles in Egypt until Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) allowed
Israel’s people to leave there.
That had happened several centuries earlier; however, the

Philistines were comparing that situation with their own
situation. The rulers of Egypt had refused to allow God’s
people to leave Egypt. The rulers of Philistia had refused to
allow the sacred box called the ark to leave Philistia. The ark,
like the people, was holy; in other words, they both belonged
to God.
The leaders of religion in Philistia said that their rulers had

‘hard hearts’. In other words, they were too proud to
change their minds, as Pharaoh had been. However, they
must now change their minds and they must allow the ark to
go back to Israel. Otherwise, everyone in Philistia would
suffer even worse troubles.
The rulers of Philistia must now be humble and they must give
honour to Israel’s God. That is what the priests in Philistia
advised. Also, they must give a gift to Israel’s God, to show
that they were sorry.
The gift that the priests in Philistia advised was very strange.
We must remember that the people in Philistia followed a
wrong religion with false gods and magic. They had seen that
Israel’s God allowed an illness, and the animals called rats,
to attack them. So, they made gold images in the shape of
such things. They are disgusting things, and Israel’s
religion considers such things unclean. However, those
gold images were the gifts that the Philistines sent back to
Israel with the ark. They intended those gifts as a humble
act, to confess that they were guilty of wrong acts against
God’s holy ark.
How the Philistines sent the ark

back to Israel
(1 Samuel 6:7-9)
For the last 7 months, the Philistines (people in Philistia) had
tried to control the sacred box called the ark. Really
however, they were trying to control God. They imagined
that they could force him to accept their authority, or the
authority of their false gods.
The result was that, first, God acted against the image of
their false god called Dagon. Then he acted against the
Philistines themselves. He allowed the animals called rats to
attack their country. He permitted an awful disease, and
then death, to spread through their towns.
When the rulers of the Philistines decided to return the

ark, they did not try to control God. They had seen that
they must behave in a humble manner towards him. God is
very powerful; he does not need human help to carry out his
work.
So, the rulers did not take the ark back to Israel themselves.
Instead, they allowed God to do his work. They themselves
simply prepared everything in the proper manner. They
placed the ark on a new cart. Next to the ark, they placed
another box that contained their gifts. The purpose of those
gifts was to confess that they were guilty of wrong actions
against God’s holy ark.
The two cows that they selected to pull the cart had never
done that before. The rulers of Philistia did not allow any
person to guide the cows. Instead, the rulers themselves
would follow the cart. If God really was God, he himself
would direct that cart back to Israel.
But if Israel’s God was too weak to do that, then clearly he

could not be responsible for the Philistines’ troubles.
How God brought his ark back to

Israel
(1 Samuel 6:10-12)
The rulers of Philistia expected God to direct the cart that
carried the ark (sacred box) back to Israel. Otherwise,
they would not have agreed to return it. However, they
probably did not expect that to happen in such an
impressive manner.
They had arranged for two cows to pull the cart. Those cows
would want to be with their young animals. The cows
certainly would not want to pull a cart, which they had never
done before. They might turn the cart over.
Usually, it would be essential for someone to guide the cows.

The rulers did not allow that to happen. They wanted God
himself to direct that cart back to Israel.
Such animals would not normally keep on the road. They

certainly would not know which way to go. They might try to
return to their young animals. They might refuse to go
anywhere.
The 5 rulers of Philistia were watching carefully to see

what would happen. Beth Shemesh was the nearest town in
Israel. The cows would have to go in that direction.
As soon as the cows were ready to leave, they turned

towards Beth Shemesh. They did not hesitate. They
travelled straight along the road in the correct direction.
They did not even turn to the right or the left.
The rulers of Philistia were following behind them. They

wanted to be sure that God was directing the animals. At the
border of Israel, the rulers stopped. However, they
continued to watch the ark’s journey. From a distance,
they watched the joyful reaction of the people in Beth
Shemesh. God’s ark had returned to Israel - to the country
where it belonged.
The ark arrives in Beth Shemesh
(1 Samuel 6:13-16)
Beth Shemesh was a town on the border of Judah, that is, in
the south of Israel. It was 7 miles (12 kilometres) from
Ekron in Philistia, where the ark of God (the most sacred
object from God’s house) had been. Beth Shemesh belonged
to Israel’s priests (Joshua 21:16) - so, the inhabitants came
from Aaron’s family.
The usual time to harvest grain in Israel is in the month of

May. Many people joined in the work; there is a description
in Ruth 2:2-9.
The harvest should be a happy occasion, but the people in

Beth Shemesh had every reason to feel fear. The Philistines
(people from Philistia) controlled Israel. At any moment,
soldiers might come from Philistia to demand some, or all, of
the grain. So, the workers would have watched the road from
Philistia very carefully.
Suddenly, someone saw a cart which was moving quickly

across the border from Philistia. Probably, the first thing that
they saw was the ark itself. It was a wooden box, but gold
covered the wood. The gold would reflect the bright sunlight.
After 7 months in a foreign country, the ark was back in

Israel at last. God had not forgotten his people in Israel. The
ark was evidence that he was present with them.
All work on the harvest stopped at once. It was more

important to express joy because of the ark’s return. The
people used the wood from the cart to start a fire. They
burnt the cows that had brought the cart as a special gift to
God.
Levites (people from Levi’s family) carried the ark onto a

large rock in the field. That was a special duty that only the
Levites could carry out: to carry the ark. The Levites placed
the gifts from the Philistines near to the ark. That action
showed that God had accepted these gifts. When the rulers
of the Philistines saw this, they returned home.
Official records in the Bible
(1 Samuel 6:17-18)
There are many passages like this one in the books of the
Bible that deal with Israel’s history. Such passages have the
style of legal records of these events. They are the kind of
passages that you might expect to find in a country’s official
registers.
Here, the passage records the gifts that the people in

Philistia gave to God. It explains the purpose of those gifts.
That is, to confess that they had dealt in a wrong manner
with the sacred object called the ark. It carefully records the
names of the 5 principal towns in Philistia, on whose behalf
the rulers gave those gifts.
Then, the passage adds evidence that the report is accurate.

It explains where a person may see the large rock. Long after
people had died, the rock would remain as evidence of this
event, in front of God.
Other passages in the Bible record a variety of information

in the same careful manner. We may find the history of
important families in Israel, or the most important facts of
its kings’ lives. Elsewhere, there are records of Israel’s
borders, and of the land that each family received. Such
passages are often not easy to read. We may ask why the
Bible records such things.
One answer is that God himself keeps records. Revelation

20:12-15 refers to the books of his official records. He keeps
those books for legal purposes. That is, for the day when he
will act as the judge of all people.
God records things that people do not see. He records

whether people are truly loyal to him (for example, 1 Kings
15:3). He sees their evil deeds (1 Kings 16:25-26). He knows
what they really care about (1 Kings 11:1-6). He has
evidence of all these things.
The men in Beth Shemesh look

inside the ark
(1 Samuel 6:19-21)
We have already read about several unholy acts in the Book
of 1 Samuel. However, this passage still gives us a shock.
Hophni and Phinehas had died because they dealt with God’s
holy gifts in a wicked manner (1 Samuel 2:12-17). At the
same time, Israel suffered the loss of its most holy object:
the sacred box called the ark (1 Samuel 4:11).
Then the people in Philistia would not respect God or his ark.
First God acted against their false god called Dagon. Then a
terrible illness spread through their country (1 Samuel
chapter 5).
Now, at last, the ark was back in Israel. The people in Beth
Shemesh received it with great joy. However, they then
carried out a very terrible act. They opened the sacred ark
and they looked inside. That was a very unholy thing to do.
The men in Beth Shemesh were priests (Joshua 21:16). They

would know how God expected them to behave. We cannot
be sure why they did it. Perhaps they were checking whether
the inhabitants of Philistia had removed anything from the
ark. Perhaps they had seen the gold from Philistia, and they
were looking for more precious things. Perhaps they were
just curious.
God had not told them to do such a thing. They were

carrying out this unholy act on purpose. The result was
that many of them died. Then, at last, the inhabitants of Beth
Shemesh understood that God is holy. They saw that they
must respect him properly. They decided that God’s ark
should not remain in their town.
So, they asked the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim to take the

ark from them. The people in that town understood that it
was a sacred task to look after the ark. It became the duty of
the family of Abinadab to keep the ark in their house. That
was where the ark remained for many years.
1 Samuel chapter 7
The ark in Kiriath Jearim
(1 Samuel 7:1)
Kiriath Jearim was one of four towns that belonged to the
Gibeonites (Joshua 9:17). The Gibeonites were a group of
people who lived in the region of Gibeon. Although they did
not originally belong to Israel, they joined Israel by the
peace agreement in Joshua chapter 9.
For about 400 years, Shiloh had been the most important
place in Israel’s religion. Here, the sacred tent called the
tabernacle stood. The sacred box called the ark was in its
most holy room. The chief priest remained in Shiloh. People
brought their gifts to God to Shiloh. Everyone who was loyal
to God went there regularly.
For the next 100 years, all these things happened at

different places. People offered their sacrifices (gifts to God;
usually animals) on the hills (1 Kings 3:2-4). The priests
moved the tabernacle to a town called Nob (1 Samuel 21:1).
They carried out some ceremonies there - for example, they
still offered the sacred bread to God. However, they could
not carry out all the ceremonies, because the ark was not
there.
During all this time, the ark was in a private house at

Kiriath Jearim. It was there for most of Samuel’s life. (The
20 years in 1 Samuel 7:2 seems to refer just to the beginning
of this period of time.) It was there for all of King Saul’s rule,
which lasted about 40 years. It even remained there when
Saul cruelly killed many of the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1). It
was still there when King David decided to bring the ark to
Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:5-7).
Perhaps by then people had even forgotten where the ark

was. Psalm 132:6 seems to describe how David had to search
for the ark. He found it in Abinadab’s house in Kiriath
Jearim. For all those years, members of Abinadab’s family
had loyally carried out their sacred duty to guard the ark of
God.
Israel’s people decide to serve

God again
(1 Samuel 7:2-6)
For the next 20 years, no important events happened in
Israel. Israel had no national leader; the army from Philistia
(called the Philistines) ruled Israel. They kept the country
poor; they took away any valuable things for themselves.
After the two defeats in 1 Samuel 4:1-11, Israel’s men were
too weak to oppose the Philistines.
The people in Israel were serving false gods. They kept small
images of Baal (a male god) and Ashtoreth (a female god).
They prayed to these gods for large families and successful
farms. If they had more sons, Israel would have an army
again. Then they could defeat the Philistines and they would
not still be so poor. That was why they wanted these things.
Because the people were so poor, they started to ask about

Israel’s God, the real God, again. They could not serve God
at Shiloh still; nobody considered that place still to be holy.
God had left it (Psalm 78:59-64).
So, the people went to Samuel. They remembered how God

had spoken by means of him in the past (1 Samuel 3:19-21).
They asked him how they could serve God.
Samuel told them that they must serve only the real God
(Deuteronomy 5:6-10). They must not keep their false
gods. They must trust God alone to save them from their
enemies.
The people in Israel followed Samuel’s advice. They

organised a great meeting at Mizpah. It was a very serious
occasion. They did not eat on that day; they confessed their
evil deeds to God. They poured out water to express their
desperate state in front of God (see Lamentations 2:19).
They depended on God; only he could help them now.
The Philistines attack Israel at

Mizpah
(1 Samuel 7:7-9)
When Israel’s people gathered at Mizpah, the purpose of
their meeting was prayer, not war. They especially needed
God’s help because the army from Philistia (called the
Philistines) ruled Israel in a cruel manner. The people in
Israel were very poor and they were unable to oppose the
Philistines.
At Mizpah, Israel’s people declared that they would depend

completely upon God. They confessed their wrong deeds to
him. They trusted him alone to rescue them from their
enemy.
The people in Israel were not expecting to fight the

Philistines and they had not prepared to do that. In fact,
they had even chosen not to eat, so they felt weak. However,
the Philistines saw their camp in Mizpah, and they
prepared to attack. Such a large camp was often evidence
that an army was gathering for battle. The Philistines wanted
to attack quickly, before any army was ready to oppose them.
However, Israel’s men had not gathered to form an army.

They had met only to pray. They felt very afraid. It seemed
certain that the Philistines would kill very many people.
Israel’s people had just agreed to trust God completely.

Now, they had to do it. It was clear that they could not save
themselves. Only God could save them.
They urged Samuel to pray for them constantly during the

battle. Samuel took a very young sheep and he offered it to
God. After he had killed it, he burnt the entire animal in the
fire as a gift to God. That act was an expression of Israel’s
desire to depend completely on what God had provided (see
Genesis 22:13-14 and Leviticus 1:10-13). It was also an
expression of prayer. As the smoke from the animal rose
towards heaven, so the prayers of God’s people reached God.
How God used a storm to win a

battle
(1 Samuel 7:10-11)
During ancient battles, even the strongest soldiers were very
afraid of storms. A storm would ruin the best plans for a
battle, and it could make even the most powerful army weak.
During the storm, lightning would surprise the soldiers. Then

thunder (the noise that follows lightning) would make them
afraid. The rain would turn the hard ground into mud; and
nobody can move quickly in mud. Also, it would be difficult to
see what the rest of the army was doing.
No person can control a storm, so people have often

considered storms to be a special action of God (see Psalm
29:3-9 and Job chapter 37). Of course, not every storm is
from God. However, it is evidence of God’s greatness that he
can control the storm (Psalm 104:3; Mark 4:35-41).
The storm in 1 Samuel 7:10 was God’s work. God used that
storm to save his people, that is, the people from Israel.
When they gathered to pray to him at Mizpah, the army from
Philistia tried to attack them.
The men from Israel were much too weak to defend

themselves. They did not even have a proper army and they
had not prepared for a battle. However, they had decided
that they would serve the real God as their only God. They
were trusting him alone to save them from their enemies.
God did not disappoint them. When the army from Philistia
approached to begin the fight, a storm began. The soldiers
from Philistia felt great terror when they heard the loud
thunder. They tried to run away. Because they were running
away, they could not defend themselves. The men from
Israel chased after them and attacked them.
So, Israel won the battle. Really, however, it was God who
won the battle on Israel’s behalf.
About the name: EBENEZER
(1 Samuel 7:12)
Israel’s men had just gained success in a battle against the
army of Philistia. They did not win that battle by their own
efforts. They won because God fought for them. He sent a
powerful storm, with the result that the enemy’s army ran
away.
The results of that one battle were very impressive. For more
than 20 years, Philistia’s powerful army had controlled
Israel. Now, Israel was a free country.
Samuel wanted Israel’s people always to remember what God

had done for them. So, Samuel made a monument. A
monument is a large stone that people put in an important
place, to remind them of a past event.
Samuel called that monument EBENEZER. That means,

‘stone of help’. Its purpose was to remind Israel’s people
that, in the past, God had helped them. Especially, he helped
them in their battle against Philistia’s army.
Although a monument reminds people about the past, its

message is really for people in the future. Samuel intended
that his monument should remain in that place for many
centuries. Whenever people passed it, they would remember
its name EBENEZER. They would know that God had rescued
his people in that place. If they trusted God now, he would
help them too. So, the monument encouraged people to trust
God. Its message for the future was that God really does
help his people.
It does not surprise us that many churches have also chosen

the name EBENEZER. Their members wanted to express
thanks to God that he had helped them in the past. So, when
they built a church building, they called it by that name. They
too wanted to encourage people in the future to trust God.
In that place where God had helped them, he would help
other people too.
Samuel, Israel’s judge
(1 Samuel 7:13-17)
Because the army of Philistia did not still enter Israel, Israel
was now a free country.
Samuel became its leader. However, he did not rule the

country as a king or a ruler does. He did not make laws or
establish a government. He did not try to make himself rich
or important. Instead, he led the country as its judge.
Each year, Samuel went from his home in Ramah to a series

of towns. In each place, he made himself available for any of
the people to speak to him. He listened carefully to their
troubles. When people disagreed in a serious manner, he
made legal judgements to decide the matter. All the
important people in Israel respected his authority (1 Samuel
8:4).
In Samuel’s opinion, this was part of his duties as a

prophet (holy man). Samuel continued to pray to God for the
people in Israel. Also, God continued to speak to his people
by means of Samuel. When people needed to inquire of God,
they went to Samuel (1 Samuel 9:6).
This was an ancient way to lead Israel. Moses had acted as

Israel’s judge (Exodus 18:13). So did each of the leaders of
Israel in the Book of Judges. One of those was Deborah.
There is an account of her work as a judge in Judges 4:4-7.
Eli, who taught Samuel as a boy, also acted as Israel’s judge
for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18).
This ancient system respected the fact that God was

Israel’s true king. It gave him alone the right to make laws
and to rule his people.
Samuel was the last person who led Israel as its judge. He
tried to appoint his sons after him but they were not honest
(1 Samuel 8:1-3). So when Samuel finished his work as
Israel’s judge, a king ruled Israel.
1 Samuel chapter 8
The request for a king
(1 Samuel 8:1-6)
Many of the prophets felt a sense of fear that they had
wasted their lives.
The prophets were Israel’s holy men. As holy men, they had
given their lives completely to God. They did not want to
waste even one second of the time; they chose to use their
whole lives for God. So the idea that their lives could have
failed to achieve God’s purposes genuinely worried them.
It was the greatest desire of the prophets that their nation

would be completely loyal to God. They worked for their
whole lives to achieve that. It disappointed them deeply to
see how little they could achieve by their own efforts. God
often had to remind them that it was his work, not theirs,
to bring people into a right relationship with him. Their
work was simply to serve him in a loyal manner. For example,
see Moses in Numbers 11:10-17 and Elijah in 1 Kings 19:3-
18.
It seems that Samuel had that problem too. He could not

bring his nation into a right relationship with God; even his
own family was not loyal to God. The behaviour of his two
sons must have reminded Samuel of how Eli’s two sons had
behaved (1 Samuel 2:12-17).
The important people in Israel urged Samuel to appoint a

king who would rule their nation. That request upset Samuel.
They wanted their nation to have a powerful ruler like all the
other nations. Samuel believed that Israel should not be like
other nations. He wanted the people in Israel to respect
God as their king. For his whole life, he had worked to
achieve that.
So Samuel asked God what he should do about this important

matter.
God’s reaction to a foolish

decision
(1 Samuel 8:7-9)
Usually, God allows people to make their own decisions. If
their decision is foolish, God may send someone to warn
them about it. However, he then allows them to make their
own choice. When the leaders of Israel’s people asked
Samuel to appoint a king, they had already made a definite
decision. They wanted a king, whether their decision was
wise or not. They did not care whether God wanted Israel to
have a king or not. They were not even willing to wait for the
king whom God would choose. Other nations had kings, so
they wanted Samuel to choose a king for Israel at once.
This placed Samuel in an extremely difficult situation. Only

Samuel disagreed with the decision to appoint a king. All the
people and all the other leaders wanted a king. However,
only Samuel had the authority in Israel to appoint a king
whom everyone would respect. If anyone else tried to do it,
the likely result would be arguments and war.
Samuel recognised that his authority to lead Israel came

from God. So, Samuel asked God how he should deal with
this situation.
God replied that Israel’s people had often not been loyal to
him. Since God rescued them from their hard lives as slaves
in Egypt, they had frequently chosen to serve false gods.
Their attitude now was nothing new. It upset Samuel to see
this attitude; but God had long been dealing with this
attitude. In the past they wanted to serve false gods; now
they wanted to serve a king.
God told Samuel to warn the people. They needed to

understand how a powerful king would behave. They needed
to know how that king would use his authority. They needed
to see that they would suffer much because of their decision.
However, if their final decision was to appoint a king, God

would permit them to do it.
How a powerful ruler behaves
(1 Samuel 8:10-18)
The people in Israel wanted to have a powerful king who
would defeat all their enemies. Then their nation would have
peace and security and they would all become rich. That was
what they thought.
However, that is not reality. Samuel carefully explained to

them what it means for a country to have a very powerful
ruler.
That ruler uses his authority for his own benefit. Such rulers
are often cruel men. However, even a ruler who is not cruel
must still establish a strong government. He forces people to
work for him. They may work in his army or they may
produce food for him. They may make the equipment that his
army needs.
Samuel explained how both men and women would have to

work for the king. The men must fight for him; the women
must work in his palace. The king would also demand the best
land in the country. He would not merely take land for his
own use; he would give it to his officials.
In addition, the king would demand the payment of taxes.

Samuel described a king who took a tenth (10%) of
everything.
The people in Israel wanted their king to give them liberty

and wealth. In reality, the king would take their wealth and
he would order them to serve him, like slaves. God had freed
Israel from many enemies in the past, but he would expect
people to obey their king. They had a duty in front of God to
be loyal to their ruler (Ecclesiastes 8:2; Romans 13:1-7).
Until that time, Israel had never appointed any person to be

its king. Israel was different from all other nations because
God was its king (1 Samuel 8:7). Samuel had taught the
people to give their lives to God alone, and he (God) would
save them from their enemies (1 Samuel 7:3). However, the
people in Israel were not willing to follow Samuel’s advice.
When people refuse good advice
(1 Samuel 8:19-22)
People are acting in a very foolish manner when they refuse
to follow good advice. The reason, as in this passage, is often
that those people have already made their decision. They
care more about their own opinion than about what is the
sensible thing to do. They follow their feelings and they will
not even think about anyone else’s advice. They behave as if
they already know the right answer to everything.
In this particular passage, the people’s plan was to appoint

a king to rule Israel. They had convinced themselves that it
was an excellent idea. They spoke only about the benefits of
their plan. The king would lead their army. He would
encourage the soldiers to fight well and he would bring
success in battle.
However, they were not thinking about the problems that

their plan would bring. Samuel had told them about those
problems, as any wise adviser must do (1 Samuel 8:11-18). A
powerful king would behave in a powerful manner. He would
force the people to work for him and he would demand the
payment of taxes.
Sensible people think very carefully about any problems that

their plans may bring (Luke 14:28-32). Wise people learn
from the words of people who may disagree with them
(Proverbs 9:8-9). Only fools refuse to listen to advice.
Advisers often have to deal with people who will not follow
their advice. That is a difficult situation for any adviser. He
must allow those people to do something that he knows to be
foolish and wrong.
Here, God gave a clear instruction to Samuel. He should

appoint a king to rule Israel, as the people wanted. So
Samuel sent the people home. He had not yet appointed the
king. He first needed to find out whom God wanted him to
appoint as Israel’s first king.
1 Samuel chapter 9
Saul, Israel’s first king
(1 Samuel 9:1-2)
When the people in Israel decided to appoint a king, they
were not just trying to please themselves. They were not
trying to impress themselves or anyone else, for example by
means of the wealth of their king. They made their decision
because their country was in a very desperate situation.
They needed someone who could lead their armies against
two very powerful enemies.
On the west side, the army of Philistia (called the

Philistines) had become powerful again. For many years
while Samuel led Israel, the Philistines had been weak (1
Samuel 7:13-14). Now, however, that army had begun to
have power over Israel again. They would not allow the men
in Israel to work with metal. The result was that Israel’s men
had no swords (1 Samuel 13:19-22).
On the east side, the army of Ammon (called the Ammonites)

were approaching Israel (1 Samuel 11:1). They were a very
cruel enemy (1 Samuel 11:2). Israel’s men had realised that,
soon, they must fight the Ammonites. That caused Israel’s
people to be very afraid (1 Samuel 12:12).
Israel’s decision to appoint a king was because of lack of

trust in God. It was a wrong decision, but God still cared
about his people, Israel. He decided that he would allow
them to have a king in order to rescue them from their
enemies (1 Samuel 9:16).
That king, Saul, was not the perfect king that God had
promised to Israel (1 Samuel 2:10). Saul came from the tribe
(group of families) of Benjamin - not the tribe of Judah, from
which Israel’s king must come (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews
7:14).
However, Saul did have the qualities that Israel’s people

wanted for their king. Saul was impressive, tall and strong.
He was not a very young man; his son Jonathan was already
an adult (1 Samuel 13:2). However, he was younger than the
old men who led Israel until then (1 Samuel 8:4).
Saul’s donkeys
(1 Samuel 9:3-5)
Saul was not trying to become Israel’s king. In fact, probably
he had never even thought about the matter.
Saul was just carrying out his duties on his father’s farm.
Then, an extraordinary series of events happened, which
led him to Samuel.
Saul’s father, Kish, owned several animals. They included

some donkeys (animals like a small horse). Usually, a tame
donkey is a very loyal animal, as Isaiah 1:3 says. A tame
donkey can find its own way back to its master’s home.
However, on one particular day, Kish’s donkeys did not

return home. Perhaps a wild animal had scared them;
perhaps thieves had taken them. Kish was a very old man,
but his son Saul could try to find them. Kish would have
marked his animals so that other people could recognise
them. Saul was strong and tall enough to frighten the
thieves, if he found any thieves.
Saul realised that he might have to walk through the entire

region. He and his servant packed enough food to last for
two or three days (compare 1 Samuel 9:7 and 1 Samuel
9:20). Wherever they went, they would have asked about the
donkeys. Someone may have seen the animals; if so, that
person could direct them. However, the search was
unsuccessful, so they had to walk a long way.
In fact, God was leading the two men, but they were
unaware of that fact. When they reached Zuph, Saul wanted
to return home. His servant replied that, first, they should
inquire of God.
The servant was right: God did have a message for Saul. But
it was about something much more important than the
donkeys.
Why Saul went to see Samuel
(1 Samuel 9:6-10)
Saul and his servant were searching for his father’s missing
donkeys (animals like small horses). After 3 days, they
arrived in the region called Zuph, where Samuel lived in the
town called Ramah (1 Samuel 7:17; 1 Samuel 9:25).
Actually, God was sending Saul to Samuel, but Saul did not
know it (1 Samuel 9:16). Even when Saul was approaching
Ramah, he was not thinking about Samuel. Instead, Saul was
thinking about his father, and he had decided to return
home.
Then Saul’s servant proposed that they should first go to

see ‘the man of God’. That phrase means a holy man. A holy
man could pray to God so that they could find the donkeys.
He might also receive a message from God to tell them where
they should go. They also called him ‘the seer’. In other
words, someone who sees things that people cannot usually
see. He sees those things because God shows them to him.
Saul thought that he should give something to the holy man.

He had very simple ideas about religion; he probably thought
that he was paying for the prayer. He did not think about
his duties to God or about the proper way to pray. He just
wanted to make a payment which the holy man would accept.
The servant had a small coin. It was less than the amount
that people had to pay in order to make an axe sharp (1
Samuel 13:21). However, it was enough to convince Saul that
he should visit the holy man in Ramah.
That holy man was Samuel - and already, Samuel knew that
Saul was coming (1 Samuel 9:15).
Saul meets Samuel for the first

time
(1 Samuel 9:11-14)
Saul and his servant only intended to visit the town called
Ramah briefly. Their plan was to go to the house of Samuel,
Ramah’s holy man. They would pay him to pray about the
missing donkeys (animals like small horses). Then they would
leave, either to find the donkeys or to return home.
However, they soon discovered that they had gone to Ramah

on a special and important occasion. Samuel was arranging
a special meal for the town’s principal citizens, in order to
give honour to a very important guest. Nobody knew who
that guest was. However, Samuel had recently agreed to
appoint Israel’s first king (1 Samuel chapter 8).
Saul first met Samuel at the entrance to the town. Samuel

was going onto the hill above the town in order to offer a
sacrifice. A sacrifice was an animal that someone offered to
God. On this occasion, the sacrifice was a large animal,
perhaps a bull, that would provide the meat for Samuel’s
guests.
We can see how much Samuel trusted God. God had told
Samuel that he (God) would send Israel’s future king to him
(1 Samuel 9:16). Samuel did not try to find a suitable
person; he trusted God to send that person. Samuel did not
even ask God who that person would be; he waited for God to
tell him. In the meantime, Samuel made all the preparations
that were necessary to entertain a king.
Saul, on the other hand, was just trying to find some

donkeys. He did not know the reason why God had brought
him to Ramah. In fact, he did not even think that God had
brought him there.
Soon however, the purpose of these strange events would

become clear, even to Saul.
Why God sent Saul to Samuel
(1 Samuel 9:15-17)
Here, at last, we have the explanation of Saul’s strange
journey to look for his missing animals. God was sending
Saul to Samuel, so that Samuel could appoint him to be
Israel’s first king.
It would be Saul’s task to free his people from the

Philistines (the army of Philistia). When Samuel became
Israel’s judge (leader), the Philistines had suffered a severe
defeat (1 Samuel 7:10-12). This stopped many of their
activities against Israel (1 Samuel 7:13). However, after
many years, their army had become powerful again. In
particular, they were not allowing Israel’s workmen to work
with metal (1 Samuel 13:19-21). This had become a very
serious matter; Israel’s soldiers did not even have swords (1
Samuel 13:22).
Israel’s people were desperate. Another army, from

Ammon, was preparing to attack Israel (1 Samuel 12:12).
That was why Israel’s leaders had urged Samuel to appoint a
king. They wanted to have a powerful ruler who would lead
their soldiers in their battles (1 Samuel 8:20).
God cared about his people in Israel. He decided to act in

order to save them from their enemies. He allowed them to
have a king; he chose Saul for this purpose.
Since he was a boy, Samuel had heard the word of God (1

Samuel 3:4). He was familiar with the way that God spoke to
him (1 Samuel 3:21). In 1 Samuel 9:15-17, God spoke twice
to Samuel. First, God told Samuel that he was sending a man
from Benjamin to him. That man would be the king. Then,
God told Samuel that Saul was that man.
Saul did not expect any of these things. It was Samuel’s duty
not merely to appoint Saul, but also to teach him how he
must act as Israel’s king.
Samuel’s first conversation with

Saul
(1 Samuel 9:18-21)
At the entrance to the town, Saul approached an old man to
ask for directions to Samuel’s house. Saul did not realise that
he was speaking to Samuel himself.
Samuel, on the other hand, knew whom he was speaking to.

This man, Saul, would soon be the king of Israel. God had
chosen Saul to rule Israel. So Samuel was careful to give
Saul the honour that the king deserved.
Samuel told Saul to go with him to the hill above the town.
There, Samuel would offer a sacrifice (an animal) as a gift to
God. Afterwards, there would be a special meal, and Saul
would be the principal guest. Samuel had many things to
explain to Saul before Saul left on the next day.
Their conversation showed clearly that God really had

spoken to Samuel about this matter. Firstly, Samuel
explained that someone else had found Saul’s missing
animals. He could only know about the animals by the power
of God; Saul had not yet mentioned them. However, those
animals were an unimportant matter. The real reason why
God brought Saul to Samuel was to make Saul king. Everyone
in Israel desired a king. They all were ready to support Saul
and to give honour to his family.
Saul protested about this statement. Because of the war in

Judges chapter 20, Benjamin was Israel’s smallest tribe
(group of families). Saul did not even consider his own family
to be important in Benjamin’s tribe. However, even Saul’s
protest proved that God had spoken to Samuel. God had
clearly told Samuel that the king would be from the tribe of
Benjamin (1 Samuel 9:16).
Saul receives great honour
(1 Samuel 9:22-24)
Samuel did not explain to anyone that Saul would become
Israel’s king. The matter would not become public until God
himself showed it in 1 Samuel 10:20-21. Even Saul himself
did not know until Samuel appointed him in the private
ceremony in 1 Samuel 10:1.
However, Samuel insisted that everyone in his town,

Ramah, must show the greatest honour to Saul. That was
the purpose of the special meal in 1 Samuel 9:22-24.
The other guests at that meal were the principal citizens of

Ramah. Israel then had no proper government, so it had no
capital city. However, because everyone recognised Samuel
as Israel’s judge (leader), Ramah had become a very
important town (1 Samuel 7:17; 1 Samuel 8:4).
Saul, of course, was the most important guest at the meal.

That would have seemed extraordinary to Ramah’s principal
citizens, because none of them knew him. Even Saul’s servant
sat at the head of the table. That showed that even the
servant had a greater rank than Ramah’s principal citizens.
The meal itself was a sacrifice; in other words, an animal that

Samuel had offered to God. It was the kind called a
fellowship offering, in other words, a sacrifice to express
friendship. It showed the friendly relations between Israel’s
people, its priests and God. Here, it expressed in particular
friendship between Samuel, Saul, Ramah’s principal citizens,
and God.
At such a sacrifice, the priest who offered the sacrifice

received the right shoulder of the animal (in other words, its
right front leg). Saul, as the most important guest, would
have received the left shoulder. It was an extraordinary
honour for this farm worker, who, just a few minutes earlier,
was searching for his missing animals.
Saul stays with Samuel
(1 Samuel 9:25-27)
After the meal, Saul remained with Samuel. They returned
together to Samuel’s house. There, Samuel continued to talk
with Saul. We do not know the subject. However, it seems
clear that Samuel was preparing Saul for his future work.
The houses in Israel had flat roofs. People often went onto
the roof to talk, especially in the evening after they had
finished their work. The roof of a house also provided a cool
and pleasant place to sleep.
That night, Saul and his servant were Samuel’s guests. When
morning came, however, Samuel did not delay Saul further.
There were important things that needed to happen that day.
The events of that day would establish the relationship that
Saul, as Israel’s king, needed to have with God.
We are sure that Samuel would have preferred to spend

much more time with Saul. Saul needed to learn how he
must act as Israel’s leader and king. Samuel had led Israel
for many years and he had a close relationship with God.
There were very many important lessons that Samuel could
teach Saul, both from his knowledge and from his
experiences.
However, Saul’s relationship with God was more

important than any lesson that Samuel could teach him.
Only God could establish such a relationship with Saul.
Unlike Samuel, Saul was not a holy man who heard the word
of God. However, Saul still needed to know for himself that
God had appointed him. So now God himself would work in
Saul’s life in an extraordinary way.
1 Samuel chapter 10
The anointing of Saul
(1 Samuel 10:1)
Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head. This was the sacred
ceremony called the anointing. Its effect was to make Saul
king.
The oil in the ceremony had a special meaning. It showed

that God’s Holy Spirit was coming upon Saul. The Holy
Spirit came in order to separate Saul for his special task. So
really, as Samuel explained, the anointing came from God
and not merely from Samuel. Samuel poured the oil, but the
Holy Spirit comes from God.
Saul needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to rule

as Israel’s king. The kings of other nations may rule by their
own power, but Israel was different. Israel is a holy nation.
God has established his covenant (relationship) with Israel’s
people and they belong to him. They are God’s inheritance, in
other words, God’s permanent possession. Saul could only
rule Israel because God permitted it. Saul would rule on
God’s behalf. Other kings may have absolute authority over
their nation, but Saul had to be God’s servant. Whatever
Saul may do, Israel would still belong to God, and not to
Saul.
There was a series of events in the process to appoint Saul

king. The anointing was the most important of all those
events. Saul’s anointing was private: only Samuel and Saul
were present. However, we can see how much this event
affected everyone in Israel by David’s words in 1 Samuel
24:6, 1 Samuel 26:9-11 and 1 Samuel 26:23. David spoke
many years afterwards. At that time, Saul had become very
wicked and he was trying to kill David. However, David
refused to oppose Saul in any way whatever. David’s reason
was simply that Saul had received this anointing.
Three events to prove that God

had chosen Saul
(1 Samuel 10:2-4)
Samuel had arranged for Saul to leave Ramah at dawn. Saul
needed to leave early. He would have to walk more than 20
miles (30 kilometres) to return home to Gibeah.
Samuel explained the route carefully. God had shown him

three things that would happen to Saul at particular places
on that route. Those three events would prove to Saul that
Samuel really had spoken by the power of God. So, Saul
would know that God really had chosen him to be Israel’s
king.
Firstly, Saul would pass the grave of Rachel. You can read
about Rachel, and how she died, in Genesis 35:16-20. There,
Saul would meet two men, who would recognise him. They
would tell him that someone had already found his father’s
missing animals. That information would prove that Samuel
had spoken a correct message from God in 1 Samuel 9:20.
Probably, Saul’s father was asking everyone who passed

through Gibeah to look for Saul. Saul was easy to recognise
(1 Samuel 10:23). So it would not surprise Saul to receive
this message. However, it would help him to know that God
was active in his life.
Secondly, Saul would meet three men who were going to the
ancient holy place at Bethel (see Genesis 28:18-22). They
were taking three goats, which they would offer as sacrifices
(gifts to God). They probably intended to offer the bread and
wine with their sacrifices. However, they would give two of
their three loaves to Saul. Because the men intended to use
those loaves for a sacred purpose, those loaves were holy.
Because Saul was not a priest, he would usually refuse such a
gift. However, Samuel told him that he should accept it. As
Israel’s king, Saul would be carrying out a sacred task.
The third event would happen near Saul’s home at Gibeah.

We will study it in our next section.
What would happen to Saul at

Gibeah
(1 Samuel 10:5)
At the end of the day, as Saul reached his own town, Gibeah,
he would see an extraordinary event. A group of prophets
(holy men) would meet him as they came down from the hill
above the town.
Probably, they were offering a sacrifice (a gift to God; usually

an animal) on the hill. As they came down from the hill, they
would be praising God in a very joyful manner. They would
play many different kinds of musical instruments. Perhaps
they would sing and dance.
God’s Holy Spirit would be upon them, so that they would

prophesy. In other words, they would speak or sing by the
power of the Holy Spirit. Their words would not come from
their own minds; God’s Spirit would give those words to
them.
It seems strange that such a thing would happen in Gibeah.

Gibeah was not somewhere that people considered a holy
place. It was not a town where people usually gathered to
offer sacrifices. Probably, God had guided that group of
prophets there on that occasion for a special purpose.
Perhaps we can find a possible explanation of that purpose in

Samuel’s words to Saul. Here, we discover for the first time
that Philistia’s army had set up a small camp in Gibeah.
Saul’s own town was under the control of a foreign army.
Samuel calls the town by an unusual name: ‘Gibeah of God’.
So Gibeah did not belong to Philistia or to any other nation.
Like the rest of Israel, it really belonged to God. So perhaps
the prophets had gathered there to claim that town back for
God.
They did not, of course, know that Israel’s future king

belonged to that town. They would not know that King Saul
himself would prophesy with them. That fact would even
seem extraordinary to Saul himself.
Saul would prophesy at Gibeah
(1 Samuel 10:6)
Samuel continued to explain what would happen to Saul at
Gibeah.
Until now, Saul only knew about God from the experiences of
other people. However, now God would give to Saul a
personal experience. Saul would know the power of God in
his own life.
This is what would happen. Saul would meet a group of

prophets (holy men). God’s Holy Spirit would be upon them,
so that they were prophesying. Then, the Spirit of God
would come upon Saul too, and he would prophesy.
This would be a great change in Saul’s life. It seems that,

until that time, Saul did not care much about religion. It
would astonish Saul’s friends and family to see that even
Saul was prophesying (1 Samuel 10:11).
Although Saul did not continue to prophesy, this event was

necessary to prepare him for his future work.
In English, the word ‘prophesy’ usually means ‘to speak about

future events’. In the Bible however, the word often seems to
have a simpler meaning. It means ‘to declare words that
come from God’s Holy Spirit’.
Those words may be about future events. However, often

they are words to praise God and to declare his greatness.
Such words may express how God is working in the world
generally or in a particular situation.
It seems that Saul would be doing that here. He would

declare words to praise God. Those words would not come
from Saul’s own mind. They were words that the Holy Spirit
would place into Saul’s own spirit.
God’s instructions to Saul
(1 Samuel 10:7-8)
Samuel had given Saul three signs, in other words, pieces of
evidence to show that God was working in his life. Saul would
see how, during that same day, God would bring about the
three events in 1 Samuel 10:2-6. They were the evidence
that God was with Saul.
It was not God’s desire that Saul should rule Israel in his
own strength. Saul’s successes should not be the result of his
own effort. Instead, at all times, Saul should depend on God.
The king of Israel had to be the servant of God, because God
was Israel’s real king.
Samuel told Saul to ‘do whatever your hand finds to do’. In

other words, ‘do whatever you have the opportunity to do’.
Unlike Samuel, Saul would not hear God’s voice, but still, God
would be guiding him. God would show Saul what he needed
to do. Then Saul would act in a powerful manner and God
would give him success (see 1 Samuel 11:1-11).
Then Samuel explained to Saul that God would test him

(Saul) at Gilgal. This refers to the incident in 1 Samuel 13:4-
14. It probably happened several months later. Philistia’s
army would prepare to attack Saul and Israel’s army. Saul
would remain at Gilgal for 7 days. During those 7 days, most
of Israel’s soldiers would be too afraid to stay with Saul. The
test was whether Saul would continue to trust God during
those 7 days. Saul would have to wait until the end of that
period. Then Samuel would come to offer sacrifices (gifts to
God) and to tell Saul what he should do.
God works in Saul’s life
(1 Samuel 10:9-12)
The three events that Samuel described in 1 Samuel 10:2-7
all happened that same day. By means of those events, God
showed Saul that he (God) had spoken by Samuel. So it
became clear to Saul that God would appoint him to be the
king of Israel.
This last event was the most important one. Saul had an
experience of the power of God’s Spirit in his own life.
Saul spoke words that came from the Holy Spirit, like one of
the prophets (holy men). He joined them to praise God. This
was an astonishing change in Saul’s life.
This happened at Gibeah, which was Saul’s own town. So

people who knew Saul, his family and friends, saw it. They
knew that, probably, Saul had cared very little about religion
or about God before then. They did not expect that Saul
would ever have an experience of God in his own life. They
certainly did not expect him to act like a holy man.
They expressed their surprise in a question: ‘Is Saul also

among the prophets?’ They meant that they would never
expect such a thing to happen. Long afterwards, people
continued to ask that question whenever they saw any
unusual event.
Certainly, God had worked in a way that nobody in Gibeah

expected. However, one man in Gibeah refused to express
surprise. He asked the people from what family prophets
came. They all knew that Israel’s prophets did not come from
any particular family. God alone appointed a person to be a
prophet. Because God can work in the lives of any of his
people, he could work in Saul’s life too.
Saul in his own town
(1 Samuel 10:13-16)
When Saul met the prophets (holy men). God’s Holy Spirit
came upon him too. He began to prophesy (to speak words
from God) like them.
Saul did not remain with the prophets and he did not
continue to prophesy. However, he did not return home yet.
Although he had walked more than 20 miles (30 kilometres)
that day, he climbed up the hill above Gibeah. He went up to
the altar, in other words, the place where people offered
their gifts to God (1 Samuel 10:13). The prophets had been
coming down from that place when they met him (1 Samuel
10:5).
There was only one reason why Saul would want to go there.
He went to pray. Saul was not a holy man, but God had given
him a very sacred task: to be Israel’s king. Even Saul
considered that he should pray about such an important
task.
When Saul finally returned home, his uncle spoke to him. It

was already clear to everyone at Ramah that something
important had happened to Saul (1 Samuel 10:11). They
were all discussing what could have happened to him.
Saul told his uncle that he went to see Samuel about his
father’s missing animals. Saul even said that Samuel had
received a message from God for him - but only about the
animals.
We do not know whether this answer satisfied Saul’s uncle or

not. However, Saul would say nothing more. Samuel had
appointed Saul to be Israel’s king in secret (1 Samuel 9:27 to
10:1). Saul kept the matter secret until God showed it to
the whole nation in 1 Samuel 10:17-24.
The meeting to introduce

Israel’s king
(1 Samuel 10:17-19)
Samuel ordered everyone in Israel to gather at Mizpah. It
was the same place where, several years earlier, Samuel had
become Israel’s leader and judge (1 Samuel 7:5-6). Now
Israel’s people wanted a king (1 Samuel chapter 8) and
Samuel was ready to introduce that king to them.
The message from God that Samuel declared on that

occasion was very severe. God reminded the people about
the history of their nation. It was God who saved them from
their hard lives as slaves in Egypt. God had rescued them
from every enemy that had fought against them. In every
trouble, God was ready to help them. However, they had not
been loyal to God.
Again, powerful enemies were ready to attack Israel, and its

people were afraid (1 Samuel 12:12). However, they did not
want to trust God, as Samuel had always urged them to do (1
Samuel 7:3). Instead, they wanted to have a powerful king
who would lead their soldiers into battle (1 Samuel 8:20).
In 1 Samuel 12:17, Samuel says that their desire for a king

was evil. It was wrong and evil to want to serve a king
instead of God. It is wrong when people choose to trust
another person and not to trust God. It is evil if we decide
not to allow God to rule our lives completely.
God had chosen to give the people what they wanted. They
would have a king, although that king would make them like
slaves (1 Samuel 8:10-18).
Perhaps the people expected that, after his speech, Samuel

would appoint a powerful man to be the king. Samuel did not
do that. Instead, he ordered all the people to arrange
themselves into family groups. Then God himself would
show them the man whom he had chosen to be their king.
The process that selected Saul
(1 Samuel 10:20-21)
Samuel had already appointed Saul to be Israel’s king (1
Samuel 10:1). However, that had happened in private, and
nobody else knew about it yet. So the purpose of the process
in 1 Samuel 10:20-21 was not in fact to select the king. It
was to show publicly the king whom God had chosen.
Probably Samuel did this by lot. In other words, it seemed to

be by chance. Really, however, this was not a matter of
chance; Samuel was allowing God to make the decision
(Proverbs 16:33). This was an ancient way to make decisions
in Israel (Numbers 26:55-56). People asked God to make the
decision, and they trusted him to do that (Acts 1:24-26). It
was clear that no person had made the decision.
This was a sacred matter. Samuel brought each family group

forward, in front of God. He then allowed God to decide
between them.
The process began with the largest family groups, that is,
Israel’s 12 tribes. God chose the tribe of Benjamin. Then the
process continued with the smaller family groups in that
tribe, which were called clans. God chose the clan of Matri.
Then it was necessary to choose from the families in that
clan, and then the men from that family.
The name that the lot selected was Saul, the son of Kish. No
person had any part in Saul’s selection. Although Samuel
organised the lots, he did not make the decision. He wanted
it to be clear to everyone that God had chosen Saul to be
Israel’s king.
Saul hides
(1 Samuel 10:22-24)
Samuel had persuaded the people in Israel that they must
not select their own king. If they tried to do that, the nation
would not remain united. Different groups would appoint
different leaders to be king, and they would all fight against
each other. That would be a terrible situation. Israel would
not be strong enough to oppose any of its enemies.
Instead, the people had to accept the king that God had
chosen for their nation. 1 Samuel 10:20-21 describes the
slow, careful process by which God showed his decision. We
are sure that many men there felt a strong sense of ambition
on such an occasion. They wanted the wealth, power and
honour that the king would receive. They were sure that they
could rule Israel well.
Saul did not share their feelings. He alone knew what would
be the result of the process to select the king. He knew that
God had chosen him. So he was afraid. Instead of ambition,
Saul felt a sense of responsibility. Instead of hope, he felt a
sense of fear. So, he went and he hid himself.
It was hardly an honourable way for Saul to begin his rule.

When Samuel declared Saul’s name, nobody could find Saul.
Then Samuel had to inquire of God, in order to find out
where Saul was. Another pause followed while people
searched for him.
There was probably much confusion until Saul stood up

among the people. Then people saw how tall he was. That
immediately impressed them: Saul looked like a king. That
quality mattered to them; they wanted a king whom the
soldiers would follow into battle (1 Samuel 8:20). So the
people accepted Saul as their king.
Saul begins his rule
(1 Samuel 10:25-27)
The kings of other nations often had absolute authority over
their own countries. They made the law; other people had to
obey it. However, Israel’s king was not like them. The king of
Israel was the servant of God. God had made rules that
Israel’s king had to obey (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). In fact,
the first duty of Israel’s king was to study and to obey the
law of God (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).
Samuel made a record of these matters. He probably

recorded both the king’s duties, and the duties of the people
to their king. Samuel placed his record ‘in front of God’ -
perhaps in the sacred tent called the tabernacle.
Then something happened that may surprise us. Everyone,

including Saul, just went home. Saul did not organise a
government or an army. Instead, he simply returned to his
job as a worker on his father’s farm (1 Samuel 11:5). It
seemed as if nothing whatever had happened.
It does not surprise us that some people expressed publicly

their doubts about Saul. They could see no reason to
imagine that Saul could ever be a successful king or military
leader. Probably they wanted to appoint someone else as
king. Saul did not try to argue against these people. It was
not yet the right time for him to act.
In fact, God was doing something powerful in Saul’s life,

although people did not see it yet. A group of brave men
had joined Saul in Gibeah. Probably, several of them already
lived there. They included Saul’s son Jonathan, and Saul’s
cousin Abner, who became the commander of Saul’s army (1
Samuel 14:50). Together, they could make plans and they
could prepare for war. At the right time, Saul would be ready
to act in a very powerful manner.
1 Samuel chapter 11
Nahash attacks Jabesh Gilead
(1 Samuel 11:1-3)
Jabesh was a town in Gilead, which was on the east side of
the river Jordan. You can read about the terrible incident
that left that town empty in Judges 21:8-14. After that
incident, other people moved into Jabesh. They probably also
came from the small part of Israel that was on the east side
of the river Jordan.
Near them, there was a strong nation called Ammon. Its king
was Nahash. Nahash led a powerful army, and the people in
Israel were afraid of him (1 Samuel 12:12).
Nahash brought his army to Jabesh, and his soldiers

surrounded it. They could not enter the town itself, because
a wall surrounded the town. So they did not allow anyone to
enter or to leave the town. When the inhabitants ran out of
food, they would starve.
The inhabitants of Jabesh urged Nahash to make a peace

agreement with them. They were willing to pay a high price
for peace. They offered to hand over their town to him. They
would accept his rule and they would be loyal to him. They
would pay whatever taxes he demanded.
Nahash refused because he did not just want to gain control

over that one town. His ambitions were greater than that. He
wanted to make everyone in Israel ashamed that they were
unable to defend Jabesh. He wanted to offend them so much
that nobody in Israel would try to oppose his army. Then he
could quickly and easily gain control over the whole of Israel.
So, Nahash made a very cruel demand. He would give peace

to Jabesh if he could pull out the right eye of everyone in the
town. However, he allowed Jabesh’s rulers first to request
help from the rest of Israel. He wanted everyone in Israel to
know how cruel he was. He probably thought that they would
be too afraid to fight him.
Saul’s powerful leadership
(1 Samuel 11:4-7)
Israel’s men had just 7 days to form themselves into an
army, in order to rescue the inhabitants of Jabesh. They
were not professional soldiers; most of them were farm
workers. They did not have military equipment; they would
have to use knives and farm tools in the battle.
It seemed impossible, therefore, to organise an army that

could fight against Ammon’s army. Israel now had a king,
Saul from Gibeah. However, Saul was not yet acting like a
king; in fact, he was still working on his farm. Nobody
thought that he had the authority or power to command an
army.
So, when the news arrived from Jabesh, everyone was

desperately sad. Soon the inhabitants of Jabesh must suffer
terribly, and nobody could rescue them. When Saul returned
home from his work, everyone in Gibeah was weeping. Then
God’s Holy Spirit came upon Saul. The result was that Saul
was very angry. However, he was not out of control; he knew
what he must do. Saul recognised that God had given him the
authority to command Israel’s army. So, Saul acted in a very
powerful manner.
Saul took two of his own oxen. Oxen are farm animals like
cows, which are strong enough to pull the plough. Saul took a
knife and he killed those animals. Then he tore apart the
bodies of the animals. He ordered the young men from
Gibeah to take the pieces through all Israel. They must warn
everyone severely. Every man in Israel must join Israel’s
army to save Jabesh. Otherwise, Saul would certainly
punish them. Saul, who did not hesitate to kill his own oxen,
would definitely not be afraid to kill anyone else’s oxen.
Saul gathers a vast army
(1 Samuel 11:8)
When Saul became Israel’s king, he did not try to show his
authority immediately. He did not establish his government
and he did not organise Israel’s army. Even when some men
began to speak against him, he did nothing (1 Samuel 10:27).
We may ask why Saul waited. The answer is that Saul was
aware of his own weakness. He was not from an important
family (1 Samuel 9:21). He had no experience as an army
commander. He did not become king by a revolution or any
powerful act.
If Saul tried to establish his authority too soon, he would

quickly lose that authority. A king whom nobody respects
has no power. If only a few people obey a leader’s orders, a
stronger leader will soon appear to oppose him. When Saul
acted, he must not show weak leadership.
The terrible situation in Jabesh gave Saul the opportunity

that he needed to establish his leadership. However, the
strength to do it did not come from Saul himself. God’s Holy
Spirit gave Saul the power to act in this situation (1
Samuel 11:6). In this, Saul acted like many of the men who
led Israel’s army in the Book of Judges. They too waited until
the Holy Spirit came upon them; then they acted powerfully
(Judges 3:10; Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29; Judges 14:19).
When it became necessary for Saul to act, he did not delay.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, he gave an order for the
men in Israel to gather for battle. The result was that they
all obeyed his order. A vast army gathered at Bezek in order
to rescue the inhabitants of Jabesh from Nahash, the king of
Ammon.
Saul defeats Nahash’s army
(1 Samuel 11:9-11)
In Jabesh, the situation was desperate. It seemed that the
inhabitants would have to hand over their town to Nahash,
their enemy. Then they would suffer his cruelty.
However, 10 miles (15 kilometres) away in Bezek, Israel’s

men were gathering to fight for Jabesh. At Saul’s command,
they had come from every part of Israel. Together, they were
a vast army.
The army of Israel sent a message back to the inhabitants of

Jabesh. Israel’s army was ready to fight and to defeat
Nahash’s army. The inhabitants of Jabesh would be free early
on the next day.
That was wonderful news for the people in Jabesh. Their

despair turned to joy immediately. They did not need to see
the result of the battle to be joyful. They trusted the
message that they had received. They were confident of
success. They even told their enemy that they would only
wait until the next day for help to arrive.
Saul did not wait until the next day. During the night, he took
his men across the river Jordan. He organised them into
three groups. They attacked when Nahash’s army did not
expect them. It was before dawn when the battle began.
Nahash’s men would still be sleeping when Israel’s army
entered their camp.
Saul’s plan was a complete success. Nahash’s army was

probably much smaller than Saul’s army. Nahash only
brought soldiers to attack one town; they did not expect the
men from an entire nation to attack them. Saul’s army killed
many of them; the others ran away in many directions.
Saul becomes popular
(1 Samuel 11:12-15)
Saul’s success in the battle against Ammon’s army
immediately made him very popular. Before the battle,
although Saul was Israel’s king, nobody considered him to be
a great man. Some people had even argued that Saul should
not be the king (1 Samuel 10:27). After the battle, everyone
wanted to be on Saul’s side.
The result was that Israel’s people wanted to make Saul’s

rule strong. They even proposed to kill the men who had
opposed Saul. Usually at that time a new king would kill
anyone who opposed his rule. The people in Israel had a
special duty to be loyal to their king, because God had
appointed him (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 24:6-7).
It is interesting that the people asked Samuel, not Saul,

about this matter. Until then, the people still considered
Samuel their judge and leader. The rule over the nation had
not yet passed completely to Saul. However, although they
had spoken to Samuel, Saul made the decision. So Saul
showed that he had authority over Israel.
Saul made a popular decision. He did not want anyone in

Israel to die on such a happy occasion. Everyone should be
happy on that day, because on that day God had rescued
Israel.
Samuel proposed that Israel’s people should gather at

Gilgal. There, he would organise a special ceremony to re-
appoint Saul as Israel’s king.
That meeting in Gilgal was both a sacred occasion and a

happy party. Samuel again declared Saul to be the king, and
the people promised to be loyal to him. Then the people had a
great meal. They shared the meat from the many animals
that they offered to God. That meal showed fellowship
(friendship) between God, the people in Israel, and King
Saul.
1 Samuel chapter 12
Samuel’s last speech
(1 Samuel 12:1-5)
This was Samuel’s speech on the occasion in 1 Samuel 11:14-
15. It was Samuel’s last great speech to the nation that he
had led for most of his life.
Although Samuel had been Israel’s leader, he had led as a

judge and not as a king. God himself was Israel’s king (1
Samuel 12:12). So Samuel did not make laws and he did not
establish a government. Instead, he declared what God had
shown to him (1 Samuel 3:21; 1 Samuel 9:9).
Now, however, the people in Israel had demanded that a king

should rule their nation. Samuel did not approve, but God
told him to allow it (1 Samuel 8:6-9; 1 Samuel 8:22). So
Samuel appointed King Saul. In his speech, Samuel referred
to the king as God’s ‘anointed’. By that word, Samuel was
referring to the ceremony called ‘the anointing’ in 1 Samuel
10:1. That showed the relationship between Israel’s king and
God.
Samuel reminded the people that he had always dealt with

them in a proper manner. He did not make unfair profits
from his work as judge. He did not accept gifts from anyone
who was trying to change his opinion about a matter. He did
not use his importance to take things that did not belong to
him. He did not act in a cruel or unfair manner towards
weaker people. Samuel had always carried out his duties in a
sincere and honest manner.
Samuel invited anyone present to accuse him. Nobody spoke

against him. They all declared, in front of God, that Samuel
was innocent of any such wrong deed.
When Samuel had given the people the opportunity to accuse

him, he then accused them. He would show them that they
had not been loyal to God. He would prove to them that
they were guilty of many wrong and evil deeds.
God does not always refuse a

wrong request
(1 Samuel 12:6-8)
Sometimes people urge God to give them something,
although God does not approve of it. They have convinced
themselves that they need that thing. Perhaps they even
refuse to serve God unless he gives them it.
That is a foolish and wicked attitude. God knows what is right

and good for us. He cares about his people. He gives them
what they genuinely need (Matthew 7:7-11).
However, God does not always refuse a wrong request.

Sometimes he allows people to have something although he
does not approve of it. That was what happened in ancient
Israel. God allowed the people there to have a king; he even
arranged for Samuel to appoint King Saul. However, God still
did not approve. Although he allowed the people’s request,
he had not changed his mind about this matter (James 1:17).
He still considered their request to be wrong.
Samuel explained this to the people in a very plain manner.

Israel was not like the other nations. About 400 years
before, their families had been slaves in Egypt. It was God
who rescued them from that situation. God appointed Moses
and Aaron to bring them to their own country. Moses was
their leader, and Aaron was their priest.
Although God had rescued Israel’s people from Egypt, they

still were not loyal to him. Samuel continued in 1 Samuel
12:9-11 with the history in the Book of Judges. God did not
just save Israel once; he had saved them many times.
Then, in 1 Samuel 12:12, Samuel would accuse them.

Although God was so kind, the people would not accept his
rule. That was the real reason why they wanted a king.
Why God handed his people over

to their enemies
(1 Samuel 12:9-11)
The Bible often says that God handed over his people to their
enemies. Really, such words usually describe a long series of
events that happened over a period of many years. In the
Book of Judges, that period was usually the length of the life
of Israel’s judges (leaders). This was the usual order of
events:
(1) On an earlier occasion, God had rescued his people. The

people who had that experience often remained loyal to God
for their whole lives. However, their children had always
known comfortable lives and they began to neglect God. So
they made themselves false gods, for example Baal and
Ashtoreth. They thought that those false gods would make
them more successful. God sent people to warn them, but
they were unwilling to leave their false gods.
(2) If God had allowed their comfortable lives to continue,

they would have become very wicked. So, God gave their
enemies some power over them. Samuel mentions Sisera
from Hazor (Judges 4:1-3), and the king of Moab (Judges
3:12-14). The Philistines were Israel’s principal enemy
during the lives of Samson, Samuel and Saul. However, God
never gave Israel’s enemies complete control over Israel. If
he had done, they would have destroyed the nation
completely (Psalm 124).
(3) In their desperate situation, Israel’s people prayed to

God for help. So, God rescued them. In the Book of Judges,
he did that by means of a leader or judge who led their
armies. You can read about Barak in Judges chapters 4 and
5, and about Jephthah in Judges chapters 11 and 12. Jerub-
Baal was another name for Gideon (Judges 6:32), whom you
can read about in Judges chapters 6 to 8. Samson (Judges
chapters 13 to 16) was the last judge in the Book of Judges.
However, really, Samuel himself was Israel’s last judge (1
Samuel 7:6; 1 Samuel 7:15-17).
A powerful king
(1 Samuel 12:12)
King Nahash of Ammon both impressed and frightened the
people in Israel. They saw how, by his powerful words and
cruel actions, he controlled Ammon’s soldiers completely. It
seemed certain that, with such a strong leader, Nahash’s
army would win all their battles.
The people in Israel convinced themselves that they too

needed a powerful king like Nahash. Otherwise, they did not
believe that they could defend themselves from his army.
That was why they urged Samuel to appoint a king to lead
Israel’s army.
Saul seemed an unlikely choice to be Israel’s king. However,

when Nahash attacked, Saul acted in a very powerful
manner. The result was that Saul defeated Nahash’s army
completely.
Then the people in Israel began to realise how foolish they

had been. They thought that nobody could defeat a powerful
king like Nahash. In fact, they themselves had easily
defeated him, in a battle that lasted just for one morning. So
they saw that it does not make a nation safe to have a
powerful king.
In previous centuries, Israel’s people had often not been

loyal to God. However, they had always considered God to
be their king. When their troubles were severe, they
appealed to God and not to any person for help. Then they
trusted God to save his nation from its enemies.
In a way, the people who lived at the time of Samuel and Saul
were even less loyal to God. They did not want God to save
them from their troubles; they wanted a king to save
them. They did not want God to rule their nation and they
did not trust him to defend their nation.
Saul: the king that the people

chose
(1 Samuel 12:13)
1 Samuel 12:13 describes Saul as the king that the people
chose. That description may surprise us when we read 1
Samuel chapters 9 and 10. Those chapters show clearly that
God, and not the people, appointed Saul to be their king.
On the other hand, Psalm 78:70 refers to David as the king

whom God chose. This contrast between Saul and David is
very important as we study the Books of 1 and 2 Samuel.
The Bible refers to Saul as the people’s choice because the

people demanded a king. They wanted God to give them a
powerful king who would lead their army. God did not
approve. However, God gave them the kind of king that
they wanted. Saul had all the qualities that they desired for
their king.
Saul had the opportunity to serve God and, for a short time,
he did that. However, Saul would not obey God’s command to
him (1 Samuel 13:13) and, in the end, he became very
wicked. That is very sad, but it does not surprise us. When
people follow their own desires, wicked behaviour is the
usual result. What happens in a person’s life can also
happen in the history of a nation.
Although Saul was the people’s choice, God selected him.

Although David was God’s choice, the people wanted him to
be their king (2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:1-3). God does not
force his people to act in a certain manner. He allows them
to make their own decisions. However, he always
encourages them to do the things that please him. When they
do, the result is always good. David was a good king who had
a genuine desire to serve God and to look after his people
well.
Personal and national duty to

God
(1 Samuel 12:14-15)
The people in Israel were wrong to demand that their
country should have a king. However, God still gave them
what they wanted. He appointed a king, Saul, to rule over
them.
Before then, Israel had no king. The people in Israel were

free to do whatever they wanted to do (Judges 21:25). Each
person was responsible in front of God for his own actions.
Each one had a personal responsibility to serve God.
The decision to appoint a king changed the people’s

relationship, not only with each other, but also with God.
Of course each person still had the responsibility to serve
God. However, the people also had a duty to obey their
king. In Israel, the people made a serious promise to their
king (Ecclesiastes 8:2). Such promises matter to God.
Samuel emphasised that both the king and the people must
serve God. They must respect God and they must obey him.
They must not oppose God’s commands; they must allow him
to lead their nation. Then God would be kind to his people
and he would look after their country. However, if they did
not obey God, he would act against them. He would allow
enemies to attack their country, as had happened in the past
(1 Samuel 12:9-11).
We can see the important effect that Israel’s king had on its
people’s relationship with God from its later history. For the
next 500 years, kings would continue to rule Israel. When
the king was loyal to God, the people usually served God.
When the king was not loyal to God, most people refused to
serve God.
A storm during the wheat

harvest
(1 Samuel 12:16-18)
When people have done wrong things, it is important for
them to recognise that fact. Otherwise, they will not
confess their evil deed to God, and they will not ask him to
forgive them. Instead they will continue with the same evil
behaviour and they will offend God even more.
Israel’s people offended God when they demanded a king for

their nation. They were not trusting God to defend them,
and they were not accepting his rule over their lives. That
was why Samuel asked God to act against them. They needed
to see clearly that they had acted wrongly.
In Israel, the harvest of wheat is in May and June of each

year. The weather is usually dry during that part of the year.
Rain falls only rarely then. So, Samuel was asking God to do
something that did not normally happen.
The effect of a storm during the harvest would be to damage

the harvest. The people would lose some of their grain. They
had already harvested another grain, called barley, so that
was safe. Perhaps they had also harvested some of the wheat
already. However, the heavy rain would spoil the wheat that
was still in the field.
The storms in Israel are often very powerful. The Bible often
uses storms as word-pictures for the power of God and his
word. See, for example, Psalm 29 and Job chapter 37. So,
the people recognised this storm as an act of God. They
understood that they should not have demanded a king. They
were afraid of God, because he had acted against them.
They were afraid of Samuel, because God had answered his
prayer in such an impressive manner.
Serve the real God, not a false

god
(1 Samuel 12:19-21)
When people feel guilty because of their sins (evil deeds),
that feeling does not give them a right relationship with God.
People often confess their sins because they are afraid of
God’s judgements. However, the desire to avoid punishment
cannot itself create a right relationship with God.
In this passage, the people’s sin was to demand a king for

their nation. They did that because they were unwilling to
trust God. They did not want to accept God’s rule over their
lives. When God then allowed a storm to ruin their crops,
they were very afraid. They realised that their sin deserved a
much worse punishment. They urged Samuel to pray that
God would not deal with them as his enemies.
In his reply, Samuel explained how they could have a right

relationship with God. His advice was the same advice that
he had always given to them (1 Samuel 7:3). They must
serve God with their whole hearts. In other words, they
should obey God because they love him. Both their attitudes
and their actions should express their love for God
(Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:29-30).
The people in Israel served false gods for the same reason
as they wanted a king. They wanted to have someone or
something powerful that would help them. They were
unwilling to trust God alone. They still desired God’s help;
however, it seemed safer to have many gods than to have
just one God.
In the real God’s opinion, that behaviour is not sensible; it is

very foolish. He alone created the heavens and the earth;
people should serve him alone. So in God’s opinion, when
his people do those wrong things, they are not loyal to him.
God’s character makes his

promises certain
(1 Samuel 12:22)
When God chose Israel’s people to be his special people, he
made serious promises to them. We call those promises ‘the
covenant’. They established a permanent relationship
between God and his people.
The relationship and the covenant are permanent because of

the perfect character of God; in other words, his name. The
name of God expresses his perfect character (Exodus 34:6-
7). God always carries out his promises. The character of
God makes his promises certain - it is impossible for God to
lie (Hebrews 6:13-18).
Of course, that did not mean that everyone in Israel had a

right relationship with God. Clearly, many of them did not.
They acted in an evil manner and they refused to obey him.
God’s judgement was against them; it is a terrible thing to
refuse the kindness of God. However, God’s relationship with
their nation continued.
In 1 Samuel 12:22, Samuel was speaking to people who were

afraid because of their evil deeds. They thought that God
might destroy their entire nation because of his anger against
them. God could act against them in such a severe manner
that Israel would not still exist. That was what they thought.
Samuel told them that God would never do such a thing. God
could not do it because of the promises that he had made
to Israel. Of course God would punish them if they chose to
behave in a wicked manner. He would remove them from
their land and the royal authority from their king (1 Samuel
12:25). However, even in that terrible situation, God’s love
for Israel would still continue. He would still carry out his
promises to them (Nehemiah 1:8-9).
A leader’s duties to pray and to

teach
(1 Samuel 12:23)
Samuel believed that he had a duty to pray for the people.
God had given him a responsibility for them, so of course
Samuel would pray on their behalf. It would be sin (wrong
behaviour against God) if Samuel neglected that duty.
Part of the reason why God gave that duty to Samuel was the
weakness of the people. Many of the people were too weak
to pray for themselves. Their relationship with God was so
weak that they often wanted to serve false gods. They found
it hard to trust God. They found it hard to obey him. Of
course they should pray for themselves, but also they needed
someone to pray for them.
Because their relationship with God was so weak, Samuel

also had a duty to teach them. Samuel did not intend to
teach lessons, as a teacher does. Instead, like Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 33:1-9), Samuel would warn the people when they
were doing wrong things. He would show them how to live in
a manner that pleases God.
God cares about even the weakest of his people (Matthew

18:10-14). That is why he gives their leaders responsibility
for them. He gives those leaders the duties to pray for
them and to teach them. Jesus recognised that
responsibility in John 17:6-12; Paul mentions it in 2
Corinthians 11:28-29. Moses knew that he needed God’s help
to do these things (Numbers 11:10-14; Exodus 33:12-17).
Samuel made this promise on the occasion when he retired

from his public work. Now that Israel had a king, the people
did not still need Samuel to be their leader and judge.
However, they still needed Samuel to pray for them. They
still needed him to show them how they could serve God
properly. So Samuel agreed that, for the rest of his life, he
would continue to do those things.
Respect God because of his

greatness and his kindness
(1 Samuel 12:24-25)
Because God is so great, people have a duty to serve him.
If there was no other reason to respect God, that reason
alone would be enough. It is wrong and foolish to serve false
gods because the real God is so powerful.
Although that one reason is enough, God gives his people

many other reasons. He has done many good things for his
people, and they should be glad (Psalm 126:2-3). He freed
Israel’s people from their hard lives as slaves in Egypt (1
Samuel 12:6). He gave them their own country (1 Samuel
12:8). He saved them from their enemies (1 Samuel 12:9-11).
If they were loyal to him, he would do even more good things
for them in the future (1 Samuel 12:14)
That is still the experience of God’s people today. God

saves them from the evil forces that formerly ruled their lives
(Romans 8:1-2). He provides for them (Matthew 6:25-33). He
protects them (Matthew 10:26-31). He gives them wonderful
promises about the future (Revelation chapters 21 to 22).
Their reaction to God’s kindness should be love for him

(Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37-38). That love gives them
a genuine desire to be loyal to him. As his loyal servants,
they gladly choose to respect him and to obey him.
To ‘fear’ God means to respect him. His loyal servants do that

when they obey him. However, everyone should respect God.
If they would not respect him because of his kindness to
them, they should still respect him because of his
greatness. People should remember that God is the judge of
every person and every nation. For that reason, Samuel
warned the people in Israel. In the past, they had behaved in
an evil manner (1 Samuel 12:9; 1 Samuel 12:17). If they
continued to do that, God’s judgement would be against both
them and their king.
1 Samuel chapter 13
Are there errors in the Bible?
(1 Samuel 13:1)
1 Samuel 13:1 is a difficult verse to translate. Some experts
think that there may be errors in our most ancient copies of
that verse.
One idea is that some words may be missing from the verse.
We believe that, as the word of God, the Bible is perfect
(Psalm 19:7). God does not make mistakes, but of course,
people do make mistakes. It has only been possible to print
books for the last 600 years. Before that, it was necessary to
copy books by hand. The people who copied our Bibles were
very careful; but of course, they sometimes made mistakes.
Those mistakes hardly ever matter to the person who reads

the Bible. The whole Bible teaches the same message; a
minor error does not change that message. Such errors do
not affect anything that we believe.
Here, the questions are Saul’s age, and the number of years
that he ruled. One Bible translation, called the New
International Version, tries to guess the missing words. It
says that Saul was 30 years old at the start of his rule. And it
says that he ruled for 42 years. Another translation, called
the Revised Standard Version, contains blank spaces.
However, it is not even clear that there is an error in the

verse. It may simply contain an unfamiliar expression. So,
the King James Bible says that Saul ruled for two years
before the battle in 1 Samuel chapters 13 and 14.
That explanation also appears in a note in the New

International Version. However, then Saul would probably
not be just 30 years old when he became king. Saul’s son,
Jonathan, was already an adult when that battle began (1
Samuel 13:2). As we have seen, Saul’s age does not actually
appear in the most ancient copies of 1 Samuel 13:1.
Israel fights for freedom from

the Philistines
(1 Samuel 13:2-3)
During this period of history, the army of Philistia (called the
Philistines) often entered Israel. Their purpose was to
control Israel. They demanded the payment of taxes and
they ruled in a powerful manner.
It was Saul’s desire to free his nation from the Philistines.

In fact, it was not merely Saul’s desire; God had appointed
Saul for this purpose (1 Samuel 9:16).
Saul’s plan was, firstly, to attack the Philistine soldiers who

were staying in Israel. To do that, Saul did not need to
gather Israel’s whole army. The Philistines had established
small camps in Israel, for example, the one at Geba. So, Saul
selected a group of 3000 soldiers to attack these camps. He
led 2000 of those men personally. His son Jonathan led the
other 1000 men.
This is the first time that the Bible mentions Jonathan.

Today, people often remember Jonathan as the loyal friend
of David, Israel’s second king. However, Jonathan had other
good qualities too. He was a brave soldier, a capable army
leader, and (unlike his father Saul) he had great trust in God.
It was Jonathan who began Israel’s attack. He led his men in

a battle against the Philistines’ camp at Geba. (Geba was
about 5 miles from Saul’s home at Gibeah). Saul knew that
the Philistines would not accept that defeat. They would
send a much larger army into Israel. So now Saul needed to
gather all of Israel’s men to fight a major battle against
the Philistines. He sent men to declare the news through all
Israel. They sounded trumpets (their loudest musical
instruments). That was the sign for all the men to gather for
war.
Saul gathers Israel’s men at

Gilgal
(1 Samuel 13:4)
The decision about where to establish a large army camp
was an extremely important matter. It had to be a place with
good supplies of food and water. It had to be a place where
the soldiers could easily gather together. It should not be too
near to the enemy’s camp. You would not want your enemy
to have an opportunity to attack before you were ready. It
should not be too far away, because your soldiers would be
too tired to fight after a long march.
On this occasion, Saul chose Gilgal. It was near to Jericho,

although that city did not exist then. It was a suitable place
for a large camp. Israel’s people had gathered there on
previous occasions (Joshua 5:9-10; 1 Samuel 11:14-15). It
was about 10 miles (15 kilometres) from the enemy’s camp at
Michmash. However, its situation was not perfect. Gilgal was
in a very deep valley. Michmash is on a high hill. Such a steep
march would make Saul’s soldiers tired.
Saul wanted to gather a very large army, as he had done

for the battle against Ammon (1 Samuel 11:6-11). He urged
every man in Israel who could fight to join him at Gilgal. It
would take several days for all of the men to gather.
One man whom Saul especially wanted to come to Gilgal was

Samuel. When Saul became king, Samuel gave him a
message from God about Gilgal (1 Samuel 10:8). There
would be a test for Saul at Gilgal. Saul would have to wait
there for 7 days before Samuel arrived. However, Samuel
would certainly come, and he would give Saul another
message from God. That message would tell Saul what he
must do next.
Saul’s plan fails
(1 Samuel 13:5-7)
Israel’s army gathered at Gilgal while Philistia’s army (called
the Philistines) gathered at Michmash. Israel’s soldiers
received regular reports from the camp of the Philistines.
These reports made Israel’s soldiers very afraid.
King Saul of Israel already had 3000 men under his command
(1 Samuel 13:2). He had ordered every man from Israel
who could fight to join them. Few of these men were skilled
soldiers. Most of them were farm workers. They did not have
any military equipment whatever; they did not even have
swords (1 Samuel 13:22). They intended to use knives and
agricultural tools in the battle.
The Philistines, on the other hand, had a strong and

capable army. There were too many soldiers for anyone to
count. They had the proper military equipment. They even
had chariots.
The chariot was a very powerful piece of military equipment.

It was a carriage with wheels that two horses pulled. A
soldier who was ready to fight stood next to its driver. It
moved very quickly.
Saul had wanted all Israel’s men to join his army at Gilgal. He
thought that such a vast army could defeat the Philistines. In
fact, however, Saul’s army did not increase; it became
smaller. The reports about Philistia’s army and their chariots
made Saul’s men too afraid. They ran away. The camp at
Gilgal was near the Jordan River. Some of Saul’s soldiers
even escaped across the river.
Clearly, Saul’s plan to gather a vast army had failed. He

began with 3000 men. He waited for 7 days for men to join
him. At the end of that period, only 600 men remained in the
camp (1 Samuel 13:15).
Saul chooses not to obey God’s

command to him
(1 Samuel 13:8-9)
It seemed that Saul’s plan to defeat Philistia’s army had
failed badly. Saul had tried to gather a vast army of men
from Israel at Gilgal. In fact, his men had scattered. They
were very afraid.
However, Saul still remained at Gilgal with about 600 men (1

Samuel 13:15). Saul waited there because Samuel had
promised to join him there after 7 days (1 Samuel 10:8).
Saul expected Samuel to pray for him and to give him a

message from God. Saul was desperate for God’s help. It was
clear to everyone that, without special help from God,
Saul’s men would certainly lose the battle.
These things happened in order to test Saul. God was

testing whether Saul really trusted him. Saul knew that,
with God’s help, a vast army could win a battle (1 Samuel
11:8-11). However, really Saul was trusting in the size of his
army; he was not trusting God. Unlike his son Jonathan, Saul
did not believe that God could use just one or two men to
defeat a vast army (1 Samuel 14:6).
God’s command to Saul was that he must wait for Samuel to

arrive (1 Samuel 10:8). After 7 days, Samuel would offer
sacrifices (gifts to God). Then Samuel would tell Saul what to
do.
Saul waited for 7 days and he became very afraid. He decided

that he would not wait any longer for Samuel. So, Saul
offered the sacrifices himself. That is, a priest offered the
sacrifices on Saul’s behalf. Neither Saul, nor Samuel, were
priests. However, Ahijah the chief priest was among Saul’s
600 men (1 Samuel 14:2-3).
It was not wrong for Saul to make a sacrifice in that way.

Saul’s error was not to obey God’s command to him in 1
Samuel 10:8 (see also 1 Samuel 13:13). Saul’s sacrifice
showed that he was not trusting God. Instead, he was
trying to pay God for his help.
We cannot pay God to help us
(1 Samuel 13:10-12)
Saul had not obeyed God’s command to him. He should have
waited for Samuel before he offered the sacrifices (gifts to
God) - 1 Samuel 10:8. However, on the 7th day, just before
Samuel arrived at Gilgal, Saul offered the sacrifices.
Saul’s excuse was that he wanted God to be pleased with

him. He knew that his enemy, the army from Philistia, might
attack at any time. So he wanted to make sure that God was
on his side, not on the side of his enemy.
Saul had a wrong attitude towards religion. He seemed to

think that, by means of religion, he could persuade God to
help him. Earlier, he had been anxious to pay a holy man for
his prayers (1 Samuel 9:7-8). Now, he was trying to pay God
by means of sacrifices.
However, the purpose of a sacrifice was never to pay God.

It was not to persuade God that the giver deserved help. In
fact, the opposite was true. It was a way that a person could
be humble in front of God (Micah 6:6-8; Hebrews 10:5-9; 1
Samuel 15:22-23). It is much more important to obey God
than to offer any sacrifice.
Samuel arrived at Gilgal that same day, as he had promised.

Gilgal was in a valley; Samuel would be able to see Saul’s
camp before he arrived there. Perhaps Samuel even watched
as Saul offered the sacrifice. Samuel knew then that Saul had
not obeyed God. He could see that Saul was establishing his
rule on wrong principles and wrong ideas about religion.
Clearly, Saul was not the kind of king that God wanted to rule
his people. It was clear that Saul’s rule could not last.
Saul’s rule would not be

permanent
(1 Samuel 13:13-14)
Saul had not obeyed God’s command in 1 Samuel 10:8 that he
should wait for Samuel. It is a very serious matter not to
obey God. God wants his people to choose gladly to serve
him (1 Samuel 7:3; 1 Samuel 12:24). That is more important
than any gift that we may offer to God (1 Samuel 15:22;
Micah 6:6-8).
Samuel explained to Saul the results of his wrong act. Samuel

was not just giving his opinion; his words were a message
from God to Saul.
This was God’s message. Saul had chosen not to serve God.
So Saul’s rule over Israel could not be permanent. Saul
was not the perfect king whom God had promised to Israel (1
Samuel 2:10). So Saul’s government, like every other
government in this world, would not last. Saul’s rule would be
temporary. God had chosen for Israel another king, who
genuinely desired to serve God.
Perhaps that did not matter much to Saul. Saul was much
more worried about his next battle than about whether his
government was permanent. However, it mattered very
much to God. God had made promises to Israel (for example,
Genesis 12:2-3), and he could not now carry out those
promises by means of Saul.
The king whose sincere desire was to serve God meant,

originally, King David. God promised to David that his
government would last always (2 Samuel 7:16). Of course,
David was not a perfect king; he did many wrong things.
However David’s character was similar to God’s perfect king,
who came from David’s family (Matthew 1:1). We call that
perfect king the Messiah, or Christ.
Saul waits at Geba
(1 Samuel 13:15-18)
There was no reason for Saul to remain at Gilgal. He had
failed to gather there the vast number of soldiers that he had
hoped for. Now he would have to change his plan. He had
only 600 men who would support him against Philistia’s vast
army (1 Samuel 13:5).
Saul had to act boldly. He took his men to the camp in Geba
that Jonathan had won (1 Samuel 13:3). Geba was near
Saul’s home in Gibeah, so the territory was very familiar to
him. He was only about 2 miles (3 kilometres) from his
enemy’s new camp at Michmash. However, cliffs separated
the two armies (1 Samuel 14:4-5). Those cliffs would make it
easier for Saul to defend his camp.
Saul probably wanted to give the impression that he was

preparing to attack. The soldiers from Philistia (that is, the
Philistines) would think that Saul had only brought some of
his men to Geba. Other groups of Israel’s soldiers could be
hiding elsewhere in the region (1 Samuel 14:11).
The reality was that Saul had brought all his loyal soldiers
to Geba. Many of Israel’s other men were hiding, but they
were not preparing to attack. They were hiding because they
were so afraid of the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:6).
So, Saul waited. The Philistines would run out of supplies and
then, perhaps, they would return home. However, the
Philistines did not go away. Instead they sent three groups
of soldiers out from their camp to steal food from Israel’s
towns and villages.
Each army was waiting for the soldiers on the other side to
begin the battle.
How the Philistines controlled

Israel
(1 Samuel 13:19-21)
We have often referred to this passage as we have studied
the Book of 1 Samuel. It shows clearly the kind of power
that the Philistines (the nation called Philistia) had over
Israel at this time.
The Philistines did not establish their own government to

rule Israel. They allowed the people in Israel to govern
themselves. When the people in Israel appointed a king, the
Philistines did not stop them. Even when King Saul gathered
an army to fight Ammon, the Philistines did not stop him (1
Samuel 11:6-8). In fact, they probably approved. Saul’s
success against Ammon made the Philistines’ own country
safer.
However, the Philistines were still controlling Israel. They

would not allow anyone in Israel to work with iron. For
that purpose, they sent groups of their soldiers into Israel.
Those soldiers established bases at Gibeah (1 Samuel 10:5)
and Geba (1 Samuel 13:3), and probably at other places too.
That action gave them two advantages:
(1) Although Israel’s people could not make iron tools, they
still needed them. They were agricultural workers, and they
needed good tools. So they had to go to Philistia. The
Philistines sold these tools, and they made the tools sharp.
The prices were expensive. It was a good trade for the men
in Philistia.
(2) Israel’s army did not have the proper equipment. In

particular, swords were very rare in Israel. The result was
that Israel’s army was weaker than Philistia’s army. It
seemed unlikely that Israel’s men could ever defeat the
Philistines. So, the Philistines would continue to control
Israel in this manner.
God’s power and Israel’s

weakness
(1 Samuel 13:22-23)
The Bible includes this information to show us that God’s
power to rescue his people is very great. When nations fight
wars, they need large armies, capable soldiers, and good
military equipment. However, when God opposes his
people’s enemies, he needs none of these things. His power
alone is enough. He can use a few weak people to defeat the
most powerful enemy.
Israel’s army did not have the proper military equipment, so

they had to use their ordinary tools. For example, they would
use knives instead of swords. A sword is like a knife, but its
blade (the sharp part) is longer. That means that a soldier
with a sword does not have to get so close to his enemy. In a
fight, the man with the sword is safer; the man with only a
knife is in greater danger.
In the same manner, it is possible to use a tent pole instead

of a spear. A spear is like a tent pole, but its metal head is
larger. Again, that gives an advantage to the soldier with the
spear.
Saul seemed to think that he could deal with his army’s

weakness by means of bold actions. Saul had a camp of just
600 men at Geba. His enemy (called the Philistines) had a
camp of many thousands of men at Michmash. Then the
Philistines moved a small group of their soldiers forward.
They established their camp on one of the cliffs above the
passage through the mountains near Michmash.
So Saul acted boldly. He moved all his 600 men onto the
opposite cliff. He wanted the Philistines to think that, like
them, he had a vast army behind this group of men. However,
that was not true. Those 600 men were all the men under the
command of Saul and his son Jonathan.
1 Samuel chapter 14
A son who was not like his father
(1 Samuel 14:1)
People often say that a son is like his father. However, that
was certainly not true about Jonathan and his father, who
was King Saul.
Saul was often bitter and angry; Jonathan was kind and
loyal. Saul cared very much about his own power and
authority; Jonathan did not consider those things important.
So it does not surprise us that Jonathan often acted in a

different way from his father. Saul had brought Israel’s
army onto the land above the cliff at Migron. On the opposite
cliff was a camp of his enemies, the army of Philistia (called
the Philistines).
We do not know what Saul’s plan was. Perhaps he was acting

in a bold and impressive manner in order to frighten his
enemies. Saul knew that his own army was much weaker than
the Philistines’ army. However, Saul’s enemies could not be
sure about that. If they felt afraid, they might go back to
Philistia.
Or perhaps Saul intended to attack by night. He did that

successfully against Ammon’s army (1 Samuel 11:11).
However, Jonathan had his own plan, and he did not tell his
father about it. Jonathan was fighting this battle because
he trusted God to rescue Israel. Jonathan trusted God as
few people ever do.
Saul had 600 men under his command; the Philistines had
many thousands. Jonathan asked only one young man to join
him. Together they would show that God rescues Israel -
not its king or a vast army.
They would not even carry out their attack secretly by night.
God did not need such methods to save his people. So, they
went during the day.
Saul’s camp at Migron
(1 Samuel 14:2-5)
This is a description of Saul’s camp immediately before his
son, Jonathan, began the battle against his enemies, the
Philistines (in other words, Philistia’s army).
The camp was at Migron. Migron was about 4 miles (6

kilometres) from Saul’s home at Gibeon. Saul had 600 men in
that camp. That was all the men who were willing to fight
with him (1 Samuel 13:15).
Ahijah, the chief priest, was also there. You can read about
Ahijah’s father Ichabod in 1 Samuel 4:17-22. Ahijah was
wearing the ephod, which was a special long shirt for the
chief priest. Exodus 28:6-30 describes it. In the ephod were
the sacred objects called the URIM and THUMMIM. The chief
priest used those objects when he inquired of God on behalf
of the people (see 1 Samuel 14:36-42).
Migron was next to Michmash, where there was a passage

between the cliffs. The passage went below two opposite
cliffs, called Bozez and Seneh. Bozez means the ‘shining’ cliff.
Perhaps its rocks were bare, and they shone brightly in the
sun. Seneh means the ‘thorny’ cliff. Thorns are bushes that
have sharp points on their leaves or branches. Perhaps
thorns covered this cliff.
Saul’s army had camped on the hill above one of these cliffs.
Part of Philistia’s vast army had camped on the hill above the
opposite cliff. From his camp, Saul could watch his enemies
(1 Samuel 14:19).
However, Saul did not see what his son Jonathan was doing.
Jonathan had secretly left Saul’s camp in order to begin an
attack against the enemy. Only one young man was with
Jonathan. They were trusting God to give them success in
the battle.
Jonathan’s faith
(1 Samuel 14:6)
Jonathan did not, of course, imagine that he himself could
defeat Israel’s enemies. That would be a very foolish and
dangerous idea. However, Jonathan did trust God to rescue
Israel. That was the reason for Jonathan’s extraordinary
actions at the start of this battle.
Jonathan could see that his father, King Saul, was not
trusting God. Jonathan knew how afraid Saul and all his
soldiers were (1 Samuel 13:7). Saul had a very small army;
his enemies (the Philistines) had a vast army (1 Samuel
13:5).
Saul was acting boldly because his situation was very

desperate. He seemed to be pretending that really he was
leading a much larger army. Jonathan knew that the most
likely result of Saul’s actions would be a terrible defeat for
Israel. Only God could save Israel now, but Saul had no
faith in God. God acts when people have faith (active belief
and trust in God) - Hebrews 11:6.
Saul had no faith, but Jonathan was trusting God. Jonathan

could not act in faith while he remained in Saul’s camp. When
Jonathan left the camp, Saul’s army could not still protect
him. However, Jonathan knew that Saul’s army was much too
weak to protect anyone. If Jonathan remained with them, he
could only expect to die. It seemed much safer for Jonathan
to trust God (Psalm 62:1-2). God can save his people, and
he does not need a vast army to do it.
Jonathan believed that God would save Israel because of

God’s covenant (special relationship) with Israel. That
was why Jonathan described his enemies as ‘uncircumcised’.
That word describes a man who has not received the
operation called circumcision. Circumcision is a medical
operation where someone cuts a small piece of skin from the
sex part of a man or boy. Israel’s men and boys accepted this
operation because of God’s covenant with Abraham (in other
words, God’s promises to Abraham) in Genesis chapter 17.
The mark showed that they belonged to God.
Evidence that Jonathan’s faith

was genuine
(1 Samuel 14:7)
Sometimes people imagine themselves to be acting in faith
when really they are trying to control God. Jonathan had
seen how his father, King Saul, had tried to force God to help
him (1 Samuel 13:7-13). Also, Jonathan would have known
about the terrible troubles that such behaviour had caused in
Israel’s recent history (1 Samuel 4:3-11). So, Jonathan knew
that he must not behave like that.
Faith is the active belief and trust that God’s loyal servants
show towards him. It comes from God, and not from a
person’s mind or desires. The person with faith does what
God has guided that person to do. Jonathan knew that God
had made promises to his nation, Israel. However, Jonathan
still needed clear evidence that he really was acting in
faith. Otherwise, Jonathan’s plans would be foolish and
dangerous.
So, firstly, Jonathan asked a young man whether he would

support him in the battle. That young man’s job was to carry
Jonathan’s military equipment. It seems that Israel’s
soldiers fought in pairs (1 Samuel 14:13-14).
Jonathan needed that young man’s help, and he could have

given an order. However, he chose not to do that. Instead,
he carefully explained what he proposed to do. He told the
young man that he was trusting God to act on Israel’s behalf.
He wanted to see whether God would give that young man
the faith to join him in the battle.
The natural reaction for that young man would be fear (1

Samuel 13:6-7). However, God gave faith to that young man.
In fact, his faith was so strong that it encouraged
Jonathan’s own faith.
Evidence that God was guiding

Jonathan
(1 Samuel 14:8-12)
A young man had agreed to support Jonathan in the battle.
However, it was much more important that they should have
God’s support. The two men knew that they could not win the
battle by their own efforts. Only God could save (rescue) his
people from their enemies.
Jonathan believed that he was acting in faith (active belief

and trust in God). However, he was very careful. Sometimes
people wrongly imagine that they have faith; really, they
are acting because of their own thoughts, plans and
desires. Genuine faith comes from God. So Jonathan wanted
God to show that he (God) really was guiding Jonathan.
For that reason, Jonathan decided to behave in a completely

different manner from how soldiers normally behave. He
would not try to enter his enemies’ camp secretly, or by
night. Instead, he would only enter their camp if they
invited him to do that. That would be clear evidence that
God was on his side.
So Jonathan went to a place where his enemies could see him

clearly. Normally, soldiers would not allow anyone from the
other side to enter their camp. They could see both Jonathan
and his companion, and their military equipment. However,
on this occasion, Jonathan’s enemies told Jonathan to
climb into the camp so that they could fight. Probably they
were just laughing at Jonathan. However, their invitation
into the camp was the evidence that Jonathan had asked God
to provide.
That camp had excellent defences. To get there, Jonathan

and his companion had to climb up a very steep cliff (1
Samuel 14:13). Their enemies could easily stop them if they
threw stones at them. However, they did not do that. They
allowed Jonathan and his companion to enter their camp.
Jonathan fights the Philistines
(1 Samuel 14:13-14)
The army of Philistia (called the Philistines) had established a
vast camp, with many thousands of soldiers, at Michmash (1
Samuel 13:5). Israel’s camp, at Migron, had just 600 soldiers
(1 Samuel 14:2). The two camps were only about 1 mile (2
kilometres) away from each other. Between them were the
cliffs that 1 Samuel 14:4-5 mentions.
The Philistines had sent a small group of soldiers out from

their main camp to defend the cliff. It was this group that
Jonathan attacked.
Jonathan worked closely with the young man who was

supporting him. Probably, Israel’s soldiers often fought in
pairs like this. One soldier could defend the other soldier if
an enemy tried to attack from behind.
Jonathan had both a sword and a spear (1 Samuel 13:22). He

could not use both of these together. From the description, it
seems that Jonathan fought with the spear. A spear was a
pole with a sharp iron head. With it, Jonathan could quickly
cause an injury to any enemy soldier who approached him. As
each soldier fell, Jonathan turned from him to fight against
the next soldier. In the meantime, the young man with
Jonathan used the sword to attack the soldier on the
ground. It was necessary to do that. The soldiers on the
ground were still very dangerous; any one of them could have
risen up to kill Jonathan.
Clearly, Jonathan knew how to fight, but he could not win

this battle. There were too many Philistines; in the end, they
would have overcome Jonathan. However, then God acted (1
Samuel 14:15). Only God can save his people.
God uses an earthquake to win a

battle
(1 Samuel 14:15)
Only two men (Jonathan and the young man who supported
him) were attacking the camp of the Philistines (the army
from Philistia). They fought successfully against a few men.
Other men would then run through the camp to report that
an attack had begun.
It seems that the news caused a sudden shock to the men in

the camp. They did not expect Israel’s army to begin a
battle. They did not know how few men were attacking them.
They did not even know whom they should fight against (1
Samuel 14:20).
Then something happened that made Philistia’s men even

more afraid. The ground shook; in other words, there was an
earthquake.
The Philistines would have considered the earthquake to be

evidence that Israel’s God was angry with them. They
already knew that Israel’s God was powerful (1 Samuel 4:8).
They even realised that he was more powerful than their own
god, Dagon (1 Samuel 5:1-7). Now, they had offended
against Israel’s God. They had established their vast camp on
land that belonged to him (1 Samuel 13:5). They had stolen
goods that belonged in his land (1 Samuel 13:17-18). So,
they were afraid of what Israel’s God would do to them.
The result was that the Philistines did not know what to do.
They tried to run away; they went in every direction. Some of
them even started to fight each other.
Israel’s army was small and weak; it could never have

defeated the vast army of the Philistines. The Philistines’
defeat in this battle was entirely the work of God.
Saul’s order to bring the ark
(1 Samuel 14:16-19)
The Philistines (men from Philistia) believed that Israel’s God
was fighting against them. However, Saul (the king of Israel)
was not sure about that.
Saul could see that there was great confusion in his

enemies’ camp. Men were running in every direction and they
were even fighting each other. However, Saul could not
understand why that was happening. The Philistines were
acting as if an army were attacking them.
Saul gathered his own soldiers so that they would be ready to

fight. Only then did Saul realise that Jonathan, his son, had
left his camp. Jonathan had left secretly, but Saul knew his
son’s attitudes. Saul probably suspected then that, somehow,
Jonathan was responsible for the trouble in the Philistines’
camp.
Saul could see that this situation gave him the opportunity
to lead Israel’s army in a successful battle against the
Philistines. He was eager to fight against them (1 Samuel
14:24). However, first he needed to be sure that God was on
his side.
So Saul called Ahijah, who was Israel’s chief priest. Saul gave
him an extraordinary order: to bring the ark of the
covenant into the battle. The ark was the sacred box which
acted as evidence of God’s covenant (relationship) with
Israel. Saul had tried to persuade God to support him in this
battle by means of sacrifices (gifts) in 1 Samuel 13:9-14.
Now Saul was trying to force God to act, because the sacred
ark would be in danger.
It would have taken a whole day to bring the ark from Kiriath
Jearim (1 Samuel 7:1). Saul could not wait that long; he had
to act quickly. So he changed his mind about the ark and he
sent his soldiers into the battle.
More men join the fight
(1 Samuel 14:20-23)
God had acted to rescue his people from the Philistines
(Philistia’s army). He did it even before Israel’s army entered
the battle. So it was clear that God - and not Israel’s army
- had rescued Israel.
Israel’s king, Saul, was anxious that the result of the battle
should be a complete defeat for Philistia (1 Samuel 14:36).
He wanted to make Philistia’s army so weak that it could not
attack Israel again. The Philistines were running away, but
Saul did not want them to escape. That was why he sent
Israel’s army into the battle.
Saul entered that battle with 600 men (1 Samuel 14:2), but
soon, many more men were fighting for him. Some of those
men had previously supported the Philistines, although they
belonged to Israel. They may have included some slaves, who
were now fighting for their freedom.
Another group of men who supported Saul had previously

been too afraid to stay in his army. They hid themselves
because Saul’s army seemed too weak (1 Samuel 13:6).
However, now the situation had changed, and these men
were pleased to join in the fight. Because many Philistines
were now trying to hide, these men were in the right places
to attack them.
In fact, even the Philistines were helping Saul, because they

were fighting against each other. That was a result of the
confusion that God had caused in their camp (1 Samuel
14:15). Of course, they were not trying to help Israel,
although that was the effect of their actions. Perhaps their
leaders were trying to control the other soldiers. If so, they
were not successful; they were just killing each other. Every
man who could, ran away.
Saul’s command and Jonathan’s

reaction
(1 Samuel 14:24-30)
In 1 Samuel 8:19-20, Israel’s people urged Samuel to
appoint a king for them, who would be like the kings of other
nations. In particular, they were thinking about the powerful
and cruel King Nahash of Ammon (1 Samuel 12:12).
Israel’s first king, Saul, would become a powerful and

cruel man, even as Nahash had been.
We can see how powerful Saul already was by his

instructions to his men before the battle. He forced them to
make a serious promise not to eat until they had defeated
his enemies that day. He declared a terrible fate for any man
who did not obey that promise.
Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a very different character from his

father. Jonathan was a brave soldier, but he was still a kind
man. He had begun the battle ahead of the other men, so he
did not hear his father’s instructions to them.
Jonathan felt a strong sense of shock when he heard about

the promise. It was very hard work to fight a battle; of
course the men needed food. Jonathan himself had already
tasted a little wild honey, and that had made him stronger.
The soldiers had taken some animals from the enemies; they
should cook some meat for their men. Now that Jonathan
had heard about the promise, he would obey it. However,
that was still his opinion about this matter.
Saul gave that order because he wanted the men to use

every effort in the battle. He believed that he must win the
battle by human effort. Jonathan, on the other hand, was
trusting God to save his people (1 Samuel 14:6). So of
course he desired to show kindness to the men who were
carrying out God’s work.
Israel’s soldiers eat meat with

blood in it
(1 Samuel 14:31-35)
Leviticus 17:11 says, ‘The life is in the blood’. For that
reason, God ordered Israel’s people that they must not eat
the blood of any animal. When they killed any animal for
food, they must first drain out the blood. Only afterwards
could they eat the meat.
In 1 Samuel 14:31-33, Israel’s soldiers did not obey that

rule. They had just fought a great battle against their
enemies, and they arrived back weak and tired. In fact, they
were especially weak because King Saul had ordered them
not to eat any food that day. He had forced them to promise
not to eat until the battle was over (1 Samuel 14:24).
So when the men arrived back at the camp, they were all very
weak. They killed some animals so that they could eat as
quickly as possible. They did not prepare the meat in the
proper manner. They did not drain the blood from the meat
as God’s law ordered them to do.
Saul recognised immediately that this was a serious matter.

God had helped Israel’s men in their battle that day; Saul
did not want them now to offend God. So Saul acted
immediately. He ordered all the men to bring their animals to
a particular place, and to kill them there. There, someone
(probably the priest) would check that they were obeying
God’s law.
Saul did something else too. He made an altar, in other

words, a pile of large stones where, in the future, people
could offer gifts to God. Saul did that in order to give thanks
to God for his help during the battle. Saul was very aware
that God had rescued Israel that day.
God refuses to answer Saul
(1 Samuel 14:36-37)
On that day, Israel’s men had fought successfully against a
much larger army from Philistia (called the Philistines). After
the battle, Israel’s men felt weak, but a good meal soon made
them stronger again.
So, Saul proposed that, during the night, they should

carry out one final attack against the Philistines. Many of
the Philistines had scattered and Israel’s men would not
catch them. However, a large group remained near Bethel
(called Beth Aven in 1 Samuel 14:23).
Israel’s men were too excited to sleep that night; they were
ready to follow Saul into battle again. However Ahijah,
Israel’s chief priest, urged them first to ask God about their
plan.
The chief priest had with him the sacred objects called the
URIM and THUMMIM, which he used to inquire of God
(Exodus 28:30). URIM and THUMMIM mean ‘perfect lights’;
they were probably precious stones.
We do not know how the chief priest used them. Probably,

they were some kind of lots. Lots are usually a method to
make a decision by chance. However, Israel’s people did not
believe that they were making these decisions by chance.
They prayed first and they trusted God to guide the lots.
They accepted the result as a decision from God (Proverbs
16:33).
Lots usually give a simple answer, for example ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

However, in 1 Samuel 10:22, there was a complex answer;
and in 1 Samuel 14:37 there was no answer. These could be
the result of a series of questions. Or there may be some
other explanation.
In 1 Samuel 14:37, Saul expected God to support his

decision. However, God refused to answer him. That was a
shock both for Saul, and for his army. They must not go into
battle without God’s support. It seemed clear that someone
in Israel’s army had offended God by his actions earlier that
day. However, Saul did not know who was responsible for
that wrong deed.
Jonathan is guilty
(1 Samuel 14:38-42)
As we read the account of the battle in 1 Samuel chapter 14,
our attention turns constantly to Jonathan, Saul’s son. It
was Jonathan who, with God’s help, brought success to
Israel in that battle. Jonathan trusted God when nobody else
in Israel was trusting God. By his brave actions, Jonathan
rescued his nation.
The reports of what Jonathan had done brought courage and

hope to Israel’s soldiers in the battle. For them, as for us, he
was the hero of that battle.
However, there were also other reports about Jonathan’s

behaviour during that battle. He alone had not obeyed his
father’s command for the men not to eat (1 Samuel 14:24-
27). He did it without knowledge of that command; but then
he spoke with full knowledge. God’s law says that a son must
give honour to his father (Deuteronomy 5:16). However
Jonathan spoke, in public, words that brought shame upon
his father, the king (1 Samuel 14:29-30). All the people knew
that they must respect their king (1 Samuel 24:6;
Ecclesiastes 10:20). God himself had appointed Israel’s king
(1 Samuel 10:1).
Israel’s men admired Jonathan; they did not want to cause

trouble for him. So they had not told Saul about this matter.
However, now they wished that they had told Saul! Without
knowledge of the facts, Saul had already declared a
terrible judgement against his own son (1 Samuel 14:39).
Nobody dared to stop him.
Next, Saul prayed to the God of Israel, who knows the

secrets in every person’s heart (Psalm 139:1-6). He asked
God to show who was guilty. God’s answer was: ‘Jonathan’.
Israel’s men save Jonathan
(1 Samuel 14:43-45)
God had shown that he considered Jonathan, Saul’s son,
to be guilty of an evil deed. He had not obeyed the
command of his father, King Saul (1 Samuel 14:24-27).
Jonathan had acted without knowledge of that command, but
his words afterwards made the matter more serious (1
Samuel 14:29-30). Jonathan was not humble and he was
not sorry. He insisted that he was right.
Saul had made a serious promise to kill the man who was
guilty of that evil deed (1 Samuel 14:39). Even when God
showed Jonathan to be guilty, neither Saul nor Jonathan
changed their attitude. Jonathan was still arguing that he did
not deserve to die. Saul was still promising to kill Jonathan.
As king, Saul had the right to carry out that punishment

against Jonathan. However, Israel’s soldiers stopped him.
With God’s help, Jonathan had rescued Israel that day. So
the soldiers insisted that Jonathan should not die. As
Jonathan had rescued their nation, so they rescued him from
death.
We may ask, however, whether God’s law allowed them to do

that. Under God’s law, Jonathan was guilty. Jonathan did not
know that he was not obeying his father. However, in such
circumstances, God’s law still made him responsible for his
wrong deed (Leviticus 5:17). It was a very serious matter for
a person to speak against his father (Leviticus 20:9). It was
even more serious to oppose the king whom God had
appointed (1 Samuel 26:9).
However, the purpose of God’s law is to punish evil people

- not to control people who trust God (1 Timothy 1:9-10;
Galatians 3:11-12). Jonathan believed God’s promises to
Israel; he was trusting God to save Israel (1 Samuel 14:6).
God saves those people who trust him (Romans 4:3-6).
An account of Saul’s wars
(1 Samuel 14:46-48)
1 Samuel 14:46 ends the account of the battles against the
Philistines (Philistia’s army) in 1 Samuel chapter 13 and 14.
Saul had defeated the Philistines, but he had not destroyed

their army. There would be many future battles between
Israel and the Philistines.
In Samuel 14:47-52, the author seems to give a legal or

official record of Saul’s rule as king of Israel. Israel’s
people had asked for a king who would lead their men into
battle (1 Samuel 8:20). Saul did that constantly during his
rule.
1 Samuel 14:47 gives a list of the nations that Saul

opposed in battle. Probably many of those nations attacked
Israel first, as Ammon had done in 1 Samuel 11:1-2. Saul
fought against them and he defeated them. However, they
remained strong nations; Saul did not gain control over them.
There is a special mention of Saul’s war against Amalek in 1

Samuel 14:48. That war was an act of judgement which God
told Saul to carry out against Amalek. There is an account of
that war in 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel 14:48 gives
another reason why Saul had to fight that war. Amalek’s men
were constantly entering Israel to rob its people. There is a
later account of such an attack in 1 Samuel 30:1-2.
Saul’s wars did not bring peace to Israel. During Saul’s

rule, the nation was in a constant state of war. Israel first
knew peace during the rule of King David (2 Samuel 7:1; 2
Samuel 22:1). That peace continued during most of King
Solomon’s rule.
Saul’s family and government
(1 Samuel 14:49-51)
The official record of Saul’s rule continues with an account
of his family.
Unlike the kings who ruled Israel after him, Saul did not have
many wives or a large family. You may wish to compare him
with David in 2 Samuel 3:2-5 and 2 Samuel 5:13-16; and
Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1-3. It was the custom for a great king
to build a palace and to have many wives.
We have no record that Saul was responsible for the

construction of any important buildings. The reason was
probably the same as why he did not marry many wives. Saul
used all his time and energy for war. He had no time for
any other activity. There were constant wars during Saul’s
rule.
So it does not surprise us that the principal official in

Saul’s government was Abner, who led the army. Later
kings had much larger governments with many important
officials (see 2 Samuel 8:15-18 and 1 Kings 4:1-6).
Saul’s first son, Jonathan, died at the same time as Saul. We

read about Jonathan often in the Book of 1 Samuel. He was a
brave soldier, a good friend of David, and a man who truly
served God.
After Saul’s death, his second son Ishvi ruled most of Israel
for two years. You can read about his rule in 2 Samuel
chapters 2 to 4, where he is called Ish-Bosheth.
It was Abner who appointed Ish-Bosheth to rule. However,

Abner did not remain loyal to Ish-Bosheth. You can read
about these events and about Abner’s death in 2 Samuel
chapters 2 and 3. After Abner’s death, King David described
Abner as ‘a prince and a great man’ (2 Samuel 3:38).
Later in the Bible, we read about some more members of

Saul’s family. Saul married a concubine (a secondary wife of
lower rank) called Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:7). He had two sons by
her, who were called Armoni and Mephibosheth (2 Samuel
21:8). Saul also had a son called Abinadab (1 Samuel 31:2);
we do not know who his mother was. Perhaps these sons do
not appear in the list in 1 Samuel 14:50 because they were
born later.
Constant wars between Israel

and Philistia
(1 Samuel 14:52)
Saul fought wars against the nations on every side of Israel
(1 Samuel 14:47). However, his most important enemies
were the Philistines (the people from Philistia). During
Saul’s rule, Israel and Philistia were constantly at war.
Philistia was a nation on the south-west side of Israel. It had

5 principal towns, and each town had its own ruler. Each of
these towns had strong walls round it, and controlled the
surrounding villages (1 Samuel 6:17-18).
Philistia’s situation gave it several advantages. It was by the

coast, so it controlled the sea ports. The main route to Egypt
also went through Philistia. So, Philistia’s situation gave it
control over the trade in and out of Israel. Many of Saul’s
other enemies, for example Ammon and Moab, were on the
east side of the river Jordan. The river acted as a natural
defence for Israel. However, Philistia was next to the main
part of Israel, and they were both on the west side of
Jordan. So Israel became Philistia’s only important
enemy.
The two nations were constantly trying to gain control over

each other (1 Samuel 4:9). The Philistines made iron, which
Israel needed for tools and military equipment. Israel’s
people mainly worked in agriculture, and the Philistines
probably needed food from Israel.
Samuel had warned Israel’s people that their king would take
their young men for his army (1 Samuel 8:11-12). That is
what happened. Saul forced all the strongest and bravest
men in Israel to join him in the fight against the
Philistines.
In the end, both Saul and his son Jonathan died in a battle
against the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 31; 2 Samuel
chapter 1).
1 Samuel chapter 15
Judgement against Amalek
(1 Samuel 15:1-2)
Even as God is the judge of each person, so God is the judge
of entire nations.
When God makes a judgement against a wicked nation, he

often does not carry out that punishment immediately (for
example Genesis 15:16; 1 Kings 13:2). God’s delay gives the
people in that nation the opportunity to change their
behaviour and to serve him (2 Peter 3:9). If they do, God will
forgive them. However, often the people in that nation
choose to continue their wicked behaviour and they become
even more evil. Such behaviour proves that God’s judgement
against them was right (Genesis 15:16).
On this particular occasion, God’s judgement was against the

nation called Amalek. Its people, called Amalekites, lived in
the desert on the south of Israel. The reason that God gave
was the Amalekites’ great cruelty in Exodus 17:8-15.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19 describes why Amalek’s attack on
that occasion was so cruel.
God decided at that time that he would not allow the nation
called Amalek to continue to exist (Exodus 17:16;
Deuteronomy 25:19). However, he allowed 400 years to
pass before he told Saul to carry out his judgement
against Amalek. In the meantime, the Amalekites had
continued to be wicked (1 Samuel 15:18). Their king was a
murderer (1 Samuel 15:33). They constantly attacked and
robbed from the people in Israel (1 Samuel 14:48; 1 Samuel
30:1-4). These things showed that God’s judgement against
Amalek was right and proper.
During this period of history, God sometimes used his people

to carry out his judgements. That does not still happen
today. Instead, God uses his people today to show his
kindness to people in every nation (Matthew 28:19).
However, God still makes judgements against all that is evil.
At the proper time he himself will carry out his judgement
against all that is evil in this world (Revelation 19:11-21).
An especially severe act of

judgement
(1 Samuel 15:3)
God’s instructions in 1 Samuel 15:3 may give us a shock. The
modern rules for war do not allow soldiers to kill anyone who
is not actually opposing them. Soldiers should not kill their
enemies’ children. However the reality, even in the modern
world, is that very many children constantly die because of
wars.
In the ancient world, these instructions would also have

caused shock, but for a different reason. When soldiers
fought battles on behalf of their nation, they expected to
receive a reward for their efforts. After a successful battle,
they took from their enemies anything that had any value
whatever. Every soldier expected to take away animals,
knives, clothes and perhaps even silver and gold. They took
home women and children to be their slaves. They even took
whatever they could from the bodies of dead and dying men.
Everyone considered that soldiers had a right to these things
as their wages.
So it was an unusually severe act of judgement when God

ordered the soldiers to destroy everything. It happened
very rarely in the Bible. God only made such a judgement
against a nation or a city that had become completely evil.
He would not allow anyone to remain alive who could
continue the wicked acts of that nation or city.
In fact, some of Amalek’s men did remain alive after this

war. 1 Samuel 30:1-2 shows us that they continued to carry
out cruel and wicked acts. In the end, one of them killed King
Saul (2 Samuel 1:5-10).
Even when God issues such severe judgements, he always

shows mercy (kindness). He is kind to the people who obey
him. He saved Noah from the great flood (Genesis 6:9-22); he
saved Lot from Sodom (Genesis chapter 19). He saved
Rahab’s family from Jericho (Joshua 6:25). He saved the
people called Kenites from Amalek (1 Samuel 15:6). His
judgements are severe, but his mercy is great (Exodus 34:6-
7).
Saul’s vast army
(1 Samuel 15:4)
Saul led a vast army in the war against Amalek, as he had
done in the war against Ammon (1 Samuel 11:8). In the
meantime, God had shown that he could save (rescue) Israel
by means of just a few people (1 Samuel 14:6).
However, Saul was right to gather his whole army. God’s

people should behave in a sensible manner. They must never
act in a foolish manner on purpose because they want God to
protect them.
In fact, not everyone in Israel was willing to join the army

on this occasion. Saul’s army in 1 Samuel 15:4 was smaller
than his army in 1 Samuel 11:8. Probably many men would
not fight because they themselves would gain no benefit from
this war (1 Samuel 15:3). When Ammon had attacked
Jabesh, the whole of Israel was in danger (1 Samuel 11:2; 1
Samuel 12:12). However, Amalek was on the south side of
Israel. When its men robbed Israel (1 Samuel 14:48), they
would usually attack only the south of Israel.
It was the inhabitants of Judah, in the south of Israel, who

suffered most from those attacks. Although they would gain
more than any other region from Amalek’s defeat, they only
sent 10,000 men to join Saul’s army. That is perhaps
evidence of how severe Amalek’s attacks had become. Judah
was so unsafe that few people were living there.
About 50 years later, King David counted Israel’s army. By

that time, he had defeated the enemies on every side of
Israel. Judah had become a peaceful and safe place to live.
So, the number of people who lived there had increased
vastly. David counted 500,000 men from Judah who could
fight in Israel’s army (2 Samuel 24:9).
Desert nomads
(1 Samuel 15:5-6)
In the south of Israel, and between Israel and Egypt, there
are the deserts called Negev and Sinai. At the time of the
Bible, people lived in these deserts. They included groups
called Amalekites, Kenites and Midianites.
These people were nomads. In other words, they lived in

tents and they travelled across the region. They had to travel
in order to find places where their animals could feed. That
was their usual work; to keep animals. Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob lived in that manner (Hebrews 11:9). So did Moses
(Exodus 3:1).
These groups gained great knowledge of their region, and

that allowed them to do some other work. They became
traders (Genesis 37:28) and guides (Numbers 10:29-32).
However, the Amalekites found an easier way to live. They
became robbers who were famous for their cruelty (1 Samuel
15:33; 1 Samuel 30:1-2; 1 Samuel 14:48).
The Amalekites’ “city” (1 Samuel 15:5) was probably a large

camp. (The word “city” in the Hebrew language really means
a place that people guard by night.) Perhaps the Amalekites
had gathered there because they were preparing to attack
Israel again. However, Saul’s actions stopped that.
The Kenites were relatives of Hobab, who was the brother of

Moses’ wife (Judges 4:11). They were originally Midianites,
but they helped Israel’s people in the desert (Exodus chapter
18; Numbers 10:29-32). Now, however, the Kenites were
living among the Amalekites.
Because of their kindness to Israel in the past, Saul wanted

to save the Kenites. That was why Saul did not attack the
Amalekites immediately. Instead, he first urged the Kenites
to separate themselves from the Amalekites. He did not
begin his attack until the Kenites were safe.
The defeat of Amalek
(1 Samuel 15:7-9)
God had sent Saul to carry out his judgement against the
Amalekites. The Amalekites were a nation that had cruelly
attacked Israel’s people at the time of Moses. Since then,
they had become cruel robbers who often attacked the south
of Israel. Probably, Saul was pleased to have this opportunity
to punish them.
Saul showed them no pity. He dealt with them as cruelly as

they had dealt with other people. He first attacked their main
camp. Then he attacked them across their entire region.
Wherever he went, Saul and his soldiers killed the
Amalekites. He tried not to leave any of them alive.
(However, as 1 Samuel chapter 30 shows us, some of them
did escape.).
However, Saul did not obey God’s instructions to him. Saul

was acting as God’s agent when he punished the Amalekites.
That was a sacred and serious duty. God had ordered that
Saul’s men must destroy everything (1 Samuel 15:3). They
must not take back anything from the Amalekites.
After the battle, Saul’s men robbed the Amalekites, even

as the Amalekites had robbed other people. Saul allowed the
men in his army to take back the Amalekites’ best animals.
Saul later said that he intended those animals as gifts to God
(1 Samuel 15:15).
Saul himself brought back Agag, the Amalekites’ king, as his

prisoner. Agag was a cruel murderer (1 Samuel 15:33). We
do not know what Saul intended to do to Agag. Perhaps Saul
wanted to show that he could control such a powerful and
cruel foreigner as Agag. Later, Saul did gain control over
such a man, Doeg from Edom. Doeg was willing to carry out
the most wicked acts on Saul’s behalf. He carried out cruel
and evil deeds that nobody from Israel would ever dare to do
(1 Samuel 22:18-19).
God tells Samuel that Saul has

not obeyed God
(1 Samuel 15:10-15)
God had sent Saul to carry out his (God’s) judgement against
the people called Amalekites. The Amalekites were very
wicked, and God’s judgement against them was especially
severe. He ordered Saul and his army to destroy everything.
By that means, they would hand that wicked nation over to
God entirely.
These instructions were like the instructions that Joshua

gave for the battle against Jericho (Joshua 6:17-18).
Joshua’s commands at that battle really came from God, as
Joshua 7:10-12 shows. However, one of Israel’s men, Achan,
refused to obey those commands (Joshua 7:21). The result
was the defeat of the army in the next battle (Joshua 7:1-5).
God told Samuel that Saul had not obeyed his (God’s)
instructions. Immediately, Samuel recognised that this was
a very terrible matter. On this occasion, it was not merely an
ordinary soldier like Achan who had not obeyed God. Saul
was the king, and his act could have terrible results for the
whole nation.
Samuel spent the whole night in prayer, then he went to

accuse Saul.
Samuel found Saul in a very happy mood. Saul was travelling

round his country; people were praising him because of his
success in the war. Saul expected that Samuel too would give
him honour. Saul told Samuel that he (Saul) had carried out
God’s instructions.
However, Samuel could hear the evidence that this was not
true. Saul’s soldiers had taken sheep and cows from the
Amalekites. God had told Saul to kill those animals with the
Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:3). The noise of those animals
proved that Saul had not obeyed God.
Saul protests against God’s

message
(1 Samuel 15:16-21)
Samuel declared the very serious message that God had
given for Saul. Although Saul had considered himself
unimportant (1 Samuel 9:21), God had given great honour to
Saul. Then God gave Saul a serious and sacred task: to carry
out God’s judgement against a wicked nation.
Although Saul defeated that nation, he did not obey God’s

instructions. God had told Saul to hand over that nation, and
everything in it, to God - and therefore, to destroy
everything. However, Saul had allowed his men to bring
back the best cows and sheep - and Saul himself was
responsible. That was the message that God told Samuel to
give to Saul.
It astonishes us that Saul dared to argue with God’s word

to him. God does not lie or say anything untrue. His words
are perfect and his judgements are always right and proper.
Our reaction should be humble; we should confess our wrong
deeds to him.
However, Saul protested that his actions were completely

right. He had defeated the enemy that God sent him to fight
against. He had destroyed everything that had little value in
that country. Its king was now Saul’s prisoner.
Of course Saul did not want to waste the best cows and
sheep. He explained to Samuel that he had a better plan for
those animals. His men had brought them to Gilgal, where the
priests would offer them to God. Then the meat would
provide a great meal for the people, as in 1 Samuel 11:15.
Also, Saul would burn many of the animals completely as gifts
to God (see Leviticus chapter 1).
Samuel’s words in 1 Samuel 15:22-23 were God’s reply to

this plan.
Why Saul did not obey God
(1 Samuel 15:22)
Saul did not obey God’s instructions for the war against
Amalek. God had told him not to bring back any of the
animals from Amalek (1 Samuel 15:3).
In fact, Saul brought back many of the best sheep and cows
from there. He did that because, in his opinion, he had a
better plan for those animals. He brought them back to
Gilgal where he intended to offer them as a gift to God.
Saul considered that such an impressive gift would please

God greatly. Saul wanted to please God because he needed
God’s help for himself and for his nation. Saul had plans for
future wars. Those plans could only succeed if God supported
him.
However, Saul could only make that gift if he chose not to

obey God’s instructions to him. Saul decided, on purpose,
not to obey God because Saul wanted to impress God.
Clearly, Saul had not recognised the kind of attitudes that
God wanted him to have.
By the power of God’s Holy Spirit, Samuel spoke to Saul.

Samuel explained that, in order to please God, God’s people
must obey him. It is much more important to obey God
than to give gifts to him.
Really, by his gifts, Saul was trying to pay for God’s support.
Saul had done that on previous occasions too (1 Samuel 9:7-
8; 1 Samuel 13:8-13). It was clear now that Saul had no real
desire to obey God. Instead, Saul was trying to force God to
do what he (Saul) wanted. It was Saul’s method to try to
control God. As Samuel explained in 1 Samuel 15:23, that is a
wicked attitude.
The result of Saul’s decision not

to obey God
(1 Samuel 15:23)
The use of both idols (images of false gods) and witchcraft
(magic) is an important part of many false religions. People
use these things because they want to have power in the
world of spirits. However, God does not allow his people to
do these things (Deuteronomy 5:8-10; Deuteronomy 18:9-
14). God’s people must pray to him alone, and they must not
try to control him.
Although Saul did not belong to those false religions, he had

refused on purpose to obey God. In Saul’s opinion, he did
that for a good reason. God had told him to kill the animals in
Amalek, but Saul wanted to give them to God. Saul thought
that such an impressive gift would please God greatly. Then
Saul expected that God would support Saul’s plans.
By the power of God’s Holy Spirit, Samuel explained why

Saul’s behaviour offended God. Saul had not yet used
witchcraft; but he was behaving like someone who did. Saul
did not just want power over spirits; he was trying to force
God to support his plans.
It is the duty of God’s people humbly to obey him. In other

words, they accept God’s authority over their lives. Saul, on
the other hand, was acting in a very proud manner. He
demanded God’s support for his own (Saul’s) plans while he
refused to obey God. In false religions, people give to their
idols the honour that God alone deserves. Because of his
proud attitudes, Saul was trying to take for himself the
authority that God alone has.
Samuel had already told Saul that his rule could not last (1
Samuel 13:13-14). Now Samuel gave Saul an even more
severe message. Saul had chosen to oppose God’s authority
over him. So God would remove Saul’s authority to be
Israel’s king.
Soon afterwards, God sent Samuel to appoint David as

Israel’s next king (1 Samuel 16:1-13).
God does not forgive people

without repentance
(1 Samuel 15:24-26)
Saul had chosen on purpose not to obey God; and Samuel had
declared God’s judgement against him. However, Saul still
did not recognise how serious his sin was.
Sometimes a person tries to confess sin without repentance.

Repentance means to turn away from sin. It is when a person
chooses, with God’s help, not to continue in that sin.
Repentance is essential because all sin is a serious matter.
Sin is our wrong deeds that offend against God’s holy law.
Saul tried to confess his sin without repentance. He

wrongly thought that he only needed to say sorry for God to
forgive him. He had no desire for God to change his life. He
wanted to continue to act in the same manner that he had
done before.
Saul even tried to argue that his sin was only minor. He had
acted in a weak manner; other people had persuaded him to
do it. We do not know whether that was true or not.
However, in 1 Samuel 15:20-21, Saul was proud to declare
that he had done these things. God considered Saul guilty;
Saul had no right to argue against God’s judgement.
Saul urged Samuel to go with him to worship (give honour to)

God. Probably Saul wanted to offer the gifts to God that he
mentioned in 1 Samuel 15:21. He wanted Samuel to join him
to show that God approved of those gifts. Samuel refused.
God did not approve of those gifts (1 Samuel 15:22). In fact,
God did not even recognise Saul’s authority to act as king
now.
God does not forgive people without repentance. Many

people, like Saul, would like God to forgive them, but they do
not want to obey him.
Saul holds on to Samuel’s clothes
(1 Samuel 15:27-28)
Saul had refused to obey God. Samuel had told Saul that God
had removed Saul’s authority to be Israel’s king. Saul
argued, but Samuel was firm. So Samuel turned away from
Saul in order to leave him.
Saul was desperate. He still did not want to obey God, but he
very much needed God’s support. Because God did not still
respect Saul’s authority, Saul wanted Samuel’s help. Samuel
was a holy man with a right relationship with God; he could
pray for Saul. So Saul would not allow Samuel to go.
Saul held Samuel’s shirt firmly as Samuel tried to leave. The

result was that it tore. When that happened, God gave
another message to Samuel.
Even as the shirt had torn, so God would take away Saul’s
rule over Israel by force. As the shirt did not belong to Saul,
so the nation did not still belong to him. As Saul had held on
to the shirt, so he would hold on to the nation. However, God
was giving the rule over Israel to another man, who would
become Israel’s next king.
God would soon show Samuel who that next king would be.
We will start to read about King David in the next chapter, 1
Samuel chapter 16. God promised that he would be a better
man than Saul. Although David made several serious
mistakes, he genuinely loved God.
The news that God had chosen another king for Israel was a
very serious message for Saul. From now on, he understood
that his rule must end. He would fight fiercely to hold on to a
country that was not his own. David, on the other hand,
would wait patiently until God handed the country over to
him.
Does God repent?
(1 Samuel 15:29)
In 1 Samuel 15:29, Samuel explained that God does not
repent. That is, he does not change his mind. Because God
is perfect in every way, he never changes (James 1:17;
Hebrews 13:8).
Unlike people, God does not need ever to change his mind.
His words, decisions and actions are always good and right.
He never acts in a manner that is not proper. He never says
anything that is not true.
It is people who need to repent. Their actions are evil and

their desires are wrong constantly (Romans 3:9-20). They
are all guilty (Romans 3:23). The Bible urges them to repent
so that God can change their lives (Ezekiel 18:30-32; Mark
1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19).
Sometimes, however, the Bible says that God repents.

There is an example in 1 Samuel 15:35; God repented about
his decision to appoint Saul as Israel’s king. The explanation
is that, in the original language (Hebrew), the word for
‘repent’ really means ‘to be sorry’. God was sorry that he
had appointed Saul. God’s character had not changed and
his attitude had not changed. However, Saul had not been
loyal to God, and God regretted that fact.
Sometimes God repents of a judgement that he intended to

carry out (for example, Jonah 3:9-10). He does that because
people themselves have repented; in other words, they
changed their minds and decided to obey God. To such
people, it seems that God has repented. He has chosen now
to allow that punishment not to happen. However, really
God has not changed; only they have changed. God’s
perfect character remains the same. His attitudes and
opinions are the same. He is still the God who declares his
judgement against people’s evil deeds. He still shows his
great kindness to people who repent (Exodus 34:6-7).
Why did Samuel change his

mind?
(1 Samuel 15:30-31)
Saul had chosen not to obey God, so God was removing Saul’s
authority to rule Israel. In 1 Samuel 15:24-26, Samuel had
refused to go with Saul when Saul worshipped God.
However, when Saul asked again in 1 Samuel 15:30, Samuel

agreed.
Between Saul’s two requests in 1 Samuel 15:24-25 and 1

Samuel 15:30, Saul’s attitude changed. It was not a complete
change: Saul still did not want to obey God. However, Saul
had begun to realise his responsibility for his own evil
deeds. In 1 Samuel 15:24, Saul made an excuse; he blamed
other people. In 1 Samuel 15:30, he did not do that. He also
respected the fact that God would not still support his rule.
So, in 1 Samuel 15:30, he called God ‘your (Samuel’s) God’
and not ‘my God’.
Probably, there was also a change in how Saul intended to

worship God. ‘To worship’ means to give honour to God. In
the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible), people did
that by means of sacrifices. Their sacrifices were the
animals that they gave to God. However, there were
different kinds of sacrifices.
Originally, Saul wanted to give burnt offerings and peace

offerings. The burnt offering was the kind of sacrifice where
the priest burned the whole animal as a gift to God (Leviticus
chapter 1). Its purpose was to show that a person was giving
his life completely to God. The peace offering was the
sacrifice where a person shared the meat with the priests
and his family and friends (Leviticus chapter 3). It showed
friendship between that person and God.
Saul could not sincerely give either of those kinds of

sacrifices. He was not giving his life to God, and he had
ruined his relationship with God.
However, Saul could still give sacrifices to confess that he

was guilty. There are rules for such sacrifices in Leviticus 4:1
to 5:13 and Leviticus 5:14 to 6:7. So probably those were the
sacrifices that Samuel agreed to attend.
Samuel kills King Agag
(1 Samuel 15:32-33)
Agag was a murderer who had led a nation of cruel
robbers. God had sent Saul to punish both Agag and his
nation but, somehow, Agag escaped. That is, he persuaded
Saul to take him back to Israel as his prisoner. However, God
had told Saul that Agag must die.
God has appointed kings, rulers and judges in this world

to carry out his punishments against evil people (Romans
13:1-4). If people with authority refuse to do that, they
themselves are guilty. That was what happened to Saul. Saul
knew clearly the judgement that God had issued against Agag
and his nation (1 Samuel 15:2-3). However, Saul refused to
obey God.
Leviticus 5:14 to 6:7 explains how a guilty person could offer

a gift to God. We think that Saul did that in 1 Samuel 15:31.
Such a person had to hand back anything that he had taken
wrongly (Leviticus 6:4). So Samuel told Saul to hand Agag
over.
The Bible says that Agag came ‘delicately’. We are not sure
what that word really means. Perhaps he felt afraid of
Samuel, although he still hoped to avoid death. Perhaps he
came in a very proud manner. He had persuaded Saul to save
him; maybe he was trying to control Samuel in the same way.
It was very rare for holy men in the Bible to carry out God’s
judgements. As we have said, that was usually the duty of
rulers and judges. However, God might tell a holy man to do
such a thing when other people neglected their duties (1
Kings 19:17).
Of course we feel a sense of shock to read how Samuel, a

very holy man, killed Agag. We are sure that Agag, a very
wicked man, deserved to die in such a terrible manner. We
know that, in the end, God - and not any man - was Agag’s
judge. All God’s judgements are right and proper.
Samuel separates from Saul
(1 Samuel 15:34-35)
After the death of Agag, both Saul and Samuel returned to
the towns where they had their homes.
Until that day, Samuel had been Saul’s adviser and

prophet (the person who spoke God’s words to him).
However, now that Saul had chosen not to obey God, the two
men separated. Samuel would never again go to advise
Saul or to declare God’s words to him. Their only meetings
would be the strange incidents in 1 Samuel 19:23-24 and 1
Samuel 28:11-20.
Saul’s decision not to obey God made Samuel very sad.

Samuel acted as if Saul were already dead. God regretted
that he had appointed Saul to be Israel’s king. Soon, God
would send Samuel to appoint a new king over Israel (1
Samuel 16:1-13).
However, Saul was not yet dead. Although he had lost his
right to rule Israel, he still continued as king for several
years.
During those years, Saul would often act in an extremely

wicked manner. An evil spirit had control over him (1 Samuel
16:14). However, that evil spirit’s power was not continuous
(1 Samuel 16:23). The result was that Saul could often act in
a sensible and kind manner (1 Samuel 24:16-21). He even
carried out some holy acts (1 Samuel 19:23; 1 Samuel 24:19).
It is not God’s desire to punish even a person who has

become very wicked. God wants that person to turn from
his evil deeds so that God can forgive him (Ezekiel 18:21-
23). We can see that God gave Saul many opportunities to do
that. However, Saul did not, in the end, turn back to God.
Instead Saul became completely evil.
1 Samuel chapter 16
God tells Samuel to anoint a new
king
(1 Samuel 16:1)
Samuel already knew that God would give Israel a new and
better king, to replace King Saul (1 Samuel 15:28). That was
wonderful news, although Samuel did not yet realise it. He
still felt deeply sad about Saul’s decision not to obey God,
and his wicked behaviour.
However, God told Samuel that he must prepare for a joyful

event. God was sending Samuel to a little town called
Bethlehem. There lived a man called Jesse, who had 8 sons.
God had chosen one of those sons to be Israel’s king. God did
not yet tell Samuel the name of that particular son.
Jesse himself was probably not well-known. He belonged to

the tribe (group of families) of Judah. In Genesis 49:10, God
promised that Judah’s family would rule Israel. Jesse’s
grandfather was Boaz and his grandmother was a foreign
woman called Ruth. You can read about their marriage in the
Book of Ruth.
God told Samuel to fill his horn with oil. The horn is the
bony point that grows on the head of many animals, for
example, bulls. People sometimes carried liquids, especially
oil, in the hollow centre of a horn. The oil came from the fruit
of the tree called the olive.
The ceremony to appoint the king is the same as 1 Samuel

10:1 describes. Samuel would anoint (pour oil upon) the
head of the new king. That action showed that God’s Holy
Spirit was coming upon the new king. The effect was to
separate him from other people in order to carry out his
special work for God.
Samuel’s sacrifice in Bethlehem
(1 Samuel 16:2-3)
Already, Saul was acting in a very cruel and evil manner.
The Bible does not record what he was doing. It could
perhaps be the murder of the people in Gibeon (2 Samuel
21:1), but that could have happened later. However, the fact
of Saul’s evil behaviour is already clear from Samuel’s
desperate prayer (1 Samuel 16:2). It also probably explains
the fearful reaction of the leaders of Bethlehem (1 Samuel
16:4).
Saul would continue to rule Israel for several more years.

Clearly it would be much too dangerous for Samuel to
appoint another king in public. Samuel asked God what he
should do. God’s answer was that Samuel should make a
private visit to Bethlehem. Samuel would appoint the new
king privately, even as he had appointed Saul privately (1
Samuel 10:1).
For that reason, God told Samuel to take a young cow with
him. When Samuel reached Bethlehem, he would invite a few
guests for a special meal. The meat for the meal would come
from the cow, after Samuel had first offered it to God as a
fellowship offering. A fellowship offering was a kind of
sacrifice (gift to God). Its purpose was to express friendship
between people and God. The Book of 1 Samuel often refers
to fellowship offerings (for example 1 Samuel 1:3-5; 1
Samuel 9:12-13 and 1 Samuel 9:22-24).
The guests at Samuel’s meal would be the elders of

Bethlehem (in other words, the old men who acted as local
leaders and judges). Samuel would also invite Jesse and his
sons to the meal. None of them would know the main
purpose of Samuel’s visit until Samuel appointed the new
king.
Ancient Bethlehem
(1 Samuel 16:4)
Although Bethlehem is only a small town (Micah 5:2), it was
well-known in Israel 1000 years before Jesus’ birth. The
royal family that ruled all Israel for 80 years, and Judah for
300 years afterwards, came from Bethlehem.
Those kings chose Jerusalem and not Bethlehem to be their

capital city. Jerusalem is about 6 miles (10 kilometres) to the
north of Bethlehem. There in Jerusalem they built their
palaces and they organised their government. However, long
afterwards the family still considered Bethlehem to be their
real home (Luke 2:4).
Bethlehem is high in the hills of the region called Judah. It

stands by the ancient main road that runs from the north to
the south of Israel. It had a good supply of water from the
well that is near its gate (2 Samuel 23:15).
Bethlehem had a gate because a wall completely surrounded

the town. That gate was the most important place in the
town. In its shade, the old men who led each family would sit
each day. They are called its ‘elders’; they acted both as the
town’s council (local government) and its court (Ruth 4:1-
12).
Near the town were the fields where people grew their crops:
the grains called wheat and barley (Ruth chapter 2). For that
reason Bethlehem’s name means ‘the house of bread’. The
inhabitants of Bethlehem also kept animals, especially sheep
(1 Samuel 16:11). They would take those animals further
away from the town into the hills to feed.
Later, the trade in sheep became especially important for

Bethlehem. It would provide many of the animals that people
gave to God in the temple (God’s house) at Jerusalem (Luke
2:8). However, the temple did not yet exist, and Jerusalem
was not yet Israel’s capital city. At the time that we are
reading about, Samuel had to bring his own animal to
Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:2).
‘Consecrate yourselves’
(1 Samuel 16:5)
When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem, he told his guests to
consecrate themselves. The word ‘consecrate’ means that
they should make themselves holy. In other words, they
should prepare themselves for God to work among them.
They should separate themselves from all that is not holy.
Really, no physical action can make a person holy. It can only

happen by means of God’s work in a person’s spirit. However,
people can choose whether or not they will allow God to work
in their lives. We cannot control God, but we can obey him.
We cannot force God to make us holy, but we can be
humble towards him. In other words, we must not be proud
and we must accept his authority over our lives.
In order to consecrate themselves, people dealt with their

inner attitudes and they carried out certain physical actions.
The purpose of those actions was to express the attitude of
their hearts.
So, for example, they washed themselves and their clothes

(Mark 7:3-4; Exodus 19:10). That expressed the idea that
they wanted God to make them clean (Psalm 51:7). In fact,
God would consider them clean when he forgave their sins
(evil deeds) - Isaiah 1:18. So they also confessed their sins to
God.
Samuel’s guests prepared in that special manner because

Samuel’s meal had a sacred purpose. The guests would be
eating meat that Samuel had offered to God as a sacrifice (a
gift to God). God allowed his people to eat that meat so that
they could express their friendship with God and with
each other. So it was important that each guest’s
relationship with God was both strong and sincere.
God sees what people cannot see
(1 Samuel 16:6-10)
God had told Samuel to appoint one of Jesse’s sons to be
Israel’s next king. However, God had not yet shown Samuel
which of those sons God had chosen.
When Jesse introduced his sons to Samuel, he first

introduced his oldest son, Eliab.
Eliab impressed Samuel greatly. It seems that Eliab was both

strong and tall. Samuel’s first thought was that such an
impressive young man would be a good king. However,
Samuel was wrong.
God explained the reason to Samuel. When people choose a

leader, they often select an impressive man or a powerful
man. They make the decision by what they can see.
However, such leaders often disappoint. Perhaps they lose
their strength, or perhaps they use it in a cruel or evil
manner. Perhaps they only seemed to be capable, but really
they were weak.
God, on the other hand, sees what people cannot see. He

knows what is in a person’s heart: that person’s true
thoughts and attitudes. So when God chooses a leader, that
person may not seem impressive. However, God knows the
real intentions and desires of the person whom he is
choosing. He then gives that person the skills that he will
need for the task.
God had not chosen Eliab. He had not chosen Abinadab

(Jesse’s second son) or Shammah (his third son) either. In
fact, God had not chosen any of the 7 sons that Jesse
introduced to him.
Jesse’s youngest son
(1 Samuel 16:11)
For a moment, it seemed as if Samuel’s visit to Bethlehem
had failed to achieve its purpose. God had sent him there to
appoint one of Jesse’s sons to be Israel’s next king. However,
Samuel had now met each of Jesse’s 7 sons. God had clearly
told Samuel that he had not chosen any of them.
Samuel was sure that God had sent him to Bethlehem for
that purpose. So he carefully asked Jesse whether he had
any other sons.
Jesse’s youngest boy was looking after the family’s sheep.

The boy remained with the sheep as he guarded them from
wild animals (1 Samuel 17:34-36). He led the sheep to the
places where they could find food and water (Psalm 23). So,
he could have gone a long way from home, and sometimes he
might be away for several days.
In ancient Israel, people usually gave the greatest honour

to a father’s first son. That son would become the head of
the family after his father’s death. He would become one of
the elders (leaders) of his town, and all his brothers would
have to respect his decisions.
On the other hand, the youngest son in a family did not

seem important. Jesse’s sons did not respect their youngest
brother (1 Samuel 17:28).
God’s opinion about a person is different from the opinions

that other people may have about that person (1 Samuel
16:7). God had sent Samuel to Bethlehem to appoint one of
Jesse’s sons to be king. So, Samuel could not allow the meal
to begin until that son was present.
Everyone, even Samuel and Bethlehem’s elders, would have

to wait until that youngest son had returned.
The boy whom God chose to be

king
(1 Samuel 16:12)
Samuel waited for Jesse’s youngest son to arrive. We do not
know how long the delay was; it could have been several
hours. Samuel refused to carry out his sacrifice (gift to God)
or to begin the meal until that boy had arrived. God had sent
Samuel to Bethlehem to appoint Israel’s next king, and God
may have chosen that boy.
The author describes the boy as Samuel first saw him.

Originally, Samuel expected the new king to look like Saul
did. When Saul became king, he was probably about 40 years
old. He was strong, and especially tall. That is also probably
a good description of Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, who
impressed Samuel greatly (1 Samuel 16:6-7).
Clearly, Jesse’s youngest son must be much younger than

that. When he arrived, that youngest son looked very much
like a boy. He could have been as young as 10 or 12 years
old. He was healthy, and full of energy. The author mentions
the red colour (ruddy) of his cheeks. His face was pleasant;
he gave a good impression.
In other words, he looked like a nice boy; he did not look like
a powerful and impressive king. It seemed clear that he
would be too young to become king for several years.
However, God knew that boy’s inner qualities and God had
chosen him to be king.
Soon, we will study the history of that boy’s life. We will see
how he became a truly great king. We will discover the
qualities that God had already seen in this young boy’s life.
Those qualities included his love for other people, his trust in
God, and his humble and sincere attitudes. He was a king
who truly loved God; and God made very special promises to
him (2 Samuel chapter 7).
The author has still not told us the boy’s name, but he will
tell us in 1 Samuel 16:13. That boy was David, the author of
many Psalms, a holy man and a great king.
The anointing of David
(1 Samuel 16:13)
For the second time in his life, Samuel carried out the special
ceremony to appoint a new king over Israel. In that
ceremony, called the anointing, he poured oil upon the head
of the king. That showed that the Holy Spirit was coming
upon the king. Also, the anointing separated the king from
other people, to do his special work for God.
On the earlier occasion, Samuel appointed Saul because the

people had demanded a king (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel
chapter 8). Although God chose Saul to rule them, he did not
approve of their decision to have a king (1 Samuel 8:7-9).
On the other hand, David really was God’s choice to be

Israel’s king. God wanted David to rule (2 Samuel 5:2).
David’s brothers were witnesses at David’s anointing. We do

not know whether they really understood the importance of
the ceremony. Probably, they felt jealous of him, as 1 Samuel
17:28 seems to show. People are often jealous when God
gives honour to someone else (for example, Joseph in
Genesis chapter 37). Later, however, David’s brothers did
support him (1 Samuel 22:1-2).
For David, the anointing was a very special event in his life.
God’s Holy Spirit came on him powerfully, and remained with
him. We can see the effect of that in the many songs that
David wrote in the Book of Psalms. Through the rest of his
life, David was regularly writing Psalms in the power of the
Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). Acts 2:29-31 shows us that the
first Christians considered David to be a prophet (a holy man
who spoke messages from God, by the power of the Holy
Spirit).
Saul’s evil spirit
(1 Samuel 16:14)
When Saul became king, God’s Holy Spirit came upon him
(1 Samuel 10:10). The Holy Spirit brought about a powerful
change in Saul’s life (1 Samuel 10:6). After that, the Holy
Spirit again came powerfully upon Saul in 1 Samuel 11:6.
However, the Holy Spirit was not just present in Saul’s life on
those occasions. The Holy Spirit continued to be active in his
life until the day when the Holy Spirit left him.
That happened because of Saul’s decision that he would not

obey God (1 Samuel 15:26). He made that decision on
purpose, and it was a very serious matter. In Psalm 51:11,
David would later pray that God would never take the Holy
Spirit away from him.
After the Holy Spirit had left Saul, the Holy Spirit came
upon David (1 Samuel 16:13). From that day, the Holy Spirit
was very active in David’s life. It was the Holy Spirit that
gave David the power to do his special work for God.
While the Holy Spirit remained with Saul, God was protecting
him. When the Holy Spirit left Saul, an evil spirit attacked
him. That evil spirit upset Saul. It urged him to act in a cruel
and evil manner (1 Samuel 18:10-11; 1 Samuel 19:9-10).
The Bible describes that evil spirit as ‘an evil spirit from God’.
God is not evil, and evil spirits do not work on his behalf
(James 1:13; James 1:17). Evil spirits oppose God, and they
are constantly trying to destroy his work (1 Peter 5:8).
However, there are certain situations where God may allow
an evil spirit to act against someone. In Job chapters 1 and
2, God’s purpose was to prove that Job’s trust in God was
genuine. In 1 Kings 22:19-22, God’s purpose was to punish
the wicked King Ahab with his death. In 1 Samuel 16:14, the
purpose was to give King Saul another opportunity to serve
God. Sometimes a person’s troubles can cause him to return
to God, as Paul described in 1 Corinthians 5:5.
David’s harp
(1 Samuel 16:15-18)
When David became a young man, he began to work as King
Saul’s private musician. David’s musical instrument was
called the KINNOR, which we usually translate as a lyre or
harp. It probably had 10 strings. Each string played a
different note on what is called the pentatonic (5 note) scale.
It made a soft, sweet sound.
David’s task however was not to entertain Saul, and Saul did
not choose him for his musical skills. An evil spirit was badly
upsetting Saul; Saul needed some quiet music to comfort
him. Saul realised that he had ruined his relationship with
God. So Saul chose a musician who had a strong
relationship with God.
The description of David in 1 Samuel 16:18 interests us. The

previous description (1 Samuel 16:12) described him as a
boy. Now he is a young man. He is also called a brave soldier.
That causes some people to ask whether this is after his fight
against Goliath in 1 Samuel chapter 17. However, as we have
seen, Saul liked sometimes to order all Israel’s men into
battle (1 Samuel 11:6-8; 1 Samuel 13:3-4; 1 Samuel 15:4). As
Saul was constantly fighting battles (1 Samuel 14:47), David
may have already had to fight on several occasions.
David continued to work as Saul’s musician for several

years. During those years, David also carried out many other
duties. Originally, he probably visited Saul occasionally but
usually he was looking after his father’s sheep (1 Samuel
17:15). Later, David worked in the army where he carried
military equipment for Saul (1 Samuel 16:21; 1 Samuel 18:2).
David did well, and Saul gave him a high rank in the army (1
Samuel 18:5). During all this time, David continued to play
music for Saul (1 Samuel 19:9).
David works for Saul
(1 Samuel 16:19-22)
Although Saul did not want to obey God, he still wanted
God’s help. He had ruined his own relationship with God. So,
he tried to gain the support of men who were loyal to God.
Because God was supporting them, God would help Saul too.
That was Saul’s idea.
Saul had wanted Samuel to continue to assist him as his

prophet (holy man). However, Samuel was now refusing to
see Saul. So Saul was pleased to discover a young
musician, David, who was also a holy man. Although God’s
Holy Spirit had left Saul, the Holy Spirit was very active in
David’s life (1 Samuel 16:13-14). As David played his music,
Saul felt a sense of comfort and relief. Saul needed that help
because an evil spirit was upsetting him badly.
After a time, Saul gave greater responsibilities to David. It

seems that Saul originally only requested David to come for a
temporary period (1 Samuel 16:19). It was a great honour
for Jesse that his son was working for the king. He sent gifts
for Saul with David (1 Samuel 16:20).
1 Samuel 16:21-22 seems to describe a later period,

perhaps after David had fought Goliath. At that time, Saul
wanted David to remain permanently with him, as 1 Samuel
18:2 also says. David’s principal duty then was to carry
Saul’s military equipment. That would mean that David had
to remain constantly close to Saul, especially during battles.
God was protecting David; Saul believed that he too would
benefit from that protection.
Saul could see how much David was helping him. David kept
his musical instrument constantly ready to bring relief to
Saul.
1 Samuel chapter 17
A battle in the valley of Elah
(1 Samuel 17:1-3)
During Saul’s entire rule, there were frequent battles
between the armies of Israel and Philistia. This one
happened in the valley called Elah, near to the border
between Judah (in southern Israel) and Philistia.
The two armies made their camps on opposite hills above the
valley. A river flows through that valley during the rainy
season; at other times, the valley is dry. From their camps,
the armies watched each other. They waited for 40 days for
one side to begin the battle (1 Samuel 17:16).
On several occasions, Saul gathered all Israel’s men to fight

a battle. However, Saul could not do that for this battle. The
men would be away from their homes and their work for too
long. So instead, Saul only gathered the men whom he
considered the best soldiers. Both he and his enemy
preferred the men who had the most experience (1 Samuel
17:33).
For example, Jesse had 8 sons. His three oldest sons joined
Saul’s army. They were perhaps between 30 and 40 years
old. Their brothers remained at home in Bethlehem. They
carried on their work and they guarded their own town. The
nations on every side of Israel were enemies; any of them
could attack at any time.
Only Jesse’s youngest boy, David, left Bethlehem frequently.

It was his task to carry food to Israel’s camp for his brothers
(1 Samuel 17:15; 1 Samuel 17:17). The soldiers could only
remain in the camp for so long because someone brought
them food.
Goliath and the giant people of

Canaan
(1 Samuel 17:4-7)
In ancient times, a nation of people of extraordinary size and
strength lived in Canaan. The Bible calls them by various
names, for example Anakites and Rephaites. Because these
huge people were in Canaan, Israel’s people were too afraid
to enter the country (Deuteronomy 1:28). However, one of
them, called Og, ruled Bashan, so Israel’s army had to fight
against him (Deuteronomy 3:1-11). That happened at the
time of Moses.
The defeat of Og was one of a series of defeats that those

people suffered. Caleb defeated them in Hebron (Joshua
15:13-14). Joshua defeated them in all their other towns
(Joshua 11:21-22). They only remained in three towns in
Philistia: Gaza, Gath and Ashdod (Joshua 11:22).
Most of the inhabitants of Philistia belonged to families that

originally came from Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4). That is,
probably, the island called Crete. Among them in Philistia
lived these families of giant people. The tallest and strongest
of them became the heroes who led Philistia’s army. 2
Samuel 21:15-22 records how David’s men defeated 4 of
them. Like Goliath, those 4 men were all from Gath.
The description of Goliath is extraordinary. He seems taller

than anyone who has lived in modern times. The metal coat
that protected his body was huge, heavy and very
impressive. It would also be very valuable. He fought with a
spear (a pole with a sharp head). That spear was so long that
an enemy could not even get near him. He also carried a
javelin (a lighter spear that he could throw at an enemy).
Another man carried a shield (a strong board) in front of
Goliath. That shield would protect Goliath if his enemies shot
arrows at him.
Goliath insults Israel’s army
(1 Samuel 17:8-11)
Everyone in Israel’s army knew clearly that their battle
against Philistia’s army would be a very important battle.
The defeat of Israel’s army would give control of their entire

country to Philistia’s rulers. On the other hand, success
against Philistia would make Saul’s rule in Israel strong. The
two countries continued to be serious enemies during the
whole of Saul’s rule.
Israel’s army did not begin the attack because its soldiers
were too afraid. They could see that Philistia’s army included
many very strong men. The most impressive of these men
was, of course, Goliath.
Every day, Goliath came out of his camp to laugh at

Israel’s men. He told them that they did not need to fight a
battle. They only needed to find one man from Israel who
could fight him (Goliath). If that man killed Goliath, the
defeat of Philistia’s army was certain. If Goliath killed the
man from Israel, the defeat of Israel’s army was certain.
That was what Goliath said. The reality, of course, is that

one fight does not win a battle. However, both armies would
watch the fight. The army whose hero won would gain great
courage for the battle. The other army would become weak
and afraid. Clearly, it would be impossible for Israel’s
army to win that battle unless one of its men killed
Goliath.
Really, Goliath wanted to frighten Israel’s men so much that

they would all run away. He wanted them to go back to their
homes. Then Philistia’s army could take control of Israel
without any battle. However, Saul was such a powerful man
that none of Israel’s soldiers dared to leave their camp. For
those reasons, both armies waited in their camps for 40
days, and neither side began the battle.
David arrives at Israel’s camp
(1 Samuel 17:12-20)
Every morning and evening for 40 days, Saul had ordered
Israel’s army to begin the battle against Philistia’s army. The
men got ready for the battle, then they went to their
positions in the valley, between the two camps.
Philistia’s soldiers arranged themselves in a similar manner

at the other side of the valley. The two armies began to shout
at each other, and Israel’s men wanted very much to fight.
Then Goliath, the giant man, stood forward at the front of

Philistia’s army. He laughed at Israel’s men; none of them
dared to fight him. So Israel’s men returned to their camp
and the battle did not begin. They were more afraid of
Goliath than they were afraid of Saul.
After 40 days, the situation was becoming desperate for

Israel. Israel’s army was running out of food. If the soldiers
returned home, Philistia’s army would take control of Israel
without even a battle. So Israel’s army depended very much
on young men like David who brought food to the soldiers.
David had to walk about 15 miles (25 kilometres) from

Bethlehem to the army’s camp. He took as much grain and
bread as he could carry. He took that food for his three
brothers. They were ordinary soldiers; David also had a gift
for the commander of their group.
David left home early in the morning. He had a heavy load,

but he was walking down the hill for most of the distance. He
arrived while the army was leaving their camp that morning.
David went with them and he greeted his brothers.
Goliath’s behaviour astonishes

David
(1 Samuel 17:21-24)
David went to Israel’s camp in order to supply food to his
brothers. However, as he arrived, the army was leaving the
camp for the battle. So David went with the soldiers.
As a strong young man, David would have considered it his

duty to fight in the battle. He was ready to help Israel’s
soldiers in any way that seemed necessary. He did not have a
sword, but he had learned to fight with sticks and stones (1
Samuel 17:43; 1 Samuel 17:49). He could help the soldiers
who suffered injuries. He could carry things to or from the
soldiers during the battle. So David probably thought that he
had arrived at just the right moment.
Probably, David expected that the battle would begin

immediately. Israel’s soldiers had dressed themselves for
the battle. They were carrying their swords and they were
ready to fight. The commanders arranged the men into their
positions at one side of the valley. At the other side of the
valley, the enemy’s army (called the Philistines) was doing
the same thing. The men in the opposing armies began to
shout at each other.
What happened next completely astonished David. A

particularly large and strong man, Goliath, went to the front
of the Philistines. David listened as Goliath insulted Israel’s
men. That offended David deeply. Goliath and the
Philistines served false gods. Israel was the only nation that
had a relationship with the real God. So Goliath was not
merely laughing at his enemies; he was laughing at God (1
Samuel 17:26; 1 Samuel 17:45-47).
The reaction of Israel’s men astonished David even more,

however. David could hardly believe that they were afraid of
Goliath. They were afraid of a man merely because he was
stronger than them. They were not trusting God to help
them. Instead, they ran away from Goliath back into their
camp.
David gives hope to Israel’s

soldiers
(1 Samuel 17:25-27)
Saul understood well how to encourage soldiers to be
brave. That was probably his greatest skill. However, on this
occasion, his efforts were not successful. None of Israel’s
men dared to fight Goliath.
Saul had made such impressive promises that all the

soldiers were discussing them. The man who killed Goliath
would become a member of the king’s own family by marriage
to the king’s daughter. The king would make that man rich,
and the man’s entire family would receive great honour.
Of course, there was a simple reason why nobody would fight

Goliath. Goliath was much stronger than anyone in Israel.
It seemed certain that Goliath would kill his enemy. That was
why Saul could not find anyone to fight him.
David was completely loyal to Saul as his king. He had seen

Saul’s problem, and he wanted to help. The plan that David
himself should fight Goliath does not appear until later in the
passage. First, David encouraged Israel’s soldiers to have
hope. He spoke to many of them. He reminded them about
Saul’s promises to the man who fought Goliath.
Then David added a statement of his own. David called

Israel’s army: ‘the armies of the living God’. Israel was the
only nation that served the real God. All the other nations,
including Philistia, had false gods (1 Samuel 17:43). The
defeat of Goliath would be evidence to everyone that the real
God, Israel’s God, was alive and active (1 Samuel 17:45-46).
Israel’s soldiers did not have to defeat Goliath by their own
strength. They could not do that. Instead, they must trust
God. Goliath had offended God by his evil words against
God’s people (1 Samuel 17:36; 1 Samuel 17:45). When
Israel’s people trusted God, God would defeat not just
Goliath, but all their enemies.
David’s brother is angry with

him
(1 Samuel 17:28-30)
David was boldly telling Israel’s men that God would support
them against their enemy, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:26). They
must not feel hopeless; God was on their side. They should
trust God, he would rescue them.
David’s brother Eliab heard these words and he became

angry. Eliab told David that he (David) was not even a
proper soldier. David had no right to speak in such a manner.
His duty was to look after the family’s sheep. He should not
have come to the army’s camp. He had become proud and
wicked. That was what Eliab said.
David could have answered all of Eliab’s statements. Jesse,

David’s father, had sent David. Jesse had greater authority in
the family than Eliab had. David had come to provide food for
Eliab; that was a necessary and important task (1 Samuel
17:17). The family had paid someone to look after the sheep
while David was away (1 Samuel 17:20).
However, David chose not to explain any of these things to

Eliab. David did not even try to defend himself. He simply
insisted that he had a proper reason to speak. Then he
continued to encourage Israel’s soldiers.
It seems likely that Eliab was jealous of David. Eliab had been
present when Samuel anointed (poured oil upon) David (1
Samuel 16:13). We do not know whether Eliab understood
clearly the real meaning of that ceremony. However, Eliab
would have understood that God was separating David to do
special work for him. God had chosen David; he had not
chosen Eliab (1 Samuel 16:6-7).
Since then, David had been acting in the power of God’s

Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). He had even been serving King
Saul as a sacred musician (1 Samuel 16:23). Now David was
starting to speak with authority to Israel’s soldiers (1 Samuel
17:26). Eliab felt angry and jealous then, but later he too
would support David (1 Samuel 22:1).
David offers to fight Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:31-32)
Israel’s soldiers were very afraid of Goliath, but one young
man in their camp was not afraid. That young man was
urging them all to trust God. A report of his words reached
King Saul, so Saul asked to meet him. Perhaps it did not
surprise Saul to discover that the young man was David,
Saul’s young musician (1 Samuel 16:23). Saul did not yet
know David very well (1 Samuel 17:55). However, Saul chose
David because David had a close relationship with God (1
Samuel 16:18). Saul had ruined his own relationship with
God, so Saul liked to have David with him (1 Samuel 16:21).
However, David’s duties for Saul were not yet continuous (1
Samuel 18:2).
David had often provided help and comfort for Saul in the
past, by means of his music (1 Samuel 16:23). Now David
offered to give help and comfort of a different kind.
None of Israel’s soldiers had dared to fight against Goliath.

They could all see that he was much stronger than them.
Their fear made it impossible for them even to begin the
battle against Philistia’s army. So, Saul very much needed
someone to fight against Goliath and to kill him.
David, on the other hand, was not afraid. He was younger

than the other soldiers; he may have been perhaps 15 or 18
years old. He still looked like a boy (1 Samuel 17:42),
although he was strong (1 Samuel 17:34-36). However, it
was not his young age or any lack of experience that made
him bold. David was bold because he was trusting God. He
would not depend on his own strength for the fight. God had
sent David to defeat Israel’s enemy, so God would rescue
both David and Israel (1 Samuel 17:37; 1 Samuel 17:47).
Goliath: Saul’s personal enemy
(1 Samuel 17:33)
The first mention of Goliath in the Bible is in 1 Samuel
chapter 17. To the reader, he seems like a new enemy for
Israel. However, Saul already knew him. The two men, Saul
and Goliath, had been personal enemies for many years.
During Saul’s rule, there were constant battles between the

armies of Philistia and Israel (1 Samuel 14:52). We have
records of only a few of those battles. However, the two
nations fought each other bitterly.
Saul would have first seen Goliath during one of those early
battles against Philistia. Goliath’s great height would make
him easy to see among Philistia’s soldiers. Then Goliath was
young: bold, cruel and strong, but he lacked experience.
Israel’s soldiers would have tried to avoid him. If they
attacked other men in Philistia’s army, the young Goliath
might run away. However, we are sure that Goliath still
managed to kill several of Israel’s men, even then.
Saul too was extremely tall (1 Samuel 10:23), and very

strong. Still, Goliath was much bigger than Saul. Saul would
have admired Goliath’s immense strength and also his
bold attitudes. Saul wanted to be as cruel and fierce as any
of his enemies.
As Goliath’s experience increased, the commanders of

Philistia’s army were able to use his strength in a new way.
They put him in front of their other soldiers. Then Israel’s
soldiers would see Goliath first, and they would be too afraid
to attack. That gave Goliath an opportunity to insult them.
He laughed at the soldiers who were afraid to fight him.
David had killed the lion and the

bear
(1 Samuel 17:34-36)
Originally, Saul would not allow David to fight Goliath (1
Samuel 17:33). Saul’s reason was simply that Goliath would
be stronger than David. David was young and he did not have
the experience to fight such a capable enemy as Goliath.
David was likely to die, and his death would benefit nobody.
Often people wrongly imagine that they are acting in faith (in
other words, that they are trusting God). Really, they are
acting in a foolish manner, as if the danger is not real. They
are not trusting in God, but in their own thoughts, hopes and
desires.
David’s reply to Saul shows us his attitudes. This reply

explains clearly why David had offered to fight Goliath. In
other words, it shows how David considered himself able to
defeat Goliath.
Like many boys and young men in Israel, David had worked
as a shepherd. That is, he looked after sheep. He was
responsible to look after those sheep in every way. In
particular, he had to protect them from wild animals.
Lions and bears are some of the fiercest large wild animals.
They were common in Israel at the time of the Bible. They
are much stronger than a man (see for example 1 Kings 13:24
and 2 Kings 2:24). Only the bravest and strongest men were
able to kill a lion (Judges 14:5-6; 2 Samuel 23:20). However,
David had killed both a lion and a bear. He had killed
animals that were stronger than him.
David did not believe that the strongest man would win the
fight. David had a close relationship with God; he was
trusting God to rescue him (1 Samuel 17:37). David was not
pretending that there was no danger. However, God’s Holy
Spirit was active in David’s life (1 Samuel 16:13). By the
power of his Holy Spirit, God had given David the faith (trust
in God) to fight Goliath. Because David really was trusting
God, there was no reason for him to be afraid of Goliath.
How a weak person can defeat a

strong enemy
(1 Samuel 17:37)
David knew clearly that Goliath was much stronger than him.
Without God’s help, David would certainly die in the fight
against such a strong enemy. However, David was not acting
without God’s help. He trusted God to save him; he was not
trusting in his own strength.
With God’s help, a weak person can defeat the strongest

enemy. That is one of the most important lessons in the Book
of 1 Samuel. Its author repeats the lesson on several
different occasions.
The lesson appears clearly in Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel

2:1-10. God is the judge of his enemies’ proud words. He
gives strength to his poor people. He acts powerfully to save
them from those enemies.
That was what happened to Israel’s men in 1 Samuel 7:7-12.

They had to defend themselves against a much stronger
army, and they did not have any opportunity to prepare for
battle. However, God helped them, and so they defeated
their enemy.
Jonathan expressed this principle well in 1 Samuel 14:6.

Just two men - Jonathan and a young man who supported
him - attacked Philistia’s vast army in 1 Samuel 14:13-15.
Then God acted and he gave success to Jonathan.
Now David was ready to act in a similar manner. Even Saul

could see that David was trusting completely in God for the
fight against Goliath.
Saul then did something which, for him, was very unusual.
Saul blessed David. That is, Saul asked God to help David.
Saul had become an evil man and he had ruined his own
relationship with God. However, he was still Israel’s king,
and that gave him the authority to bless David. Saul was not
just praying that God would help David. On God’s behalf, Saul
declared that God would be with David in his fight against
Goliath.
David refuses armour
(1 Samuel 17:38-39)
David was trusting God to protect him in his fight against
Goliath. However, David understood that he must still act in
a sensible manner. In particular, he should not refuse
without reason the ordinary things that soldiers would use to
protect themselves in a fight.
Saul was very careful to provide everything that David might

need. He even offered to David the use of his own armour
(the clothes that a soldier uses to protect his body). As Saul
was the king, he had obtained the very best armour for
himself. That included a metal helmet (the armour that
protects the head). As we have seen, Goliath used a similar
set of armour (1 Samuel 17:5-7).
David did not believe that it would be wrong for him to use
these things. In later battles, first as army commander and
then as king, he probably wore armour often. He trusted God
in those later battles as he had done for his fight against
Goliath (for example, see Psalm 3).
However, for the fight against Goliath, David refused the

armour. He even refused to take a sword (1 Samuel 17:50).
He made these decisions because he had no experience in
the use of these things.
In particular, David could see that he would be unable to run

quickly in armour. David had few natural advantages against
Goliath. Goliath was stronger, and he had more experience.
However, David could run faster, and he did not want to
lose that advantage. He could see that God might use that
advantage during the fight. As we will see in 1 Samuel 17:48,
David did need to run quickly.
Goliath’s weapons and David’s

weapons
(1 Samuel 17:40)
Weapons are a soldier’s tools for war. In the ancient world,
the right choice of weapon depended on how far away the
enemy was.
Goliath had three weapons: a javelin, a spear and a sword.

His javelin was a metal pole with a sharp point. He would
throw the javelin at an enemy who was running towards him.
His spear was a long wooden pole with a sharp metal head.
He would push the spear into any enemy whom he could
reach.
Goliath’s sword was an extraordinary weapon (1 Samuel

21:9). He would use it to kill any enemy who came close to
him.
David would later learn to use these weapons (1 Samuel

21:8). However, for the fight against Goliath, he was unable
to use them. He did not have the experience to do that. Even
when he took Goliath’s sword, he used it like a knife, not as a
sword (1 Samuel 17:51).
The reason was that David was working as a shepherd, not

as a soldier (1 Samuel 17:15). A shepherd is someone who
looks after sheep. As a shepherd, David needed to protect his
sheep from wild animals, and he chose weapons for that
purpose (1 Samuel 17:34-37; 1 Samuel 17:43). He would
make his own weapons.
So, David had two weapons: a staff and a sling. A staff is a

long wooden stick. It would not be as long as Goliath’s spear.
Perhaps David hoped that he could use it to defend himself
against the spear. A sling was a leather bag with two strings.
David would put a stone in it, then he would swing it round
his body. With it, he could throw a stone accurately and with
great force.
David collected 5 stones for that purpose. His weapons were

clearly not as good as Goliath’s weapons. However, David
had prepared as well as he could. Now he must trust God,
and fight Goliath.
Goliath insults David
(1 Samuel 17:41-44)
David did not begin the fight against Goliath: Goliath started
it.
David had gone down to the stream to select suitable stones

for the fight. That stream was in the valley between the two
armies (1 Samuel 17:3).
Goliath was in his usual position at the front of Philistia’s

army. He was trying to frighten away anyone from Israel who
dared to move forward.
Then Goliath saw David. David was perhaps 15 or 18 years

old, but he seemed very young in Goliath’s opinion. The
description of David in 1 Samuel 17:42 is like the description
in 1 Samuel 16:12, when David was just a boy.
Goliath was a very cruel man, and immediately he hated

David. Goliath moved closer to David because Goliath
wanted to kill David with his javelin. The javelin was a metal
pole with a sharp end. Goliath needed to be close enough to
David so that he could throw the javelin accurately.
Soon, David would be in great danger. Goliath laughed at

David. The staff (stick) that David was carrying seemed very
weak in Goliath’s opinion.
Then Goliath cursed David in the name of his false gods. In

other words, Goliath asked his god to punish David with an
awful death. Nobody would even bury David’s body. Instead
wild dogs and vultures (nasty wild birds that eat dead
bodies) would eat up David’s body.
Goliath was close to David, but David could not throw a stone
at Goliath. Another soldier from Philistia was carrying a
shield in front of Goliath. A shield was a large board,
probably of wood and leather. If David threw a stone from
his present position, it would hit the shield and not Goliath.
David’s reply to Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:45-46)
Goliath intended by his words in 1 Samuel 17:43-44 to insult
and to frighten David. However, David replied very carefully
to everything that Goliath had said.
David’s speech sounds very much like the judgement that a

judge gives in a court. In fact, it really was a judgement.
David was declaring God’s judgement against Goliath. It
was necessary for Goliath to know that his bitter and evil
words against God’s people had offended God himself. It was
God, and not merely David, who would punish Goliath.
Goliath had laughed at David’s staff, that is, his stick (1

Samuel 17:43). David knew that Goliath’s weapons (tools for
war) were much better than his own. Goliath trusted in his
own strength and in those powerful weapons. However,
David did not trust in such things: he was trusting only in
God (1 Samuel 17:37). David knew that God is more powerful
than any weapon (Psalm 18:1-2; 1 Samuel 2:2-4; Isaiah
54:17).
Goliath had asked his false gods to punish David. David

declared that the real God would punish Goliath. Goliath’s
false gods had no power. The God who leads heaven’s armies
had brought Israel’s army to fight against Goliath and the
army of Philistia. The events during that day’s battle would
prove that God was on Israel’s side. Israel was the only
nation where people served the real God. So therefore,
Israel’s army really belonged not to its king, but to God
himself.
Goliath had cruelly promised that wild birds and wild animals
would eat up David’s body. David replied that, after the
battle, wild birds and wild animals would eat the bodies of
Philistia’s soldiers. That was what happened after a battle:
there were too many bodies for people to bury. It would be
clear evidence that God was on Israel’s side.
Everyone present would know

that God saves
(1 Samuel 17:47)
David could see that his fight against Goliath was not just a
personal fight between two men. God had allowed it to
happen so that he could save his people in Israel. However,
God was not merely doing this for Israel’s benefit. God used
his people in Israel so that people across the whole world
would learn about God (1 Samuel 17:46).
At that time, only people in Israel served and obeyed the real
God. However, in the future, people from every nation would
have the opportunity to know him. God is especially the God
of Israel, but he is also the God of the whole world (1 Samuel
2:10).
That battle would show to everyone present that God saves

his people. He does not need strong people or powerful
military equipment to do that. When his people are poor and
weak, they can still depend on him (1 Samuel 2:8-9). He
himself will act to save them.
David said that everyone present would know these things.

He meant both Israel’s soldiers and their enemies.
Israel’s people had a special relationship with God. God had

made promises to them, but often they were not loyal to him.
They needed to remember that they should obey God. If they
trusted God, he would save (rescue) them. (1 Samuel 7:3)
That battle would also show the power of God to the army
from Philistia, Israel’s enemies. Many of them would only
know about that power in judgement. They would die in the
battle as a punishment for their evil deeds.
However, God cares about the people in every nation

(Jonah 4:11). He even cared about Israel’s enemies in
Philistia. He wanted them to turn to him so that he could
save them. In 2 Samuel 15:19-22, we see that in the end,
some soldiers from Philistia actually did that. They were
among David’s most loyal soldiers.
David fights Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:48-50)
The actual fight between David and Goliath happened very
quickly.
Goliath moved towards David because he wanted to throw a

javelin (sharp metal pole) at him. David was then in great
danger.
If David ran either towards or away from Goliath, Goliath

could have aimed the javelin accurately. However, David ran
across in the direction of the other soldiers.
As he ran, David put a large, heavy stone into his sling. The
sling was a leather bag with two strings. David would have
often used it to throw stones at wild animals that were
attacking his sheep. So, he had the experience to use it
accurately.
David then swung round to throw the stone from his sling
at Goliath. Goliath was wearing a helmet (a metal hat to
protect his head), but of course it could not cover his eyes.
The stone hit Goliath between his eyes and Goliath fell. By
now, he was probably unconscious. David took Goliath’s own
sword. Then David killed Goliath as he might kill an animal.
It is unpleasant to read about the death of any person,

especially when they die in such an awful manner. Other
people often expressed joy at an enemy’s death (1 Samuel
18:6-7), but David had a more serious attitude. He
expressed sad thoughts even when a wicked man died (for
example, Saul in 2 Samuel 1:17-24 and Absalom in 2 Samuel
19:1-7).
As a soldier and as the king, David had the responsibility to

carry out God’s judgements in this world. David considered
that to be a serious and terrible responsibility. He wished
that he had lived at a time of peace (1 Chronicles 28:2-3).
However, that was not God’s plan for him. It was God’s plan
that, by his wars, David should bring peace to Israel.
The head of Goliath
(1 Samuel 17:51-54)
After the death of Goliath, the battle began immediately.
Philistia’s soldiers were very afraid. They started to run back

in the direction of their own country. They were trying to get
back inside two of their principal towns: Gath and Ekron.
Those towns had strong walls, so they would be safe there.
Israel’s soldiers were chasing them all the way back. They
caught and they killed many of Philistia’s soldiers along the
road.
It seems, however, that David did not join in the fight

against Philistia’s army. Instead, he remained with Goliath’s
body. Slowly and carefully, he dealt with the body in the
manner that he considered right.
First, David would have allowed the blood to drain out of

Goliath’s huge body. Then he began to cut off Goliath’s head.
That would be a long and difficult task. Finally he took away
Goliath’s military equipment and he stripped the body. It was
an ancient custom of war that David had a right to these
things.
David clearly considered it important to take away Goliath’s

head. Soon, wild birds and wild animals would eat up
Goliath’s body, and nothing would remain (1 Samuel 17:46;
see also 2 Kings 9:30-37). David took the head as evidence,
both of Goliath’s great size, and of the fact that this famous
enemy was dead. Saul’s enemies would later do the same
thing to Saul’s head (1 Samuel 31:9).
It surprises us that David took the head to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was not under Israel’s control then (2 Samuel
5:6). Perhaps the meaning is that David kept the head until
the events in 2 Samuel 5:6-9.
However, 1 Samuel 21:8-9 gives another possible

explanation. David did not keep Goliath’s sword for himself.
He handed it to the priests at Nob, to put in God’s house.
Perhaps he also took Goliath’s head there; Nob was very near
to Jerusalem. David did not want to keep these things as
prizes for himself; he handed them over to God.
Saul asks the name of David’s

father
(1 Samuel 17:55-58)
David had great faith (trust in God) when he went to fight
Goliath. He was bold because he was trusting God to save
(rescue) him.
As a great soldier, Saul admired people who were bold.

However, Saul never really understood faith.
David’s bold attitudes and brave decisions impressed Saul

very much. Saul hoped that such a brave young man would
fight well. David was trusting God to save him, but Saul was
not trusting God. So probably, Saul did not expect David to
return alive from the fight against Goliath.
Perhaps that was why Saul told Abner to find out the name
of David’s father. It would be necessary to inform Jesse of
how his son had died. Saul would have wanted to emphasise
that he died in a brave, noble and honourable manner. Even
if David died, Saul would still consider him to be a hero.
The fight against Goliath happened so quickly that Abner did

not have the opportunity to ask. Afterwards, however, Abner
found David and he brought him to Saul. David carried with
him the head of Goliath as evidence of his success.
Then, at last, Saul had the opportunity to find out the name
of David’s father. It would have astonished Saul that David
had won the fight against Goliath. Now Saul wanted to know
the name of David’s father in order to give him honour
(see 1 Samuel 17:25).
Saul also gave great honour to David himself. Soon David

became a commander in the army (1 Samuel 18:5). Saul did
this because of David’s bold attitudes, not because of his
faith. Saul did not understand faith. However, Saul’s son
Jonathan could recognise faith (see 1 Samuel 14:6). The
result was that David and Jonathan became close friends (1
Samuel 18:3).
1 Samuel chapter 18
Jonathan’s love for David
(1 Samuel 18:1-2)
After the fight against Goliath, King Saul spoke with David.
Saul’s oldest son, Jonathan, was also present during this
conversation.
By this time, Saul was perhaps 65 years old; he would rule

Israel for about 15 more years. Jonathan was about 45 years
old. David was perhaps 15 or 18 years old.
Until this time, David had occasionally worked for Saul as a

musician. When David was not working for Saul, he looked
after his father’s sheep. However, Saul had now seen how
brave and loyal David was. Also, Saul thought that it would
benefit him to have someone with a good relationship with
God close to him. So Saul insisted that David must now
work permanently for him. David continued to be Saul’s
musician, but he also became a commander in the army.
This conversation was also the start of the friendship

between Jonathan and David. As a young man, Jonathan
had shown complete trust in God (1 Samuel 14:6). Now, at
last, Jonathan had met someone with the same attitudes.
They became close friends at once.
Their friendship had a special quality; they had genuine,

sincere love for each other. In other words, they cared
about each other and they constantly tried to help each
other. Jonathan even risked his life to protect David (1
Samuel 20:32-33).
Jonathan saw and encouraged that quality of love in David.

That love came from the relationship that both men had
with God. We remember David as the king who loved God
with all his heart. Because of the love that he had received
from God, David showed love towards many other people.
The result was that they often showed love to David (for
example 2 Samuel 15:19-22; 2 Samuel 23:13-17). As Saul
had ruled by fear, so David would rule in love.
Jonathan’s gift to David
(1 Samuel 18:3-4)
Jonathan probably did not know that Samuel had appointed
David to be Israel’s king (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Jonathan was
the son of King Saul; everyone expected that Jonathan would
become Israel’s next king. That would be a good reason why
David and Jonathan might become enemies. However, they
were not enemies, they were close friends.
Jonathan made a covenant with David, that is, a serious

promise of friendship. Usually, enemies did that when they
made peace after a war against each other. Jonathan and
David had never been enemies; they made their covenant so
that they would always be friends.
Jonathan made an extraordinary gift to David as proof of

their covenant. As the king’s oldest son, Jonathan wore
clothes that were beautiful and precious (compare Genesis
37:3 and 2 Samuel 13:18). Because of those clothes, people
would immediately recognise Jonathan’s importance.
Jonathan wanted to give David the honour that he himself

had. Jonathan took off those royal clothes and he gave them
to David.
Jonathan also gave David his bow and his sword. As

Jonathan had fought bravely for Israel in the past, so David
would do that in the future. Jonathan was an expert in the
use of the bow and arrows (2 Samuel 1:22). Jonathan wanted
David to have the same rank in the army as Jonathan himself
had.
Therefore, David would receive the same importance,

honour and rank that Jonathan had. That means that
David, and not Jonathan, would be the next king. God was
showing this to Jonathan and, as a holy man, Jonathan
approved. Possibly he did not yet know the meaning of his
actions (compare John 12:16). However, later Jonathan did
know clearly, and he was pleased (1 Samuel 23:17). Jonathan
wanted Israel to have a good king who really served God.
David’s wisdom
(1 Samuel 18:5)
After the defeat of Goliath, David could easily have become
proud and foolish. He had defeated the enemy who caused
King Saul and Israel’s whole army to feel fear.
Suddenly, David had become well-known and important.

Israel’s women praised him in their popular songs. The king’s
son, Jonathan, was his personal friend. David became a
commander in the army, and the other important soldiers
approved of him.
However, David did not act foolishly at this time. He acted

wisely; and because he was wise, he carried out his duties
well.
David was working in Saul’s army during a period when Saul

was frequently acting in a wild and dangerous manner. 1
Samuel 16:14 says that an evil spirit was disturbing Saul’s
mind.
During some of this time, David was able to bring comfort

and help to Saul. David played sacred songs on his harp
(musical instrument) while Saul sang. Afterwards, Saul was
able to act and to think in a sensible manner. While this was
possible, Saul’s officials urged Saul to keep David with him
constantly.
However, sometimes Saul allowed evil thoughts to control his

mind. When that happened, nothing could stop Saul’s
dangerous behaviour. Saul tried to kill David on several
occasions. In time, this behaviour became very frequent
and, in the end, almost continuous.
That caused the people in Israel to want a new king. Their

attention turned to David. However, David absolutely
refused to fight against Saul because God had appointed Saul
king. David remained completely loyal to Saul, even when
Saul was trying to kill him.
The song about David’s success
(1 Samuel 18:6-9)
After a successful battle, people wanted of course to express
their joy. That happened after the battle when David killed
Goliath. Saul led his soldiers in a procession; Israel’s women
sang and danced.
The women made up a happy song for that occasion. The

song first praised Saul, their king. He had rescued them
from their enemies. Those enemies had seemed so strong;
there were many thousands of them. Israel’s defeat seemed
certain until Saul began to lead their army. Then Saul, as a
great hero, fought against those enemies. He defeated them
and he freed Israel. That was what the first part of the
women’s song meant. Of course, that part of the song would
please Saul.
It was the second part of the song which upset Saul. Its
purpose was to praise David as the hero of the fight against
Goliath. However, that was not what the song said. It
declared that David’s success was ten times greater than all
Saul’s successes. That was how wonderful the women felt
David’s success to be.
Of course, the women did not understand what their words

really meant. However, Saul understood immediately. Samuel
had told Saul that God had already chosen a better man to be
Israel’s king (1 Samuel 15:28). David had a close relationship
with God (1 Samuel 16:13) and God had given him success
against Goliath.
Saul could see that David would be Israel’s next king.

Saul’s son Jonathan approved of that and he wanted it to
happen (1 Samuel 23:17). However, Saul did not approve; he
was jealous and angry.
Saul tries to kill David
(1 Samuel 18:10-11)
Saul’s mind was unwell. That was the result of the activities
of an evil spirit. God had allowed that evil spirit to attack
Saul after Saul decided on purpose not to obey God (1
Samuel 16:14). Because of the evil spirit, Saul often was
angry and he behaved in a dangerous manner.
On previous occasions, David had been able to comfort

Saul, so that Saul could behave in a sensible manner (1
Samuel 16:14-22). 1 Samuel 18:10 describes how David did
that. David played sacred songs on his harp (a musical
instrument with a soft sound). As David did that, Saul
prophesied. Here, ‘to prophesy’ does not mean ‘to speak
about future events’. It probably means ‘to sing songs that
praise God, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit’. In other
words, the songs did not come from Saul’s own mind. They
came from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was upon David (1
Samuel 16:13), and that had a powerful effect upon Saul (see
1 Samuel 19:23-24).
On this particular occasion however, David failed. Saul was

allowing jealous thoughts against David to control his mind
(1 Samuel 18:9). From the spirit, Saul sang to praise God;
but jealous thoughts filled Saul’s mind (compare 1
Corinthians 14:15). The result was that Saul received no
comfort from David’s music. Instead, Saul tried to kill David.
This was a new experience for David. He did not fight back.
God had appointed Saul; David believed that it was very
wrong to fight against him (1 Samuel 26:9-11). Instead,
David simply tried to continue, and then Saul tried to kill him
again. Later David would realise that during such incidents
he had to escape from Saul.
David commands 1000 soldiers
(1 Samuel 18:12-16)
Everyone in Israel would have thought that Saul approved of
David greatly. Saul gave David the authority to command a
group of 1000 soldiers. That was the largest group in
Israel’s army. Perhaps only three men (Saul, Jonathan and
Abner) now had a more important rank than David.
Saul’s decision to appoint David was a very popular decision.

Both the soldiers and the people liked David very much.
David encouraged the soldiers and he gave hope to the
people. He genuinely cared about people and he was sincere
in his love for God. He acted wisely and carefully and he had
great success.
David’s special responsibility was to lead the soldiers in

their battles. During Saul’s rule, all the nations round Israel
fought against Israel (1 Samuel 14:47). There was a constant
state of war against Philistia (1 Samuel 14:52). There were
many battles for David and his men to fight.
However, Saul did not appoint David because he approved of

him. Saul appointed David because he (Saul) was afraid of
David. Saul was afraid because David was popular with the
people. However, it was David’s close relationship with God
that made Saul especially afraid. Saul knew that God had
chosen David to be the king of Israel instead of him (1
Samuel 15:28).
Later Saul would give David difficult tasks because he

wanted David to die (1 Samuel 18:25). However, in 1 Samuel
18:12-16, that was perhaps not Saul’s intention yet. Saul felt
jealous and afraid of David, so he did not want David to
remain with him. He gave David an important rank simply
because he wanted to send David away.
Saul offers for David to marry

Merab
(1 Samuel 18:17-19)
As time passed, Saul’s attitude towards David grew worse.
Originally, Saul just felt jealous of David (1 Samuel 18:9).
That feeling got out of control, and he tried to kill David (1
Samuel 18:10-11). That was just a sudden reaction to his
feelings; afterwards, he was calm again. However, Saul did
decide to send David away then (1 Samuel 18:13).
David fought a series of battles on Saul’s behalf. David was

successful and became even more popular. Saul’s jealous
feelings continued to increase. Now he wanted to put David
in danger (1 Samuel 18:17); later he would try to cause
David’s death (1 Samuel 18:25).
Saul had promised to give his daughter to be the wife of the

man who killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:25). Of course, David
had done that, so he had the right to marry Saul’s daughter.
Saul tried to use that fact to put David in danger. He
urged David to fight for him against his fiercest enemies,
Philistia’s army. Then David could marry Saul’s daughter,
Merab. That was what Saul promised.
However, David refused. He was already fighting all Saul’s

battles, so perhaps he would not be agreeing to do anything
more. Still, David knew that it was the custom to pay a high
price for a bride. That money (called the dowry) would be
very expensive for a king’s daughter (1 Samuel 18:23). Even
if he could afford it, David did not consider himself important
enough to marry her.
So David allowed Merab to marry another man. Then Saul

tried to find another opportunity to put David in danger.
Michal’s love for David
(1 Samuel 18:20)
Saul’s daughter, Michal, loved David. Michal’s older brother
Jonathan also loved David, but of course it was a different
kind of love (1 Samuel 18:3).
Michal was clearly much younger than Jonathan. We have

said that Jonathan was perhaps 30 years older than David. It
seems that Saul had just one principal wife, Ahinoam (1
Samuel 14:50). A woman who begins to have children at a
young age can often continue to have children for another 25
years. However, Saul also had a concubine (a secondary wife
of lower rank) called Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:7). If Michal was
the daughter of Rizpah or another concubine, she may have
been younger than David.
Jonathan’s love for David was simply the expression of his

friendship. Jonathan always tried to support and to help
David. He even risked his life to do that (see 1 Samuel
20:33). He remained loyal to David as his friend in every
situation.
On the other hand, Michal probably loved David because he

was strong, successful and popular. So, she wanted to
marry him. She too saved David’s life when Saul tried to kill
him (1 Samuel 19:11-17). However, she did not remain with
David during his most severe troubles. Instead, she stayed
with her father who arranged for her to marry another man,
Paltiel (1 Samuel 25:44; 2 Samuel 3:13-16).
Jonathan’s love for David was the result of his relationship

with God. Both Jonathan and David had a very close
relationship with God; they both trusted God completely, and
they loved him sincerely. Michal did not have that kind of
relationship with God. She cared much more about her
husband’s honour than she cared about God’s honour (2
Samuel 6:20-23).
Saul’s plan to cause David’s

death
(1 Samuel 18:21-25)
Saul’s jealous thoughts (1 Samuel 18:9) were now causing
him to act in a very evil manner.
Saul’s daughter, Michal, loved David. Saul considered that

her feelings gave him (Saul) the opportunity to cause David’s
death. At that time, Saul had decided that he himself would
not kill David (1 Samuel 18:17). Instead, Saul tried to put
David in danger so that Saul’s enemies would kill David.
Saul first told David that he would permit David to marry

Michal. Saul wanted David to think that Saul was pleased
with him. It would be a great honour for him to marry the
king’s daughter.
Originally, David did not agree. It was the custom for a man
to pay for his bride. That payment was called the dowry.
David could not afford the dowry for the king’s daughter.
Only a very rich man could afford to marry Michal.
Saul’s reply was that he did not need any money. The only
thing that really mattered to Saul was the defeat of his
enemies. The men in Philistia had caused more trouble for
Saul than the people from any other nation (1 Samuel 14:52).
So, what Saul really wanted was for David to punish them. If
David killed 100 men from Philistia, Saul would allow
David to marry Michal without any payment.
David was pleased to hear that, because he wanted to marry

Michal. However, Saul was not really trying to arrange the
marriage of David to Michal. He was actually trying to put
David in danger, so that David would die first.
How David paid for his first wife
(1 Samuel 18:26-27)
In Genesis chapter 17, God told Abraham to circumcise every
male member of his family. The people in Israel came from
Abraham’s family, so they did that. However, in most other
nations (including Philistia), people did not follow that
custom.
To circumcise means to cut a small piece of skin (called the

foreskin) from the end of the male sex part.
Saul’s price for David to marry his daughter Michal, was that
David must kill 100 men from Philistia (called Philistines).
Then David would bring their foreskins as evidence that he
had carried out that task. However, Saul’s real plan was that
the Philistines would kill David.
At this time, David commanded a group of 1000 soldiers (1

Samuel 18:13). That was not enough men to fight a battle
against Philistia’s army or to attack its main towns. So Saul
probably expected David to carry out a series of attacks,
perhaps against men who were working in the fields. It would
be easy to kill the first few men, but after that, his enemies
would be watching for him. Saul hoped that David would
become more desperate. Then David might take greater
risks.
Saul was a very cruel man, but David was not cruel. David
considered it murder to kill a man who could not defend
himself (2 Samuel 4:11). Murder is against God’s law
(Deuteronomy 5:17), and David wanted to obey God
completely (Psalm 40:8).
We do not know how David killed these Philistines; but he

acted in a wise manner. A likely explanation is that a group of
several hundred Philistines entered Israel to rob the country.
David and his men were ready for them. David led his men in
the attack and they killed 200 men. After the battle, David’s
men collected the foreskins from the dead bodies. The
number of foreskins was therefore double what Saul had
requested.
So David paid the price, and Michal became his first wife.
Saul’s fear of David becomes

worse
(1 Samuel 18:28-30)
Now that David had married Saul’s daughter, David had
become Saul’s relative. However, Saul’s attitudes towards
David did not improve.
1 Samuel 18:28-29 is similar to 1 Samuel 18:12. Saul was still

afraid of David. In fact, now Saul was even more afraid
than he had been before. The reason was the same: God
was with David.
When Saul chose on purpose to oppose God, he made God his

enemy (1 Samuel 15:26). At that time, God decided that he
would appoint David to be king instead of Saul (1 Samuel
15:28).
Saul was first jealous of David (1 Samuel 18:9), and

afterwards Saul became afraid. Saul could see that he was
already losing power over his own country (1 Samuel 18:8).
At the same time, David was gaining power (1 Samuel 18:13-
16).
Saul always showed a strong desire to control people.

Now, however, he could not even control the members of his
own family. Two of them, Jonathan and Michal, were clearly
on David’s side. In fact, everyone in Israel and Judah was
pleased with David (1 Samuel 18:16). Saul alone was
opposing him.
If Saul had supported David, Saul too would have been

pleased with David. David was carrying out his tasks in Saul’s
army well. David led his soldiers well, and he acted wisely.
On behalf of Saul, David was fighting against Philistia’s army,
which had always been Saul’s most important enemy (1
Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 14:52). Saul now had a capable
commander, David, who was fighting Saul’s battles for him.
However, Saul hated David.
1 Samuel chapter 19
Jonathan warns David about
Saul
(1 Samuel 19:1-3)
King Saul was both jealous and afraid of David. Saul had
allowed these wrong thoughts to become so strong that he
now wanted to kill David. He even gave orders to his officials
and to Jonathan, his son, that they must kill David.
However, Jonathan was David’s friend (1 Samuel 18:1-4).

Jonathan immediately went to David to warn him. They
arranged a place where David could hide. Jonathan would
speak to Saul on David’s behalf, then Jonathan would bring
news to David there.
David’s hiding place is called a ‘field’ in most Bible

translations. Really however, it was the open country round
Saul’s town, Gibeah. Probably, Saul and Jonathan often
walked there; Jonathan would not need any special reason to
go there. It was also the place where Jonathan improved his
skill with his bow and arrows (1 Samuel 20:20).
In one particular place in that area, there was a large stone.

That stone had a name, Ezel, which means ‘departure’ (1
Samuel 20:19). Perhaps someone had set up that stone to
remember a past event. That stone was probably the place
where David and Jonathan agreed to meet.
Jonathan was not just the king’s son; he was also one of
Saul’s most important advisers (1 Samuel 20:2). Since early
in Saul’s rule, Jonathan had shared the command of Israel’s
army with Saul (1 Samuel 13:2). Jonathan only promised
David that he would speak to Saul about David. However
Jonathan’s words in 1 Samuel 19:4-5 show that really, he
was trying to change Saul’s opinion about David.
Jonathan persuades Saul
(1 Samuel 19:4-6)
Jonathan was speaking to his father, King Saul, in order to
save the life of his friend, David. Saul had already ordered
his officials to kill David.
Saul had become both jealous and afraid of David. David was
leading Israel’s army with great success, and God was
supporting him. Saul, on the other hand, had ruined his
relationship with God. God had told him by Samuel that he
(God) was appointing a better king over Israel (1 Samuel
15:28). So Saul was afraid that David would take Saul’s
authority as king away from him (1 Samuel 18:8).
Jonathan tried to deal with Saul’s fears in a sensible

manner. David was not Saul’s enemy; he was completely
loyal to Saul. David had never opposed Saul. David’s efforts
and his skill as an army commander had benefited Saul very
much. David fought well against Saul’s enemies, and he was a
popular leader (1 Samuel 18:13-16),
Also, Jonathan reminded Saul that David had good and

proper attitudes. David did not have any great ambitions for
himself; he even risked his own life in the fight against
Goliath. It benefited Saul that God was helping David. Saul
appreciated that immediately after Goliath’s death; the
situation had not changed now.
Jonathan’s words were powerful, and they persuaded Saul.

Saul recognised that David was innocent; he promised not
to kill David. David returned to his former duties, and he
worked closely with Saul again.
Unfortunately, this arrangement could not last. Saul had not

changed his attitudes; he continued to allow bitter, evil and
jealous thoughts to control his mind. He did not try to mend
his broken relationship with God. Soon, Saul would begin to
act in an even more wicked manner.
The last period when David

worked for Saul
(1 Samuel 19:7-8)
Jonathan believed that he had persuaded his father (King
Saul) not to kill David. Saul had even made a serious
promise in front of God that he would not order David’s
death.
So Jonathan called David and he told David about Saul’s

promise. The result was that David returned to his former
work for Saul. This was the last period when David was
working for Saul.
For several months, or perhaps even a year or two, this

arrangement seemed successful. During most of this time,
David worked closely with Saul. David carried Saul’s
military equipment (1 Samuel 16:21). David was ready to
protect Saul if anyone tried to attack Saul. David even played
sacred music for Saul in order to comfort him (1 Samuel
16:23).
David also carried out his work as a military commander

again during this time (see 1 Samuel 18:13). He had great
success in a battle against Philistia’s army.
During those months, Saul gave the impression that he had

changed completely his attitudes towards David. David even
sat near Saul at important meals (1 Samuel 20:24-27). That
was a great honour.
However, Saul had not really dealt with the jealous and
angry feelings that he felt towards David. The reality was
that Saul was merely controlling his emotions. When, after
several months, those feelings became out of control, Saul
would act in a terrible manner. He would behave in a worse
manner then than he had ever done before.
Saul tries to kill David again
(1 Samuel 19:9-11)
Probably, Saul kept a spear with him at all times. It was
important for the king to be able to protect himself. A spear
was a long pole with a sharp metal head.
Saul had tried to kill David with that spear on a previous

occasion (1 Samuel 18:10-11). Now, however, Saul had
made a promise not to kill David (1 Samuel 19:6). David
believed that he was safe.
David was playing sacred music on his harp in order to

comfort Saul. An evil spirit often disturbed Saul but David
was usually able to bring him relief (1 Samuel 16:23). The
harp is a musical instrument with strings, which makes a soft
sound
Then suddenly Saul tried to kill David with his spear.

David moved quickly to avoid it, and then he went back to his
house.
David did not yet realise how dangerous the situation was. It
did not surprise him if the evil spirit caused Saul sometimes
to act in a sudden, angry manner. David expected that Saul
would soon become calm again. David certainly did not
expect Saul to send men to kill him at his home.
It was Michal, David’s wife, who saw the danger. Perhaps,

as Saul’s youngest daughter, Michal understood Saul’s
character better than anyone else. Or perhaps she just saw
the men who were watching David’s house that night.
Michal insisted that David must escape that night.

Otherwise, Saul’s men would catch David and kill him in the
morning.
Saul had now made a definite decision that he would kill

David. This was not, as on previous occasions, a sudden
reaction to angry or jealous feelings. It was not even the
desire that Saul’s enemies would kill David. Now, Saul had
decided on purpose to murder David.
Michal saves David’s life
(1 Samuel 19:12-14)
Saul was trying to murder David, but David escaped through
a window.
Ancient windows had no glass. They were just openings in a

wall to provide light and air for the house. Michal, David’s
wife, let him down, so clearly the window was very high on
the wall.
Michal then made a plan to delay Saul’s men so that they

could not follow David. All night those men were watching
David’s door, so they did not see David’s escape through the
window. In the meantime, Michal put a model (an image) of a
man in David’s bed. She covered it with clothes and sheets so
that it would look like a man. It was only possible to see the
hair that she had put on the image.
It interests us to know what this image was; it is called

TERAPHIM in the original language (Hebrew). That word
usually means an idol (the image of a false god), especially
the kind that people kept in their houses, as in Genesis
31:19. However, that translation causes a problem in 1
Samuel 19:13. Firstly, David was a holy man; we would not
expect him to keep an idol in the house. Secondly, these idols
were usually small objects (Genesis 31:34). Michal used
something that was much larger: it was the same size and
shape as a man. Perhaps the explanation is that Michal made
the image herself. She used whatever objects she could find
in the house to make her model.
Saul’s men were waiting for David to leave his house in the
morning. Of course, David did not leave the house then.
When, in the end, the men knocked at the door, Michal
showed them David’s bed. She insisted that David was too
ill to see them. The men were unsure what to do, so they
returned to Saul for his instructions.
Michal’s lies and Saul’s cruelty
(1 Samuel 19:15-17)
Michal acted in a very desperate manner as she tried to save
the life of David, her husband. During that night and the day
after, she said and did various things that were clearly
untrue.
(1) Firstly, she prepared carefully so that she could tell a lie
to Saul’s men. She made a model of a man in a bed; it would
seem as if David was sleeping there.
(2) Then, when the men entered the house, she lied to them.
She pretended that David was ill.
(3) Afterwards, when Saul became very angry with her, she
told another lie. David had not said that he would kill her. In
fact, it was Michal herself who urged David to escape (1
Samuel 19:11). So Michal was lying to Saul in order to
protect herself.
We know that God does not need anyone’s lies in order to

save his people. God loves the truth; only evil people love
lies (Deuteronomy 5:20; Psalm 120:2). However, God has
great sympathy when his people are weak. False words and
actions will not save them in their weakness; only God, in his
kindness, can save them.
However, it is Saul’s terrible cruelty that we see most

strongly in this passage. For the first time, Saul expresses
the intention that he himself will murder David. Saul
proposes to kill a man who is too ill even to get out of bed.
That was an awful thing to do. David would later express
great shock that Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth had died in that
manner (2 Samuel chapter 4).
David goes to Samuel
(1 Samuel 19:18)
David had escaped from Saul, who was trying to murder him.
Clearly, it would be unsafe for David to return home to
Bethlehem; Saul could easily find him there. David would not
want to go abroad; all the nations round Israel were enemies
at that time (1 Samuel 14:47).
David decided that he would go to visit Samuel. Samuel was

now a very old man. He retired long ago from his work as
Israel’s judge (leader). However, he promised that he would
always continue to pray for Israel’s people and to teach them
about God (1 Samuel 12:23).
Several years had passed since Samuel had appointed David

to be Israel’s future king (1 Samuel 16:1-13). During those
years, Samuel would have heard frequent reports about
David’s progress. David had defeated Goliath; he had become
a commander in the army and he had married the king’s
daughter. It would have pleased Samuel greatly to hear that
David had remained loyal to God.
Now, at last, David had come to visit Samuel. Samuel would

feel great pleasure to see this young man’s sincere attitudes
and his love for God. Now Samuel would begin to
understand why God had chosen David to rule Israel.
For David however, his visit to Samuel happened at one of

the most terrible times during his life. David had served King
Saul loyally, but now Saul was trying to kill him. David was
probably very worried.
Samuel could see that David needed to rest and to pray. So,
Samuel took David to a place near Ramah called Naioth. The
name Naioth seems to mean a beautiful place where one
can rest, as at home. There Samuel and David stayed while
they prayed together.
Saul’s men prophesy
(1 Samuel 19:19-21)
Saul wanted to kill David so much that he told his officials to
search through Israel for him. Then Saul received the report
that David was with Samuel at Naioth.
The report caused a serious problem for Saul. Everyone in

Israel, including Saul, knew that Samuel was a very holy
man. In 1 Samuel 12:18, God answered Samuel’s prayers in a
very impressive manner, so that all the people were afraid of
Samuel.
Saul sent a group of men to Naioth, not to kill David but

merely to arrest him. Probably Saul realised that nobody
would dare to hurt David in front of Samuel. However, when
the men brought David back to Saul, Saul would have another
opportunity to kill him.
That was what Saul wanted; but it never actually happened.

Instead, when the men arrived in Naioth, they saw a
wonderful event. Samuel was leading a group of prophets
(holy men) as they prayed. Perhaps David was among them.
As they prayed, God’s Holy Spirit came powerfully upon
them. They were prophesying; in other words they spoke
words that came from the Holy Spirit. Probably those were
words to praise God rather than to tell about future events.
The Holy Spirit did not just come upon the prophets - Saul’s
men had this wonderful experience too. They knew the
power of God in their lives; they spoke the words that the
Holy Spirit directed them to say. It was similar to the
experience that Saul himself had in 1 Samuel 10:10.
The result was that Saul’s men were unable to arrest David.
We do not know whether they still even wanted to arrest
David after that experience. These things happened to two
more groups of Saul’s men also. God himself was protecting
David.
Saul prophesies
(1 Samuel 19:22-24)
David had escaped to Naioth, where he was praying with
Samuel. When Saul’s men failed to arrest David there, Saul
himself went.
Saul probably intended to persuade David to return to

Gibeah (Saul’s town), so that Saul could kill David there.
However, even before Saul reached Naioth, something very
extraordinary happened to him. It was one of the most
astonishing events in Saul’s life.
We have, perhaps, thought that, by this time, Saul had

become completely wicked. Certainly he was doing some very
wicked things. In 1 Samuel chapter 15, he chose on purpose
not to obey God. Here in 1 Samuel chapter 19, he was trying
to kill David, although he had promised not to do that (1
Samuel 19:6). Perhaps we would not expect God’s Holy Spirit
to work in the life of such an evil man.
However, God was still working in Saul’s life. As Saul

approached that place, the Holy Spirit came powerfully upon
Saul. Saul even prophesied. That is, he spoke words that
came from the Holy Spirit. Probably, those were words to
give honour to God, rather than words about the future.
When this happened, Saul took off his royal clothes. Saul
could not wear those clothes in front of God; God did not still
recognise him as king (1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Samuel 15:27-28).
It astonished people to hear that Saul was again

prophesying. They repeated the same expression that they
had used previously (1 Samuel 10:11). Nobody expected him
to prophesy as a young man. So of course nobody expected
him to prophesy again, when he was ruling in such a wicked
manner. However, clearly God was still active in his life.
Perhaps there was still hope that Saul might yet return to
God.
1 Samuel chapter 20
Saul’s secret plan to kill David
(1 Samuel 20:1-4)
Saul had kept his plans to murder David secret. Saul’s
reason was that he did not want his son Jonathan to know
about this matter. Jonathan was a friend of David (1 Samuel
18:1-4).
Saul had promised Jonathan that he would not kill David (1

Samuel 19:6). However, Saul did not keep that promise. On a
series of occasions in 1 Samuel 19:9-24, Saul tried to arrest
or to kill David.
We may ask how Saul managed to keep this matter secret.

To answer that question, we must study carefully each event
in 1 Samuel 19:9-24.
(1) In 19:9-10, Saul tried to kill David with a spear (pole with
a sharp metal head). David was playing music privately for
Saul then. So probably, only Saul and David were there.
(2) In 19:11, Saul sent some men to kill David at his house.
Perhaps those men were guards whom Saul trusted to keep
the matter secret. Or perhaps they were cruel men whom
Saul controlled, for example Doeg (1 Samuel 22:18). It seems
clear that Doeg hated David.
(3) In 19:15, Saul wanted to kill David in his bed. However,

even David did not know that; he had already escaped.
David’s wife Michal knew, and she might tell Jonathan.
However, Jonathan could not believe her; she was telling a
series of lies at this time.
(4) In 19:19, Saul received a report that David was at

Naioth. Clearly, people were watching for David. However,
that might not mean that anything was wrong. David was an
army commander; Saul needed to know where his
commanders were.
(5) In 19:20-21, Saul sent three groups of men to arrest

David. However, even they may not have realised what Saul’s
true intention was. Saul could have told them to tell David
that Saul was not still angry with him. If they had managed
to bring David back, Saul would have had another
opportunity to kill him.
A test to establish Saul’s

attitude towards David
(1 Samuel 20:5-7)
In ancient Israel, the people organised their calendar by the
appearance of the moon in the sky. When the moon first
appears, it is called the ‘new moon’; that was the start of
each month.
The new moon was a very happy occasion across Israel

(Psalm 81:1-3). Families would gather then for special meals.
It was also a sacred occasion. The priests sounded trumpets
(loud musical instruments) to announce the new moon
(Numbers 10:10); they also offered special gifts to God
(Numbers 28:11-15).
Each new moon, Saul organised a special meal for his family
and his most important officials. David usually attended for
both reasons: he had married the king’s daughter, and he
was an important military commander. It was not just an
honour for David to be there: it was his duty.
Jonathan could hardly believe that Saul was trying to murder

David. So David proposed a test that would prove it. He
would not go to the meal that Saul was organising. Instead,
he would go to his home in Bethlehem, where he would join
his brothers for their special meal. If Saul was not really
trying to kill David, he would be happy about that
arrangement. However, if Saul was still angry with David,
Jonathan would see it. Saul had no reason to be angry about
that arrangement unless he wanted another opportunity to
kill David.
David would be away for two days. 1 Samuel 20:5 says that
he would ‘hide in the field’. The word for ‘field’ means simply
the country, away from the town. David was saying that he
would not go into Saul’s town, Gibeah. David would be safe in
the open country while Jonathan tested Saul’s attitudes
towards him.
David and Jonathan remain loyal
(1 Samuel 20:8-11)
It was becoming clear that Saul’s plan to kill David was an
extremely serious matter. Its results would be terrible, not
just for David, but for the whole nation. Everyone in Israel
would suffer while their king was behaving in such a
wicked manner. His actions would divide the nation, its
army, and even his own family.
Even David and Jonathan, although they were the closest

friends, would be on opposite sides. It would be wrong for
Jonathan, who was Saul’s son, to fight against his father
(Deuteronomy 5:16; Leviticus 20:9). However, Jonathan had
also made a serious promise in front of God to remain friends
with David (1 Samuel 18:3). In fact, even David himself
believed strongly that he (David) must not oppose Saul (1
Samuel 24:6).
It seemed absolutely impossible for David and Jonathan

to perform their duties to Saul and still to remain friends.
Perhaps that is why David asked Jonathan to kill him. If
David was guilty of some crime, then Jonathan could punish
him. It would be better for a good man to punish David with
death, than for a wicked king to murder him.
Jonathan, of course, refused. David was not guilty. Jonathan

offered to warn David if he really was in danger. In their
very difficult situation, the two men would have to learn
to trust God more. God would show them how to deal with
their troubles. Jonathan seemed confident about that.
During their troubles, both David and Jonathan would

remain completely loyal to each other as friends. They also
would remain loyal to Saul, their king; and they would remain
loyal to God. 1 Samuel chapters 20 to 31 describe how they
achieved this.
Jonathan explains his covenant

with David
(1 Samuel 20:12-13)
In 1 Samuel 18:3, Jonathan made a covenant with David.
That covenant was a serious promise in front of God that
they would always be friends.
When Jonathan made that promise, his father King Saul was
pleased with David. However since then, the situation had
changed completely. Now Saul was trying to kill David.
David knew that Jonathan was still his friend. However, it

seems that David did not really understand the nature of the
covenant between them. David was still asking Jonathan
questions to test whether Jonathan would help him in this
situation (1 Samuel 20:8-10).
So in 1 Samuel 20:12-15, Jonathan carefully explained to

David what their covenant meant.
Jonathan repeated the sacred name of God, which appears

as ‘LORD’ in English translations, 5 times in these verses. He
wanted to emphasise that he had made these covenant
promises with God, and not merely with David. Therefore,
Jonathan’s covenant with David was now part of Jonathan’s
relationship with God. In these matters, Jonathan
considered himself responsible to God.
As Jonathan carried out his promise to God, so David would

have to trust God. Their friendship was not just something
that they had chosen to do. God himself had made them
friends, so that David could become Israel’s king.
That was why Jonathan blessed David with the prayer at the
end of 1 Samuel 20:13. He asked God to be with David as he
(God) had been with Saul. God had supported Saul’s rule over
Israel while Saul remained loyal to him. Now Jonathan was
asking God to support David so that David could rule well as
king.
Jonathan taught David how to

rule as king
(1 Samuel 20:14-17)
More than anyone else, it was perhaps Jonathan who taught
David how to rule as Israel’s king.
That may surprise us, especially as Jonathan never became

king himself. However, for about 40 years, Jonathan watched
the rule of his father, King Saul. During those years,
Jonathan formed his own opinions about the right way to
rule a nation. It was these ideas that would make David into
a truly great king.
Many of Jonathan’s opinions were the opposite of Saul’s

opinions. Saul thought that a king should control powerfully
both his people and his God. His ambition was strong and he
often acted cruelly.
Jonathan, on the other hand, refused to control people by

fear. God rules his people by love; Jonathan believed that
Israel’s king should act in the same manner. Only a
relationship of love between God, the king, and the people
would make Israel strong.
It was Jonathan who first made a covenant (promises to

establish friendship) with David (1 Samuel 18:3). Later, all
the leaders of Israel would make similar promises to David (2
Samuel 5:1-3). When there were troubles, Jonathan made
his covenant with David stronger. He agreed with David that
their promises would not just last during their lives. They
also made promises on behalf of their families in the future
(1 Samuel 20:42). You can read how David kept those
promises in 2 Samuel chapter 9.
Of course, Jonathan did not teach David as a teacher does,

but as a friend. That seems a very good way to show
someone how to establish a relationship of love.
Jonathan never had the opportunity to rule Israel, but he did

not care about his own ambitions. He cared much more about
David, whom he wanted very much to become Israel’s next
king. It was David and not Jonathan who would rule Israel
with a relationship of love.
Jonathan’s secret message to

David
(1 Samuel 20:18-23)
Because David was in great danger, both he and Jonathan
would have to act secretly.
David’s plan was to go quickly to Bethlehem (1 Samuel 20:6).

That would take him two days. He would not follow the usual
route along the roads and through the towns. That was too
dangerous to him. Instead, he would go through the fields
and the open country so that nobody would see him.
He probably wanted to go there in order to warn his father

Jesse and his brothers. They too would have to hide (see 1
Samuel 22:1-4). When Saul was angry with someone, he
would not hesitate to kill that person’s whole family (1
Samuel 22:11-18).
During those two days, Jonathan had promised to find out

whether Saul really was trying to kill David. Of course,
Jonathan could not let anyone see where David was. So
Jonathan worked out a way to tell David secretly about
Saul’s intentions.
Jonathan often went out of the town with his bow and
arrows. This was not a sport; he was improving his skills for
war. He would shoot the arrows and a boy would run to
collect them for him.
Jonathan told David to hide near a particular stone. There,

David would be able to hear the instructions that Jonathan
shouted to the boy. David would be safe because nobody
could see him in that place.
If David was not in danger, Jonathan would shoot his arrows

only for a short distance. Then he could tell the boy to come
back towards him. The real meaning was that David could
come back safely.
However, if Saul was still trying to kill David, Jonathan would

shoot his arrows a long way. He would then tell the boy that
he must go away to get the arrows. The real meaning was
that David must run away. He was in great danger.
The importance of the meals at

the new moon
(1 Samuel 20:24-25)
Saul clearly expected David to come to the meal. That fact
may surprise us because very recently Saul had tried to kill
David (1 Samuel 19:10). Although Saul’s plan to kill David
was now secret, we still might not expect David to be there.
However, Saul expected him to come.
Saul expected that because, during that period of Israel’s

history, such meals were extremely important. Those meals
were the only opportunity that people usually had to pray
in public. For that reason, such a holy man as David would
consider it essential to attend those meals if possible.
The meals were so important because of the sacrifices that

people offered at those meals. A sacrifice was an animal that
the people offered to God. Leviticus chapter 3 describes this
type of sacrifice. The priest would burn the fat from the
animal as a gift for God. Then the priest would take the
animal’s breast and right shoulder for himself and his family
to eat. All the people would eat from the rest of the animal;
that was their meat at the special meal.
There were additional special sacrifices at the new moon (the

start of each month), which the priests burned completely as
gifts to God (Numbers 28:11-15).
We often read about these special meals in the Book of 1

Samuel. In chapters 1 to 3, they happened only at Shiloh,
because the tabernacle (God’s sacred tent) was there. After
the loss of the sacred object called the ark, the priests could
not still carry out sacrifices there. So people built altars
(heaps of stone) on the hills and they made their sacrifices
there. See 1 Samuel 1:3-8; 2:12-17; 9:12-13; 9:22-24;13:8-
13; 14:34-35; 15:21-22; and 16:1-13.
What made a person unclean?
(1 Samuel 20:26)
David was not present at the meal that Saul had arranged.
That meal was a sacred occasion. The meat came from a

sacrifice (an animal that people gave to God) for the new
moon (the beginning of a month). Such meals were the only
regular opportunity that Israel’s people had to pray in public
at that time. David was a holy man who would not normally
be absent on such occasions.
Saul convinced himself that David must be ‘unclean’.

Leviticus 7:20-21 says that an unclean person must not eat
the meat from a sacrifice. An unclean person could not join in
public prayers or go to God’s house (the tent called the
tabernacle).
For this purpose, the word ‘unclean’ does not have its normal
meaning. It describes a person who is not in a proper state
to join in a public act of religion. Even after that person has
washed, the person would still be unclean for a period of
time. That period depended on the cause that made the
person unclean. However, in most situations, a person’s
unclean state only lasted until the next evening. Saul hoped
that David would come to a meal on the day afterwards.
Then Saul would have his opportunity to kill David.
You can read about the matters that made people unclean
in Leviticus chapters 11 to 15. For example, David could have
touched something or someone who was unclean. He could
have done that in order to help an ill person. Or, he could
have touched the dead body of an unclean animal by
accident.
However, really David was not unclean. He was hiding

because he knew about Saul’s plot to kill him.
Jonathan tests whether Saul is

plotting against David
(1 Samuel 20:27-29)
Jonathan had just two days to find out whether Saul was
plotting to kill David.
At the meal on the first day, there was no opportunity.

Abner, Saul’s military commander, needed to discuss
something with Saul, so Jonathan allowed him to sit next to
Saul (see 1 Samuel 20:25 in the King James Bible). Saul did
not say anything about David at that meal (1 Samuel 20:26).
Saul arranged a second special meal on the next day. As

king, he now owned many animals (1 Samuel 21:7) and much
land (2 Samuel 9:7-10). So although Saul cared little about
luxury, he liked to make many sacrifices (1 Samuel 13:9-13; 1
Samuel 15:21-22). These sacrifices were the animals that he
offered to God. They provided the meat for the meals. If
meat remained from the first day, God’s law allowed people
to eat it on the second day, but not afterwards (Leviticus
7:16-18).
On the second day, it was Saul who first referred to David.

He asked Jonathan where David was. However, on this
occasion, Saul did not mention David’s name. He called David
‘the son of Jesse’. Perhaps Saul chose to refer to David in
that way because he did not like the meaning of David’s
name. In Hebrew (the language of Israel), David means ‘the
one whom I love’. Saul did not love David; he hated David.
Jonathan, of course, did not hesitate to use David’s name.

Jonathan had an attitude of sincere and genuine love
towards David (1 Samuel 18:3; 1 Samuel 20:17). They were
close friends.
Jonathan repeated the excuse that David had asked him to

give (1 Samuel 20:6). Saul did not reply to that excuse.
Instead, he immediately became very angry. On this
occasion, his anger was against Jonathan because of his
friendship with David. He felt as angry against Jonathan as
he was against David.
Saul’s anger against Jonathan
(1 Samuel 20:30-31)
David was expecting that his excuse would make Saul angry
(1 Samuel 20:7). However, he and Jonathan had perhaps not
realised how angry Saul would become.
Some Bible translations try to translate 1 Samuel 20:30 in a

polite manner. However, Saul had no desire to be polite. In
his anger, he insulted his son Jonathan with the worst
possible words.
It would not upset Jonathan enough if Saul merely insulted

Jonathan himself. So, Saul insulted Jonathan’s mother.
She was Ahinoam, Saul’s loyal wife (1 Samuel 14:50).
However, Saul insulted her as if she had never been loyal to
him. He described her as a wicked, evil woman. None of this
was probably true, but it would have upset Jonathan deeply.
Although other people were present, Saul continued to insult

Jonathan. By his friendship with David, Jonathan had
brought shame on himself. Jonathan’s mother should be
ashamed, as if men had seen her naked body. Jonathan and
all Saul’s guests would have felt great shock to hear such
words.
Then, for the first time, Saul explained in public why he

wanted to kill David. Saul knew that David would be
Israel’s king. That had been Saul’s belief for a long time (1
Samuel 18:8). Samuel had told Saul that God had chosen a
new king for Israel (1 Samuel 15:28).
Saul was trying to kill David because Saul opposed God’s plan
to make David king. Saul was trying to keep the rule of Israel
for himself and his family. So, Saul was trying to control
God.
Saul tries to kill Jonathan
(1 Samuel 20:32-34)
This argument between Saul and Jonathan happened in
public, before a meal where Saul’s most important officials
were guests.
Jonathan only intended to test whether Saul was plotting

against David. However, Saul replied immediately in a very
angry manner. He insulted Jonathan in a very nasty manner
because of his friendship with David. At once, the situation
became very serious.
Still, Jonathan continued to defend David. He insisted that

David was an innocent man. Saul hated David without any
proper reason.
David’s experiences at this time help us to understand

several of the Psalms that he wrote. (For example, see Psalm
59.) Christians believe that many of David’s Psalms refer to
Christ. Christ’s enemies, like David’s enemies, hated him
without any proper reason (Psalm 59:4; 1 Peter 2:22-24).
David wrote by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:29-31; 1
Peter 1:10-11); but he also wrote from his own experience.
As Jonathan spoke on David’s behalf, Saul could no longer

control his anger. It seems that he always kept a spear (a
pole with a sharp metal head) by him. Suddenly, Saul took
the spear and he tried to kill Jonathan with it. On previous
occasions, Saul had tried to kill David in the same manner (1
Samuel 18:11; 1 Samuel 19:10).
Jonathan managed to avoid the spear, but he too was very

angry. He was angry, not that Saul had tried to kill him, but
about Saul’s attitude towards David. For that reason,
Jonathan left the meal; he refused to eat anything from that
meal.
Jonathan tells David to escape
(1 Samuel 20:35-39)
In the open country near Gibeah there was a large stone
that people called Ezel (1 Samuel 20:19). Its name means
‘departure’; Jonathan and David knew the place well.
It was here that Jonathan came to use his bow and arrows.
He had a boy with him whose task was to collect the arrows.
Jonathan’s actions on this day would not have surprised
anyone who saw him. People would have thought that he was
just improving his skills for Israel’s frequent wars. However,
Jonathan had another reason to shoot his arrows in that
particular place on that day.
Really, Jonathan had come to give a secret message to

David. Jonathan had now discovered that Saul really was
plotting to kill David. David could not return safely to Gibeah,
and Jonathan had promised to warn him.
Jonathan was very careful to make sure that nobody would

see David. He had arranged for David to hide near the stone.
As he shot his arrows, he would shout instructions to the
boy. However, really those instructions would be for
David.
So, Jonathan shot one arrow a long way into the distance. He
intended to do that if David was in danger. Then he could tell
the boy that the arrow was beyond him. As the boy must go
away to fetch the arrow, so David must go away (1 Samuel
20:22).
However, as the boy went to get the arrow, Jonathan

decided to make his message clearer. Perhaps he worried
that David might not understand the message correctly. So
Jonathan shouted more instructions to the boy, but really,
they were for David.
‘Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!’ Jonathan shouted. The

message for David was serious, urgent and clear. He must
escape at once.
David and Jonathan separate
(1 Samuel 20:40-41)
Jonathan had promised to find out whether David was in
danger, and if so, to warn him. During the last two days,
Jonathan carefully carried out that task, although he risked
his own life to do it.
Now Jonathan had warned David. So, Jonathan had carried

out all that he had to do because of his promise. However,
because of his sincere love for David, there was something
else that Jonathan chose to do.
Jonathan handed his bow and arrows to the boy who was
working for him. He ordered the boy to take them back to the
town. Then Jonathan was alone in the open country. He
watched as the boy went back. He waited until the boy was
completely out of sight.
David too was watching and waiting. He was hiding behind

the stone while Jonathan was shooting his arrows. Now that
Jonathan was alone, it was at last time for David to come
out.
Jonathan and David had been waiting for the opportunity to

greet each other. Ever since the day when David killed
Goliath, Jonathan and David had been true friends. They
were the most important men in Israel who were loyal to
God; they needed to support each other. David had learnt
many things from Jonathan during the period of their
friendship.
Now circumstances had changed, and it was absolutely

essential for the two men to separate from each other. So,
they separated with an expression of love and friendship.
First David showed great honour to Jonathan. Then they
greeted each other as friends. Their tears show how deeply
they cared about each other.
Jonathan reminds David about

their covenant
(1 Samuel 20:42)
Jonathan’s last words to David on this occasion were to
remind him about their covenant. They first made that
covenant in 1 Samuel 18:3; they made it stronger in 1 Samuel
20:14-17.
A covenant was a serious promise of friendship. Usually,

people made a covenant if their families (or, their nations)
had been enemies. They wanted to establish friendly
relations with each other. So, they promised, on behalf of
themselves and their families, that they would always be
friends. By this means, covenants ended wars and made
bitter enemies into close friends.
Jonathan and David were never enemies. From the moment

when they first met, they wanted to be friends. In this
matter, Jonathan was completely unselfish. As King Saul’s
son he had the right to become Israel’s next king. However,
Jonathan could see David’s qualities: his sincere attitudes,
and his trust in God. That meeting changed Jonathan’s life.
He did not still want to be king; instead, he wanted to
support David so that David could become king. At once,
Jonathan had realised that David would be a truly great king.
There were many evil people in Saul’s family and in his

government. Saul himself had decided that he would not be
loyal to God (1 Samuel 15:23); he was doing many wicked
things. It seemed clear that such men would not allow David
to become king peacefully.
That was why Jonathan considered it so important for him

and his family to make a covenant with David. After
Jonathan’s death, his family would consider it their duty to
obey Jonathan’s promise. The family of Saul would fight
against David (2 Samuel 3:1), but the family of Jonathan
would never do that (2 Samuel 19:24-30).
1 Samuel chapter 21
Ahimelech, the chief priest
(1 Samuel 21:1)
More than 60 years may have passed since the death of Eli,
Israel’s chief priest (1 Samuel 4:18). During those years, the
chief priests lost much of their authority and their wealth.
People still asked the priests to offer sacrifices (gifts to God)

on their behalf. However, they did not still go to Shiloh, the
chief priest’s town, to do that. Instead they built altars (piles
of stone) on the hills in each region, and they gave their gifts
there.
The chief priest also continued to inquire of God for people

(1 Samuel 14:36-37). However, now people often went
instead to a prophet (holy man) for that purpose (1 Samuel
9:6-9).
After Eli’s death, his grandson Ahijah acted as chief priest (1

Samuel 14:3). Then Ahimelech, from the same family,
became chief priest.
As chief priest, Ahimelech had responsibility for God’s

sacred tent, called the tabernacle. After the troubles at
Shiloh (1 Samuel chapter 4), the priests left that town. They
took the tabernacle to Nob, which was probably near
Jerusalem. However, the tabernacle did not still contain its
most sacred object, called the ark of the covenant. That was
still at Kiriath Jearim (1 Samuel 7:1; 2 Samuel 6:2-3).
Although the chief priest still carried on a few ceremonies at

Nob, it was not an important place. Not many people had any
reason to go there.
David went there briefly to ask for help before he went into
Philistia. Saul was plotting to kill David, and David had to
escape at once. Probably, David considered that he could
trust the priests not to tell Saul about him. However, David
did not know that Doeg, one of Saul’s most wicked officials,
was in Nob that day (1 Samuel 21:7).
David’s untrue words to

Abimelech
(1 Samuel 21:2)
The events in 1 Samuel chapter 21 probably happened on the
day when David left Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:35-42).
Jonathan had told David that Saul was plotting to kill him.
David had to escape for his life.
To get from Gibeah to Gath, David would have to walk more

than 40 miles (60 kilometres). It was a long way, even for a
strong soldier like David. He first passed Nob, the chief
priest’s town. Then he passed Bethlehem, his own town.
Probably he expected to meet there the men who would go
with him (see Mark 2:26). Then they would go through the
hills to Gath, which was in Philistia.
When David entered Nob, he was alone. He went there to

inquire of God (1 Samuel 22:10). Probably he wanted to
know where he should go. He would have asked questions like
the questions in 1 Samuel 23:9-12.
Ahimelech, the chief priest, was very worried about this.

He asked David a series of questions to try to find out what
David was doing. However, David was too afraid of Saul to
give an honest answer. He pretended that the king had
secretly sent him away.
Of course, it was the king’s actions that forced David to leave

secretly. Clearly however, David’s words were untrue. He
was telling lies because he was not yet able to trust God
completely. He thought that he had to help God by clever
words and clever schemes. He would do that again when he
reached Gath (1 Samuel 21:12-13). Later David would learn
that God alone could save him (Psalm 62:1-2). He could not
save himself (Psalm 40:1-2).
Sacred bread
(1 Samuel 21:3-4)
David had to leave Israel at once, because Saul had decided
to kill him. First, David went to Ahimelech, the chief priest,
at a town called Nob.
It seems likely that David first asked Ahimelech to inquire of

God for him (1 Samuel 22:9-10). David needed God to show
him where he should go. Clearly, God told David to go to
Gath in Philistia (1 Samuel 21:10).
That was a long journey: about 40 miles (60 kilometres). So

David next asked the chief priest to help him. David needed
food for himself and his men on the journey. He asked for
bread. However, Ahimelech had no ordinary bread. People in
Israel kept grain, not flour; they only prepared bread when
they wanted to eat it. It was a long, slow process to make
bread, and David needed to leave urgently.
However, there were always 12 large loaves of sacred bread

in the tabernacle (the sacred tent which was God’s house).
You can read the rules about that bread in Leviticus 24:5-9.
Each week, before the Sabbath (Saturday, which was their
holy day), the priests replaced that bread with fresh bread.
They then ate the bread in a holy place; nobody else could
eat it.
David was not a priest, so he had no right to eat that

bread. In fact, it was against God’s law for him to eat it.
However, David needed food urgently. The chief priest
recognised that fact. He probably also understood that God
was sending David on a long and important journey. Perhaps
he also knew that God had appointed David to be Israel’s
future king. So he gave the bread to David. David ate it, and
he also gave some to his companions.
Jesus taught a lesson from this event in Luke 6:3-5. The

purpose of God’s law is to teach people how they can serve
him, and not merely to control their behaviour.
The proper use of something holy
(1 Samuel 21:5-6)
Israel’s chief priest allowed David to take the bread from
God’s house. That was against God’s law because only the
priests could eat that bread. However, the chief priest
recognised that God was sending David away at once.
David urgently needed food for himself and for his men. In
such circumstances the chief priest considered that it would
be wrong not to help David. It is interesting that, in Luke
6:3-4, Jesus approved of that decision.
However, even in such circumstances, the chief priest would

not allow anyone whatever to eat that bread. The bread was
holy; it belonged to God. It would be very wrong to take a
holy thing and to use it in an unholy manner. So, the chief
priest insisted that nobody in an unholy state could eat
that bread.
It would of course not be wrong if David’s men had sex with

their wives. However, that would cause them to be in an
unholy state (Leviticus 15:18). God’s law would not allow
them then to go to God’s house or to eat meat from a
sacrifice (an animal that someone had offered to God). So
the chief priest would not allow them to eat the holy bread.
In his reply, David reminded the chief priest about God’s

rules for Israel’s army. God was Israel’s God, so Israel’s
army was a holy army. God’s law did not allow a man in an
unholy state to remain in the camp of Israel’s army
(Deuteronomy 23:9-11). So nobody in an unholy state would
eat that bread.
Israel’s soldiers did not take their wives with them when
they went to war. The women remained at home, as 1 Samuel
30:1-6 shows.
Doeg from Edom
(1 Samuel 21:7)
Samuel had warned Israel’s people that a king would take the
best things in the country for himself (1 Samuel 8:14-17). He
would make himself rich, and they would be his slaves.
Before he was king, Saul was just a farm worker on his

father’s farm. Now he had so many sheep that he needed to
appoint a powerful man to be in charge of his shepherds
(the men who looked after the sheep).
That man was Doeg. As we shall see in 1 Samuel 22:18-19,

Doeg was a very powerful and cruel man.
Doeg was from Edom. Edom was a nation on the east side of
Israel. Its people were relatives of Israel’s people. They
established a strong nation long before Saul ruled (Genesis
36:31-43).
At one time, Saul fought a war against Edom. We have no

details of that war, but 1 Samuel 14:47 mentions it. Perhaps
that was when Saul brought Doeg back from Edom.
Doeg was in Nob because he was unable to leave that place.

He had to remain there, in front of God. That seems a strange
statement, and it is hard to explain.
People have offered various explanations. Nob was the town

where the chief priest lived. God’s sacred tent called the
tabernacle was there. Clearly, the correct explanation has a
connection to those facts.
One idea is that, perhaps, Doeg had a skin disease. If so,

Doeg may have to wait 7 days for a priest to examine it
(Leviticus 13:4). However, those were rules for Israel’s
people and Doeg was a foreigner. Also, that would happen in
a separate place, not at God’s house.
Our guess is that Saul sent Doeg to inquire of God about

some matter. Perhaps, as in 1 Samuel 14:37, God gave no
answer that day, so Doeg had to wait for his answer.
The sword of Goliath
(1 Samuel 21:8-9)
When David fought Goliath, he had no experience in the use
of a sword. For that reason, David refused to take a sword
with him (1 Samuel 17:50). He used Goliath’s own sword to
cut off his head (1 Samuel 17:51).
Now, however, David needed a sword to defend himself. As

an army commander, David had learnt how to use a sword
well. So, he asked the chief priest for a sword. The chief
priest offered him the sword of Goliath.
Here, we learn for the first time what happened to Goliath’s

sword. It was a valuable object, and, after the fight, David
had the right to keep it.
However, David did not keep it. That sword was evidence of
the fact that God had rescued Israel. David did not consider
that he himself had defeated Goliath: it was God who saved
Israel that day (1 Samuel 17:46).
So David had handed the sword over to Israel’s priests.

They considered it a sacred object; they placed it with other
sacred objects that showed God’s relationship with Israel.
They put it next to the ephod, a long shirt that the chief
priest wore. He used certain objects in the ephod, called the
URIM and THUMMIM, when he inquired of God.
The chief priest offered that sword back to David because

he had no other sword to offer him. Usually, it would not be
right for someone to take back something that he had given
to God. However, on this occasion the chief priest permitted
it. Perhaps it was right for David to carry with him the
evidence of what God had done for him in the past. Until
David could return that sword to God’s house, it would
constantly remind him to trust God.
Gath in Philistia
(1 Samuel 21:10)
David went from Nob, the chief priest’s town, to Gath in
Philistia. He was looking for a place where he could live
safely. He had to leave Israel because King Saul had made
plans to kill him.
However, it may surprise us to read that he went at once to

Gath. Goliath, whom David killed, was from Gath (1 Samuel
17:4). Gath was one of the five main towns in Philistia. As a
commander in Israel’s army, David had fought several
battles against Philistia’s men (1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Samuel
18:30; 1 Samuel 19:8).
Clearly, Saul would be unable to attack David in Gath. During

Saul’s life, there was constant war between his army and
Philistia’s army (1 Samuel 14:52). However, David clearly
had many other enemies in Gath.
It seems likely, therefore, that God sent David to Gath.

Ahimelech, the chief priest, had inquired of God on David’s
behalf (1 Samuel 22:10). So probably, God told David that he
would be safe in Gath.
Perhaps the explanation of these things is the character of

Achish, king of Gath. We will read more about him when
David returned to Gath in 1 Samuel chapters 27 and 29.
Achish very much wanted people to be loyal to him. It did

not matter to him whether those people were foreigners or
from his own nation. If people were loyal to him, he would
support them. He would speak on their behalf and he would
do anything necessary to defend them. When he supported
someone, nobody else in Gath would dare to attack that
person.
It seems that the people in Gath learned the importance of

those loyal attitudes. When David returned to Gath, he made
many friends there. When he became Israel’s king, men from
Gath were among his most loyal soldiers (2 Samuel 15:18-
22).
David pretends that his mind is

ill
(1 Samuel 21:11-15)
When David reached Gath, King Achish’s officials recognised
him. However, they had a wrong idea about him: they
thought that David was already Israel’s king.
This wrong idea came from the song that Israel’s women
sang in 1 Samuel 18:7. After the death of Goliath, they made
up a song to give honour to Saul and David. In their song,
they declared that Saul had killed many thousands of Israel’s
enemies. However, David had defeated many more enemies
than that. That was what their song meant.
It was that song which first made Saul so angry with David (1
Samuel 18:8). From it, Saul saw that David would become
Israel’s king. However, the song was not yet true. Saul was
still Israel’s king; David had just been a commander in his
army. Saul’s success in battle was still much greater than
anything that David had yet achieved.
David wanted Achish to allow him to live peacefully in Gath.

However, David heard what Achish’s officials were saying. He
became too afraid to meet Achish. Psalm 56 may be his
prayer on this occasion.
David made up a clever scheme to protect himself. He

pretended that his mind was ill. He acted as if he could not
control his own behaviour.
Achish was angry that his officials had brought David to him.
He did not believe that David was Israel’s king. He thought
that his officials were wasting his time. So David escaped.
Afterwards, David understood the truth about this incident,

as Psalm 34 shows. He should have trusted God more; God is
able to save his people in every situation. David had acted
foolishly, but God still saved him. So David declared that he
would constantly praise God.
1 Samuel chapter 22
The cave of Adullam
(1 Samuel 22:1-2)
David returned from Gath to the hills on the border between
Judah (southern Israel) and Philistia. Saul had plans to kill
him; David needed to find a place where he could live safely.
Clearly, David would be unable to live in a town; he would

have to live in the open country.
David chose a place in the region of the ancient town called

Adullam. The rock there is the kind called limestone. Water
can pass through limestone; the result is that large, natural
caves form in the rock. David could live safely in those caves
and he could hide from Saul’s men there.
It seems that during this period in David’s life, he prayed

much. He felt like a prisoner, but he put his trust completely
in God. He wrote Psalms 57 and 142, and probably several
other Psalms also, while he lived in those caves.
However, David did not remain alone there. Because of Saul’s

anger against David, David’s brothers were in danger too.
They escaped to Adullam and they lived with David.
So did many men who had various troubles in Israel. They

included men from Israel’s army, who had known David as
one of the army commanders. These men were brave soldiers
as we read in 1 Chronicles 11:10-47.
In the end, there were 400 men with David, and they
considered him to be their leader. It seems that they formed
a kind of private army. They fought against the many large
groups of robbers who attacked Israel from that region.
So even in this situation, David was continuing to fight on

Israel’s behalf. Although Saul considered David his enemy,
David was still supporting Saul’s rule.
David’s parents in Moab
(1 Samuel 22:3-4)
Moab appears in the list of Saul’s enemies in 1 Samuel 14:47.
That should not surprise us. For several centuries, the
countries on all sides of Israel had fought to control it. After
Saul became king, he fought fiercely against those nations in
order to make Israel a free country.
Saul was a powerful man, and Israel’s enemies did not want
him to remain Israel’s king. They had been unable to kill him;
they wanted to find someone in Israel who would do that for
them.
David had been an important commander in Israel’s army,

and he had many friends in Israel. Saul wanted to kill David;
Saul’s enemies considered that David might be useful to
them.
Perhaps that was why the king of Moab was willing to help
David. David simply wanted to find a place where his
father (Jesse) and his mother would be safe. They would
not be safe in Israel. Saul was so angry against David that
Saul might even want to kill David’s parents.
Jesse’s grandmother, Ruth, had come from Moab (see the

Book of Ruth). By this time, Jesse and his wife were very old.
With the support of Moab’s king, they could live peacefully
there.
However, David would not agree to fight against Saul. The

king of Moab probably hoped that David would start a
revolution in Israel. David told him that he was simply
waiting for God to act on his behalf. David remained loyal
to Saul and David would not oppose him. Of course David was
aware of God’s plan to make him Israel’s next king. David
waited for God to do that. He would wait until the time that
God had chosen.
The prophet Gad
(1 Samuel 22:5)
Gad and Nathan were the two most important prophets
during David’s rule. A prophet was a holy man who spoke
messages from God.
David was himself a prophet (Acts 2:29-30). He therefore

respected very much the prophets whom God had sent to
him. He listened carefully to their messages; he obeyed the
instructions that God gave him by means of them.
1 Samuel 22:5 is the first mention of Gad in the Bible.

Probably, he was one of the men who joined David at
Adullam. Perhaps Gad went there because, like David, he
had to escape from King Saul. Gad may have spoken a
message from God that Saul disliked.
David could have stayed in the caves near Adullam for many
years. It was a safe place. However, God told him, by means
of the prophet Gad, to go further into Judah. So David
found another safe place in the forest there. It was probably
not far from Adullam because Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1) is in the
same region as Adullam.
Gad continued to serve as a prophet during much of David’s

rule. In 2 Samuel 24:11-14, Gad declared David’s
punishment after David counted Israel’s men. David’s action
had been wrong, against God. In 2 Samuel 24:18, Gad
directed David to the place where the temple (God’s house)
would be. We learn from 2 Chronicles 29:25 that, with David
and Nathan, Gad arranged the music for the temple.
1 Chronicles 29:29 tells us that the prophets Samuel, Gad

and Nathan wrote the records of David’s life. That is, Samuel
wrote the first part of the records. Then Gad wrote the next
part. Finally, Nathan wrote the last part; he continued to
serve as a prophet during the beginning of Solomon’s rule.
Saul’s speech
(1 Samuel 22:6-8)
Saul needed to gain the support of his officials and his army
commanders to fight against David. He was aware that David
was a popular man in Israel. It seemed likely that many
important people in Israel’s government and army were
David’s friends.
By this time, David was leading a group of 400 men. Many of

those men were capable and brave soldiers. They had joined
David because they had troubles in Israel. Probably, many of
them had suffered because of Saul’s anger. However, David
always insisted that they must remain loyal to Saul and to
Israel (1 Samuel 24:7).
Saul gave this important and powerful speech to his

officials from the tribe of Benjamin. The tribes were the 12
large family groups in Israel. The tribe of Benjamin was
Saul’s tribe; many of his most important officials came from
it.
Saul wanted to get a powerful reaction from those men. So,

he accused them. They were plotting with David against him,
he said. They were not loyal to Saul; they were looking for an
opportunity to kill him. None of this, of course, was true.
Saul said these things to make his officials afraid. They
needed to prove that they were loyal to Saul; otherwise Saul
could kill them, or he could remove them from their
important jobs.
Saul reminded his officials how much they had benefited

from his rule. He had made them wealthy and important. He
had given them fields and vineyards (fruit gardens). They
had become commanders in the army. It was Saul, not David,
who gave them these things. Saul had shown special kindness
to men from his own tribe. If David were king, he would give
wealth and honour to other men, instead of them.
So, Saul’s officials must support Saul.
Doeg tells Saul how Ahimelech

helped David
(1 Samuel 22:9-10)
Doeg had heard Saul’s speech to his officials (1 Samuel 22:7-
8). In that speech, Saul reminded his officials how much they
had benefited from his rule. He urged them strongly to be
loyal to him, and to fight against David.
Doeg was a foreigner, from Edom. He clearly had strong

ambitions; he was in charge of the men who looked after
Saul’s sheep (1 Samuel 21:7). Doeg wanted Saul to be
pleased with him; he wanted Saul to make him more
important.
This mattered because Doeg had some information about

David. It was old information, perhaps from several months
earlier. It did not seem important at the time. However, now
Doeg saw an opportunity to benefit by it.
Doeg had seen David on the day when he escaped from

Saul. David was elsewhere now; in fact, Saul now knew
where David was (1 Samuel 22:6).
So Doeg’s information was not really about David. It was

about someone who had supported David. That important
person had helped David to escape from Saul. He had given
David food, and a sword.
The person whom Doeg accused was: Ahimelech, Israel’s

chief priest.
That fact would have caused a great shock to everyone who

heard it. It surprised nobody when Saul opposed an
important official or an army commander. Even the fact that
Saul was trying to kill David did not seem unusual to Saul’s
officials. However, the decision to accuse the chief priest
was a very severe matter. Israel’s chief priest was
responsible to God, not to men. People were afraid of him
because of his sacred duties in front of God (1 Samuel
22:17).
Saul accuses the chief priest
(1 Samuel 22:11-15)
Saul ordered his officials to bring Ahimelech, the chief
priest, from Nob, with all the priests who lived there.
Then Saul accused Ahimelech. He said that Ahimelech was

plotting with David against him. The evidence was that
Ahimelech gave David food and a sword. Also, Ahimelech had
inquired of God on David’s behalf.
Then Saul added the untrue statement that David was

plotting to kill him. He said that David was waiting for his
opportunity to attack Saul.
Ahimelech protested against that statement. He insisted

that David was loyal to Saul; in fact, David was Saul’s most
loyal official. The evidence was in the honour and
responsibility that Saul himself had given to David. It was
Saul who allowed David to marry his (Saul’s) daughter,
Michal. It was Saul who appointed David to lead his guards.
So of course Ahimelech had inquired of God on David’s

behalf. He had not just done it on the one occasion when
Doeg saw him. He did it frequently. David was a holy man; it
mattered very much to David what God wanted him to do.
Saul had given David important responsibilities in Israel; of
course David asked the chief priest to inquire of God on his
behalf. Ahimelech was glad to inquire of God on behalf of
such a loyal official of the king.
Clearly now, Saul was angry with David. Even if Saul had a
proper reason for that, he had no reason to be angry with
Ahimelech. Ahimelech knew nothing about Saul’s anger
against David. He certainly knew nothing about any plot
against Saul. That was how Ahimelech replied to Saul.
Saul orders the death of the chief

priest
(1 Samuel 22:16)
1 Samuel 22:16-19 records an absolutely terrible incident
where Saul ordered the deaths of many innocent people. It
gives us a shock to realise that Saul had become so wicked.
However, it was not the only time when Saul did such a thing.
2 Samuel 21:1 records how he carried out a similar attack
against the inhabitants of Gibeon.
The incident in 1 Samuel 22:16-19 was against the most

important priests in Israel. Even Ahimelech, the chief
priest, died in that incident. In fact, nearly everyone who
came from the family of Eli died then. Long before, God had
warned Eli that this would happen (1 Samuel 2:30-33).
Saul’s excuse for this attack was that the priests were
plotting against him (1 Samuel 22:13). That was completely
untrue. Even David was not plotting against Saul. Ahimelech
had helped David; but Ahimelech did not know that Saul was
angry with David. The other priests and their families did not
even know what Ahimelech had done.
Probably even Saul knew that his excuse was untrue. The
reality was that Saul always tried to control people by fear.
He wanted people to be afraid of him because then they
would obey him.
Saul would make people very afraid if he killed the chief

priest. That was what Saul thought. By that action, Saul
would show everyone that he was not even afraid of God.
Then people would not dare to support David. They would
have to do whatever Saul wanted them to do. However, even
the death of such an important and holy man as the chief
priest did not satisfy Saul’s anger. Really, of course, Saul
wanted to kill David. However, in the meantime, he ordered
the deaths of 85 priests from Ahimelech’s family.
Saul orders the deaths of the

priests from Nob
(1 Samuel 22:17)
Saul ordered the death, not only of Israel’s chief priest, but
also of 85 other priests. It was a very cruel punishment;
they had done nothing wrong.
Saul intended by this punishment to make his officials afraid.

He wanted them to be too afraid to support David. He
wanted them to be so afraid that they would obey him (Saul)
completely.
However, on this occasion, Saul was unable to force his

officials to obey him. They refused to obey because a priest
carries out his work on behalf of God. That fact makes the
priest holy, even if the priest himself has done evil things. If
Saul’s officials attacked a priest, they would be fighting
against God. They believed that God could punish them very
severely for such an action.
Probably many of Saul’s officials were wicked men. Saul

controlled them in a powerful manner; they were willing to
kill or even to murder someone for him (1 Samuel 19:11).
They had fought many battles for him and they had killed
many people. However, they were still more afraid of God
than they were of Saul. They knew that they were
responsible to God for their actions. They had done many evil
things for Saul; but they did not dare to kill God’s priests.
Those officials respected God because they belonged to

Israel. They knew from Israel’s history that God had often
acted to save his people from evil people (1 Samuel 12:9-11).
Even during Saul’s rule, it was God who had saved their
nation (1 Samuel 11:6-11; 1 Samuel 14:6; 1 Samuel 17:45-
47). So those officials knew that it is very foolish for any man
to fight against God.
Doeg kills the priests
(1 Samuel 22:18-19)
When nobody from Israel was willing to kill the priests, Saul
ordered a foreigner to do it.
That foreigner was Doeg, from Edom. He was the man who
had originally accused Ahimelech, the chief priest (1 Samuel
22:9-10). Doeg was in charge of the men who looked after
Saul’s sheep (1 Samuel 21:7).
Doeg did not hesitate. He acted in the fiercest and cruellest

possible manner. Perhaps he acted even more cruelly than
Saul wanted.
First, Doeg killed the chief priest and the other priests from
Nob. Those 85 other priests were from Ahimelech’s family,
that is, the family of Eli.
Then Doeg went to Nob, where those priests had lived. He

killed everyone whom he could find. He killed the wives and
children of the priests. He killed their servants. He even
killed their animals.
Doeg was extremely cruel, and we search for an explanation.
Anger can cause a person to behave in a very cruel manner.

However, we know of no particular reason why Doeg might
be angry here.
Perhaps we will find our explanation in the fact that Doeg

killed all the animals. He did not have to do that; Saul did not
order it. There would be enough animals at Nob to make
Doeg rich, if he had not killed them.
On a few occasions in the Bible, God told his people to carry

out his judgement against a very wicked city or nation. For
the most severe judgements, they had to kill all the animals
(Joshua 6:21; 1 Samuel 15:3). The purpose was to hand over
that city or nation completely to God.
Here, we see that Doeg had attacked a holy town. As a

foreigner, he would have served a false god. Perhaps he was
trying to hand over that town to his false god. Perhaps he
believed that he was carrying out his god’s judgement
against Israel’s priests. He was trying to destroy Israel’s
religion.
Abiathar escapes to David
(1 Samuel 22:20-23)
There was probably much confusion in Nob when Doeg
attacked it. However, one young man, Abiathar, managed to
think clearly. At once, he entered the house of God and he
took the ephod (1 Samuel 23:6). (The ephod was a special
long shirt that only the chief priest wore. In it were the
sacred objects called URIM and THUMMIM that the chief
priest used to inquire of God.)
Abiathar realised that he could not go anywhere in Israel

safely. He was the son of Ahimelech, whom Doeg had killed.
Saul would be looking for Abiathar too, in order to kill him.
So Abiathar went to David.
At the death of a chief priest, his son became the next chief
priest. So, Abiathar became the chief priest. He was clearly
quite young when he began to carry out the duties of a chief
priest. More than 40 years later, he would still be serving as
chief priest. Even then, he did not die, but Solomon removed
his authority (1 Kings 2:26-27).
Abiathar told David the terrible news about how Saul had
ordered the deaths of Israel’s most important priests. It was
this incident that caused David to write Psalm 52. We can
see from that Psalm that David’s trust in God was becoming
much stronger.
After a serious incident, most people try to avoid any

responsibility for it. David did not do that. David accepted
the blame, and he even told Abiathar why. David knew the
character of both Saul and Doeg. David had acted foolishly
because he put the priests in danger.
David explained those facts to Abiathar in a completely

honest and sincere manner. Then, he urged Abiathar to stay
with him. They were both in danger now. However, David
considered it his duty to keep Abiathar safe.
1 Samuel chapter 23
David inquires of God about
Keilah
(1 Samuel 23:1-2)
Perhaps Saul ordered the deaths of the priests so that David
would be unable to inquire of God again (1 Samuel 22:17). If
so, the effect was the opposite. Abiathar, who became the
chief priest at his father’s death, ran away to join David. The
result was that David now had the chief priest with him. So
David could inquire of God whenever he needed to do that.
Keilah was near to Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1), on the border

between Philistia and Israel. Because of the constant wars
between the two nations, Keilah’s inhabitants had made their
town very strong (1 Samuel 23:7). They could not, however,
protect their threshing-floors, which would be outside the
town’s walls.
The threshing-floors were yards where the farmers

prepared the grain after harvest. Until the grain was ready
to store or to sell, farmers had to keep the grain at the
threshing-floor. They even slept outside on the threshing-
floor to try to protect the grain (Ruth 3:1-7).
However, men from Philistia were stealing the grain from

Keilah’s threshing-floors. They were preparing to attack
Keilah itself. Usually, an army would surround the town’s
walls and then wait for the inhabitants to run out of food.
Without stores of grain, Keilah’s inhabitants would have to
hand over their town very quickly.
David had been a commander in Israel’s army; he knew how

to defend a town from such attacks. A group of 600 men was
supporting him (1 Samuel 23:13). However, David did not
act until he had first inquired of God. He wanted to know
what God wanted him to do.
God tells David to defend Keilah
(1 Samuel 23:3-6)
David’s men were living in a forest in Judah (southern Israel)
- 1 Samuel 22:5. They had gone there to hide from King Saul.
Saul wanted to kill David; so Saul was making plans for his
army to attack them. David’s men did not want anyone to
know where they were.
Now, however, David was proposing to defend the town

called Keilah from Philistia’s army. Clearly, there could be
nothing secret about the actions that he and his men would
carry out there. For some time, they would have to live in
that town (1 Samuel 23:7).
David had already inquired of God about this matter (1

Samuel 23:2). However, he cared about his men, and they
were afraid. So David asked God a second time what he
should do.
Abiathar, who was now the chief priest, inquired of God by

means of the sacred objects in the ephod. The ephod was a
special long shirt that the chief priest wore. In it, there were
the sacred objects called URIM and THUMMIM. Their name
means ‘perfect lights’. By means of them, God guided the
chief priest.
God’s answer was again that David should act to save Keilah.
This time, God added that he would give David and his men
success against Philistia’s army.
So, David and his men went. It seems that by this time,
Philistia’s army was surrounding Keilah. They had brought
animals to eat while they waited for Keilah’s inhabitants to
hand over their town. In the meantime, Keilah’s inhabitants
would become hungry and desperate.
David’s men fought well. They rescued the town, and they
took the animals from Philistia for themselves. They then
stayed in the town so that they could continue to defend it.
Saul tries to attack David at

Keilah
(1 Samuel 23:7-8)
Saul’s attitude astonishes us. His last action was to kill God’s
priests (1 Samuel 22:16-18). Now he was speaking as if God
was on his side.
Saul had tried to control his officials by fear (1 Samuel 22:8).

Perhaps he imagined that he was able to control God by the
same method. Saul was able to kill God’s priests; perhaps he
now believed that he could force God to hand David over.
Saul had fought against God for several years (1 Samuel
15:23); perhaps Saul actually believed that he had won.
If Saul thought such things, his ideas about God would be

completely wrong. Nobody can control God; nobody will
ever defeat him.
However, perhaps there is another explanation. Saul saw his

opportunity to arrest David; perhaps Saul considered that
opportunity to be a gift from God. Saul’s ideas about religion
were always very simple. When Saul was pleased about
something, he thanked God for it. Saul still did that even
when he was pleased about something evil. Saul did not ask
what God wanted; Saul only cared about the things that he
himself wanted.
On this particular occasion, Saul was pleased to discover that

David was living in Keilah. Strong walls surrounded Keilah;
Saul could easily bring an army to surround the town.
That army would cut off all supplies into the town. The
inhabitants would be very afraid, so they would hand David
over. They did not want to starve, or for Saul to destroy their
town.
So Saul began to gather an army for that purpose. Most of

his soldiers were part-time; when they were not fighting,
they returned to their own towns, often to work on their
farms. So Saul had to send men across Israel with a message
for the army to gather. Someone who heard that message
told David about it.
David’s experience at Keilah
(1 Samuel 23:9-13)
In Ecclesiastes 9:13-16, Solomon records how a wise man
once saved a city from its enemies. However afterwards,
nobody remembered that wise man. In other words, nobody
cared about him. When he needed help, the citizens of that
city would not help him.
David had a similar experience at Keilah. He had only just

saved that town from Philistia’s army. However, Saul then
heard that he was there. So he decided to come with an
army, in order to arrest David.
If the inhabitants of Keilah were willing to protect David, he

could have been safe there. The town had strong walls that
surrounded it. Israel’s soldiers would not want to attack one
of their own towns.
Saul was bringing a large army in order to frighten Keilah’s

inhabitants. However, a large army cannot remain in the
same place for a long time. If Keilah’s inhabitants were
willing to wait, perhaps both they and David would be safe. If
Saul’s army did not destroy Keilah, it would soon have to
leave that place.
David could not trust Keilah’s inhabitants, but he trusted

God. As soon as he heard the reports about Saul, he began
to pray. He asked God to show him what would happen. He
asked God whether Saul was really coming with his army. He
also asked whether Keilah’s inhabitants would hand him over.
God answered David by means of two brief messages that he

(God) gave to Abiathar the priest. David was not safe in
Keilah. Saul really was coming; and David must not trust
Keilah’s inhabitants.
So, David left Keilah. The number of men with him had
increased by this time from 400 to 600 (compare 1 Samuel
22:2 with 1 Samuel 23:13).
Life in the deserts of Israel
(1 Samuel 23:14)
The hills in central Israel receive much rain. At one time, a
vast forest covered much of the high ground in the entire
region. Some parts of that forest remained during David’s
life; David’s men were living there in 1 Samuel 22:5.
As one goes east and south from those hills, the ground
descends rapidly towards the Dead Sea. Soon, the land is so
dry that trees cannot grow. First, there is grass and rough
plants. Then the land becomes a desert.
You might think that it would be too difficult for David’s men
to live in such dry places. However, people have always
lived in those deserts and dry areas. Those people cannot
remain for long in one place. Like David’s men, they are
constantly moving from one place to another place. They
usually live in tents, although David’s men often stayed in
caves.
The people who lived in those dry areas needed to have great
knowledge about their region. Many of them, like Nabal in 1
Samuel 25:2, kept sheep. That is possible because the whole
region is not dry all of the time. If a person knows where to
take his sheep in each season, he can find food for them
through the year.
There were also many thieves and robbers in that region.

They often formed themselves into large groups that could
attack a town. Smaller groups of robbers could attack the
many traders who had to pass through the desert, as in Luke
10:30. Like David’s men, those robbers considered the desert
a good place to hide.
David’s men were able to work as guards in the desert (1

Samuel 25:16). They were protecting the people who looked
after animals there. In that way, they were defending
Israel’s borders.
David at Horesh
(1 Samuel 23:15)
David was staying at Horesh, which was a few miles south of
Hebron. The name ‘Horesh’ means a forest. Although only a
little rain falls in that area, some trees still managed to grow
there. That is why the place is called both a ‘forest’ and a
‘desert’. At this time, David’s men had only just begun to
move into the dry areas of the country. Later they would
move further into the desert.
In the meantime, however, they clearly considered that the

forests were good places to hide (compare 1 Samuel 22:5).
David had to hide, because Saul was again trying to kill

him. With a group of soldiers, Saul was searching across the
region to try to find David. However, God was protecting
David. So, Saul was unable to find David.
Saul’s latest efforts to catch David were secret. Originally,

David knew nothing about them; probably he did not even
know that Saul was in the same region. David discovered that
while he was at Horesh. However, Saul still could not find
David.
We may ask what Jonathan was doing at this time. Clearly,

he had not joined Saul’s men to search with him for David.
For many years, Saul had told Jonathan about all his (Saul’s)
secret plans (1 Samuel 20:2). That stopped when Saul began
to make plans to kill David. Saul was aware of Jonathan’s
friendship with David, so he kept these plans secret from
Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:3).
Jonathan had discovered Saul’s plans and he told David.

Then Jonathan returned to Saul’s town, Gibeah (1 Samuel
20:42). Later, Saul told his officials that Jonathan was
encouraging David to plot against Saul (1 Samuel 22:8).
Clearly, that was untrue. However, it shows us that Saul and
Jonathan did not have a good relationship at this time.
Jonathan still cared about David. In fact, although Saul
could not find David at Horesh, Jonathan found David there.
Jonathan’s last meeting with

David
(1 Samuel 23:16-17)
Jonathan found David at his (David’s) secret camp in Horesh.
It was the last time that the two men would meet.
Of course, Jonathan could not allow anyone to know that he

had gone there. Almost certainly he went alone. Perhaps he
went by night. David was in great danger; Jonathan’s
decision to visit him put Jonathan in great danger too.
However, we know that Jonathan was a very brave man (see
1 Samuel 14:6-14).
The purpose of Jonathan’s visit was to make David stronger

in his relationship with God. David’s troubles could easily
cause him to lose his confidence in God. However, at such
times, it becomes even more important to trust God
completely. Jonathan went to encourage his friend to depend
entirely on God.
Jonathan was completely unselfish. He had the right to be

Israel’s king after Saul’s death. However, Jonathan gave that
right to David. God had appointed David to be Israel’s next
king (1 Samuel 16:13), and Jonathan approved completely.
He only desired to be David’s friend and adviser. Jonathan
promised to be loyal to David and to support his rule.
It seems very sad to us that Jonathan was never able to do

that. Jonathan died on the same day as his father; that was
just a few days before David became king of Judah (southern
Israel). However, Jonathan had completed the work that God
had given him to do. He had taught David how to lead people
with an attitude of love. He had supported David during his
troubles and he had encouraged him to trust God.
Jonathan’s third covenant with

David
(1 Samuel 23:18)
Before Jonathan left David, he again made a covenant with
David. This was the third time that Jonathan had done this
(1 Samuel 18:3; 1 Samuel 20:16-17).
A covenant is a serious promise of friendship. Jonathan and

David made their promises in front of God. In other words,
they asked God to be the witness of their promises. They
declared themselves to be responsible to God if they did not
carry out their promises to each other.
The purpose of Jonathan’s first covenant with David was to

establish friendship between them. Even at their first
meeting, Jonathan realised that God had chosen David to
rule Israel (see 1 Samuel 18:4). As Saul’s oldest son,
Jonathan had the right to be Israel’s next king himself. That
fact could easily have made Jonathan and David into
enemies, but Jonathan did not want that to happen.
Jonathan served God loyally; so he wanted God to choose
Israel’s next king. Jonathan made that covenant to show
that he would remain David’s friend.
Jonathan made his second covenant when Saul was trying to

kill David. Because of those troubles, Jonathan wanted to
make their friendship stronger. So, they made their
covenant not just as a personal matter between themselves,
but on behalf of future members of their families.
On this third occasion, there was probably nothing more

that they could promise. However, Jonathan again wanted
to express his genuine love and friendship to David. David
was in great danger now, but soon he would be Israel’s king.
So Jonathan again promised that he would always remain
loyal to David. Their circumstances would change, but their
friendship would always last.
The Ziphites offer to hand David

over to Saul
(1 Samuel 23:19-20)
David wrote Psalm 54 either on this occasion or on the
occasion that 1 Samuel 26:1 describes. In that Psalm, he
asks God to save him from the cruel men who were attacking
him. He describes them as strangers who did not respect God.
Probably in those words he is describing the inhabitants of
Ziph, called Ziphites.
Although the Ziphites did not even know David, they already
hated him. They hated him so much that they were eager to
hand him over to Saul. Saul, of course, was trying to kill
David; the Ziphites clearly knew that fact. David was a
stranger in that region; he had done nothing that might upset
the Ziphites. In fact, David’s men tried hard to help the local
people in every region where they went (for example, 1
Samuel 23:5; 1 Samuel 25:15-16). So we may ask why the
Ziphites hated David so much.
A likely answer is simply that they wanted a reward. Saul

was very desperate to find David, so he would pay them well
for their information. As the nation’s king, Saul had enough
wealth to make them rich.
That answer matches the description of them in Psalm 54

well.
(1) They were cruel men. David was innocent and he did not
deserve to die. The Ziphites, therefore, cared more about
their own reward than they cared about David’s life.
(2) They did not respect God. People who do not respect God
will not obey his commands. Often they are not even afraid of
his judgements. The Ziphites were not afraid to hand over
David, an innocent man, to die, although that is against
God’s law (Numbers 35:33). They did not care that God’s
judgement would be against them.
Saul tries to bless the Ziphites
(1 Samuel 23:21-25)
When the Ziphites (inhabitants of Ziph) offered to hand
David over to Saul, Saul was very grateful. Saul even tried to
bless them in the name of the Lord. That is, he asked God to
show special kindness to them.
Saul should not have said such a thing. He knew that the
Ziphites were helping him to carry out a wicked scheme. It is
against God’s law to use his name in vain (in other words,
to use God’s name in a manner that is not right and proper) -
Deuteronomy 5:11. Neither Saul nor the Ziphites would gain
any benefit when Saul blessed them in this evil manner.
God’s judgement is always against people who do evil things.
Saul’s reply means that the Ziphites had not yet given
enough information for Saul to reward them. Saul already
knew that David was in the region of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14-
15). The Ziphites had only told Saul about a place where
someone had recently seen David. That information was not
good enough for Saul - David was moving his camp
constantly.
So, Saul told the Ziphites to get more information about

David’s movements. They should use their knowledge of the
local area and they should watch David constantly. If they
did that, then there could be a good reward for them. Saul
would pay them well for the right information.
So, the Ziphites began to watch David on Saul’s behalf.

With their help, Saul returned to the region to search for
David. David and his men moved south from Ziph, that is,
further into the desert. They moved into the desert near
Maon. Maon was about 7 miles (10 kilometres) south of Ziph.
How God saved David from Saul

at Maon
(1 Samuel 23:26-29)
Saul was searching for David because he wanted to kill
David. On several occasions, Saul almost succeeded.
However, God was protecting David. Each time, David
managed to escape from Saul. David was very skilful;
however, it was not by human skill that David escaped.
David knew that God had saved him; and David was very
grateful to God (see for example, Psalm 35).
On this particular occasion, Saul’s men were actually chasing

David’s men. It seemed that they would catch David. Then
one of Saul’s officials ran to Saul with an urgent message.
Groups of men from Philistia (called the Philistines) had
entered Israel to rob from it.
That was not an unusual event during Saul’s rule. The two
nations (Israel and Philistia) were constantly at war. Men
from Philistia often robbed Israel. However, Saul seems to
have brought all his best soldiers away from the border of
Philistia, in order to chase David. Israel’s farm workers
would all try to defend their towns, but there was nobody to
command them.
Saul made the immediate decision that he had to stop his

search for David. Saul hated David very much - but it was
more important for Saul to lead his men against the
Philistines. The most important duty in Saul’s life was to
rescue Israel from the Philistines (1 Samuel 9:16). Even in
this situation, Saul would not neglect that task.
So at once, Saul took his men across Israel in order to fight

against the Philistines. They had to leave the region
completely; the border was about 30 miles (50 kilometres)
away.
David escaped and he went even further into the desert, to

En Gedi.
1 Samuel chapter 24
David at En Gedi
(1 Samuel 24:1-2)
En Gedi is one of the most beautiful and special places in
Israel. It is in the desert, far from any other town, and near
the Dead Sea. In this dry and difficult place, the springs at
En Gedi provide plentiful water, and wonderful gardens
grow.
Here David found a safe place to live when he was trying to

escape from Saul. Of course, David could not stay in the
town. He and his men made their home among the rocks, in
the cliffs and caves of the desert in that region (see Hebrews
11:38). Although David could hide successfully there, he still
could not escape Saul’s attention. Saul took a group of 3000
skilled soldiers into the region to try to find David.
Saul’s men would establish their main camp in En Gedi itself.

The plentiful supplies of food and water would allow them to
remain in that region for a long time. Each day, they would
leave the town and go into the desert to search for David and
his men.
David’s men too would have to go into the town frequently

for their supplies. Of course, they went there in secret. It
was much too dangerous for them to allow anyone to see
them. At all other times, they stayed in the desert. Each
night, they probably chose a different place to camp. Often
they slept in the vast caves there.
David was still leading a group of 600 men (1 Samuel 23:13;

1 Samuel 27:2). If there had been fewer men, perhaps they
could have lived on the animals in the desert. Many wild
goats live in such regions (Job 39:1-4). The region was not
completely dry. Some people were managing to keep sheep
there, for part of the year at least (1 Samuel 24:3). However,
with such a large group of men, David clearly needed
supplies from the town. So he had to remain in the region of
En Gedi while Saul was searching for him there.
Saul enters the cave where David

is hiding
(1 Samuel 24:3-4)
En Gedi was a safe place for David until Saul brought his
army of 3000 men there. They were skilled soldiers, who had
plenty of experience of war in the desert. Again, David was in
great danger. However, in the hills near En Gedi, there were
plenty of places to hide. David’s men could hide in vast caves
when Saul’s men approached.
On this particular occasion, Saul entered the actual cave

where David was hiding. Saul was unaware that David was
there. The Bible says that Saul went into the cave ‘to cover
his feet’. That phrase probably means that he wanted to go
to the toilet. He went into the cave because he did not
consider it proper for younger men to see his naked body
(compare Genesis 9:22-23).
The cave of course was dark, so Saul did not see David’s men.
However, they recognised Saul as he entered the cave.
David’s men urged David to kill Saul. They argued that God
had given that opportunity to David. They reminded David
about a promise that God had given to him. We do not know
when or how God gave that promise to David. However, all
David’s men knew that God had appointed David to be
Israel’s next king. Clearly, David could not rule Israel while
Saul remained alive.
David absolutely refused to hurt Saul. God had appointed

Saul to rule; David believed that he should always remain
loyal to Saul. God might punish Saul, but David would not do
it (1 Samuel 26:9-10).
However, David saw that Saul had left his long coat by the
entrance of the cave. David went and he cut off the lower
part of that coat. By that action David probably intended to
show that God had given him the authority to rule as Israel’s
next king. It is interesting to compare David’s action here
with the incident in 1 Samuel 15:27-28.
David cuts off part of Saul’s coat
(1 Samuel 24:5-7)
Saul had entered the cave where David was hiding. Then Saul
took off his coat. Quietly, David cut some cloth from the
lower part of Saul’s coat. Then he went back into the dark
places where his men were hiding.
David had not hurt Saul, but immediately David felt guilty.
David saw that he had a duty to be loyal to Saul. Saul was the
king of Israel, so Saul was David’s king. Saul was acting
wrongly towards David; but that gave David no right to act
wrongly towards Saul.
In addition, Saul was not merely a king; he was the king

whom God had appointed. God’s Holy Spirit had come upon
Saul in a powerful way. To oppose Saul would be to oppose
God’s Spirit. Saul was behaving wickedly, but the Holy Spirit
could still be working in his life (1 Samuel 19:23-24). David
had to deal with Saul as if Saul was still a holy man. That
was the effect of the ceremony to appoint Saul king: the oil
showed that God had separated him to do God’s work. So
God made him holy (1 Samuel 10:1).
So David told his men that it was wrong to oppose Saul. He

warned them that they must not hurt Saul. David confessed
that he himself was wrong to cut the piece of cloth from
Saul’s coat. If Saul was guilty, then God alone could act as
his judge (1 Samuel 24:15). David must not punish Saul;
instead, David had to respect him always. It was wrong even
to touch a holy man in a manner that opposed him (1
Chronicles 16:22).
David’s decision probably caused shock among his men. They

were ready to attack Saul. Saul’s death would bring about a
quick end of their troubles. However, David would not allow
it. He respected God and so, he respected Saul as his king.
David appeals to Saul as his

judge
(1 Samuel 24:8-15)
In the cave, David’s men reminded him about a message that
he had received from God. God would hand over David’s
enemy, King Saul to him. Then David could deal with Saul as
he wished (1 Samuel 24:4).
David’s men thought that God’s message gave David the right
to kill Saul. David absolutely refused to do that. It was very
wrong to kill the king whom God had appointed. David
insisted that he and his men must respect Saul.
David understood that message from God in a completely

different way. The message told David to deal with Saul as he
wished. Of course David did not wish to kill the king whom he
had always loyally served! David wished to give Saul the
honour that was due to him as Israel’s king and therefore,
as God’s servant. David wished to appeal to Saul as his king,
to make his (Saul’s) own judgement about Saul’s decision to
kill him. David wanted to remind Saul about his relationship
with God, who in the end would be Saul’s judge.
So David humbly bent his body to the ground to give the

greatest possible honour to Saul. As any citizen of Israel had
the right to do, he appealed to Saul as his king and judge.
He urged Saul not to listen to anyone who may have accused
him unfairly. Saul himself could see the evidence that David
was loyal to him. David had not killed Saul when he had the
opportunity to do that. In fact, he had protected Saul from
his (David’s) men.
David’s appeal was firstly to Saul, but David also appealed

to God. God was the judge of both Saul and David; and he
knew the truth about these matters. Whatever Saul decided,
God’s judgement would be right. So David declared that he
would do nothing to oppose Saul. God himself would punish
Saul for his evil deeds - but David would not do any such
thing.
Saul makes a judgement between

himself and David
(1 Samuel 24:16-19)
In ancient Israel, the king was also the most important
judge in the nation. So when David wanted to appeal against
Saul’s decision to kill him, he could only appeal to Saul.
Nobody else had the authority to make a judgement in that
matter.
We might imagine that Saul would be unable to make a fair

judgement between himself and David. However, Saul
listened carefully to David’s speech. He thought about
David’s words. Saul decided that David was right. Saul
knew that he (Saul) had acted wrongly.
Saul’s words in 1 Samuel 24:17 may remind us of Judah’s

words in Genesis 38:26. Judah too had to make a judgement
against himself. It would be hard for Saul to say such a thing;
Saul was a proud man.
Saul was man who showed strong emotions. We have seen

how he expressed fear (1 Samuel 10:21-22), anger (1 Samuel
11:6-7) and hate (1 Samuel 19:9-17). On this occasion, he
showed love towards David. He even called David his ‘son’.
That seems extraordinary; but Saul genuinely cared about
the men who served him in a sincere and loyal manner (1
Samuel 16:21). Saul admired such qualities. By his loyal
attitudes, David had shown love towards Saul, although Saul
did not deserve it. Saul’s reaction was to show love
towards David.
Saul even wept. Perhaps he wept because of the love that he

now felt once again towards David. Perhaps he wept because
of the way that he had ruined his own life by his jealous
attitudes and cruel actions. His tears were a reaction to the
great kindness that David had shown him. Saul could only
expect his enemy to deal cruelly with him and to kill him.
However, David had shown Saul love, and he had even given
honour to Saul (see Matthew 5:43-48).
Saul declares that David will be

Israel’s next king
(1 Samuel 24:20-22)
Saul now declared that David would be Israel’s next king.
Jonathan had recently told David that Saul believed that (1
Samuel 23:17). Actually, Saul had known it for a long time (1
Samuel 15:28), but he did not want it to happen (1 Samuel
18:8-9; 1 Samuel 20:31).
Now, probably for the only time in his life, Saul wanted
David to be king. It was David’s sincere, loyal and kind
attitudes that had this powerful effect on Saul.
Saul himself had always tried to rule in a cruel and

impressive manner. He himself saw how such attitudes had
ruined both his own life and his rule as king. Those attitudes
had caused him to do evil things and even to oppose God.
At last - but only for a moment - Saul realised that there was
a better way to rule a nation. He wished that his nation had
a king who was loyal to God. In fact, he not only wished it -
he also believed it. He had heard the promise that God gave
by his servant Samuel (1 Samuel 15:28). Saul was confident
that God wanted David to be Israel’s king. So Saul told
David that God would establish his (David’s) rule over
Israel.
Saul then asked David, as Israel’s next king, to make a

promise to him. It was usual after a revolution for the new
king to kill every member of the former king’s family. Saul
asked David to show kindness and not cruelty to his
family.
We think that David kept that promise. He punished severely

the men who killed Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth (2 Samuel
chapter 4). He gave great honour to Saul’s grandson,
Mephibosheth (2 Samuel chapter 9).
However, David did allow the deaths of several of Saul’s

family in 2 Samuel chapter 21. We think that he was right to
do that. It was an act of judgement on behalf of the
inhabitants of Gibeon. As the king, David also had to act as a
judge.
1 Samuel chapter 25
Samuel’s funeral
(1 Samuel 25:1)
After their meeting in 1 Samuel chapter 24, Saul returned to
Gibeah and David stayed in En Gedi. For a period of perhaps
a few months, there was peace between the two men.
It was during this period that Israel heard of the death of

Samuel, their prophet (holy man). Samuel had lived a very
long life; it upset the whole nation to hear that he was dead.
Samuel became a prophet when he was just a boy; hardly
anyone could remember the time before Samuel became
Israel’s national prophet. During his whole life, he had
served God loyally among them and he had declared God’s
messages to them. His death was a great loss for their
nation.
Samuel had not just served God as a holy man. For many
years, he was also Israel’s national leader. He was the last
person who led Israel as its judge. He did that until he
appointed Saul to be Israel’s first king.
When Saul began to rule, Samuel retired from the leadership

of the nation. However, he continued his work as a prophet.
He continued to pray for the nation and its king, and he
continued to teach them about God. During this period, Saul
depended very much on Samuel. Saul was very aware that,
unlike Samuel, he did not have a close relationship with God.
Saul needed Samuel to guide him and to speak God’s word to
him.
However, several years later, Saul decided that he would not

obey God. That was a very sad time for Samuel. He refused
to visit Saul again. During that period, God sent Samuel to
appoint David as Israel’s next king.
Both Saul and David would have considered Samuel’s death

to be very sad news. For the first time in their lives, Israel
had no national prophet. However, God had already chosen a
new prophet for Israel. His name was Gad; he had already
given David a message from God (1 Samuel 22:5). Nathan
too would serve God as a national prophet during David’s
rule (1 Chronicles 29:29).
Nabal in Maon
(1 Samuel 25:2-3)
The whole nation had gathered for Samuel’s funeral. After
the funeral, David and his men did not return to En Gedi.
Instead, they went back to Maon (1 Samuel 25:1). They had
previously been there (1 Samuel 23:24). They knew that,
during that period of the year, they could find work there as
guards (1 Samuel 25:16).
Nabal was one of the richest men in that region. His wealth
depended upon the skill of the men whom he employed to
look after his animals. They had to lead his sheep and goats
through a dry region, to find food and water for them.
The places where they could find those things would vary
through the year. Nabal’s success was the result of their
careful efforts.
Nabal was doing this in one of the most dangerous regions

in ancient Israel. On the south side of Judah, there lived
many groups of thieves and robbers. These men lived wholly
or partly by what they could steal from Israel’s people. Job
1:13-17 describes typical attacks by thieves in these regions.
They gathered in large groups, then they attacked suddenly.
They would take away all the animals at once. They would kill
the men who were looking after those animals.
Israel’s army was not active in the south of Judah because

Saul’s men were constantly fighting wars elsewhere. So
Nabal’s servants depended very much on whatever guards
they could obtain. It was hard to find guards whom they
could trust. Many men who offered themselves to be guards
were in fact thieves. So when David brought his men into the
region, Nabal’s servants were very grateful for their help.
David’s men did not receive their full wages immediately. It
was the custom that, at the proper time, David would
arrange this with Nabal, on their behalf.
Customs for the payment of

guards
(1 Samuel 25:4-8)
When David took his men to Maon to work as guards, he
followed the customs (ancient rules) in that region. He did
not ask whether those rules were right or wrong. Nobody did
that; everyone considered their customs to be the law.
David acted as the chief (manager and master) of his men. He
organised their work; he punished them if they did not
behave. They were responsible to him.
David’s men had to work closely with the shepherds (the

men who looked after the sheep and goats). Often, the
shepherds who worked for several different owners would all
gather with their animals in a particular place. So, the guards
(such as David’s men) would not just be protecting the
animals for one owner at a time. They would guard
everyone’s animals.
The proper time for payment for the guards was when an
owner sheared (cut the wool from) his sheep. The owner
gathered together all his animals then, so it was possible to
count the animals. Someone who had more animals had to
pay a higher price to the guards. So, a rich man paid much
more than a poor man.
There were no courts or judges to make sure that people

obeyed these rules. Instead, the chief of the guards would
punish any owner who did not pay. He would consider the
owner to be his enemy, and he would send his guards to
attack that owner and his men. The two sides would act as if
there was a war between them. It was a very severe matter
to refuse to make the proper payment.
David did not expect Nabal to cause any trouble. David knew
that his men had protected Nabal’s animals well. So, David
sent Nabal a friendly greeting with a polite request for the
usual payment. David called it a gift; but of course,
everyone knew that the payment was due.
Nabal refuses to pay David’s men
(1 Samuel 25:9-13)
David had sent a friendly message to Nabal. With that
message, he requested the usual payment for his men who
had worked as Nabal’s guards. Of course, David expected a
polite and friendly reply, especially as Nabal and David were
distant relatives.
So Nabal’s reply caused great shock for David and his men.
Nabal not only refused to pay; his words were cruel and
nasty. Nabal said that he did not know David or his family.
Nabal called David a servant who had not been loyal to his
master (King Saul). Nabal refused to respect David’s men,
although they had worked hard for him for several months.
Clearly, Nabal intended that his words would offend David
and his men.
For David, this was a matter of honour. David cared little

about personal insults (see 2 Samuel 16:5-13), but he had a
duty to defend his men. Even the payment now seemed
unimportant; Nabal had behaved terribly and David would
punish him and his men. So David ordered his men to prepare
to fight; Nabal was now his enemy.
By the customs and ancient rules of that region, David had

the right to act as he did. That was how the chiefs (leaders
of groups of guards) always acted. If they were strong
enough, they would attack such an enemy. They would only
accept the loss if they were too weak to fight.
However, David had not realised how this matter affected

his relationship with God. David was trusting God to deal
with Saul (1 Samuel 24:12). He needed to trust God now to
deal with all his enemies, including Nabal. Otherwise, many
innocent men would die when David attacked Nabal. They
included Nabal’s servants who looked after his sheep.
It was the sensible words of one of those servants that saved

both the servants and David from that result (1 Samuel
25:14-17).
Nabal’s servant appeals to

Abigail
(1 Samuel 25:14-17)
This servant was one of the men who looked after Nabal’s
sheep. He had heard how Nabal had insulted David. He also
knew how well David’s men had worked to guard Nabal’s
animals.
The servant saw that Nabal and his workers were in great
danger. Perhaps Nabal had previously refused to pay a group
of guards, and his workers were able to defend him. That
could not happen on this occasion, however. David’s men
were much more capable than the men who usually worked
as guards in that region. They included many of the best
soldiers in Israel, and David himself was a skilled army
commander.
However, the servant did not appeal to Abigail, Nabal’s wife,

just because of the strength of David’s men. He asked her to
help because David’s men deserved to receive payment for
their work as guards. They were not cruel to the men who
were looking after the animals. They did not steal any of the
animals for themselves, as other guards often did. They were
active both by day and by night, and they did their work well.
It was clearly right that they should receive a good payment.
The servant spoke to Abigail because he could not speak to

Nabal. That is, Nabal would refuse to listen to him. Perhaps
several of Nabal’s servants had already urged him to pay
David’s men without success. Nabal was a wicked and proud
man. He cared only about his own opinions. He would not
listen to anyone’s advice - especially not to advice from
someone who was just his servant.
Nabal was cruel and greedy, but Abigail was sensible and
intelligent. It did not offend her that a servant had asked
her to act; she was grateful for the information. She saw that
she must immediately send a generous gift for David and his
men.
As she prepared that gift, David was already preparing to

attack.
Abigail goes to meet David
(1 Samuel 25:18-22)
Nabal, by his cruel words and evil actions, had become
David’s enemy. David had firmly decided to attack both him
and the men who worked for him. He did not delay; he
intended to kill them all that evening.
Abigail, Nabal’s wife, also did not delay. One of Nabal’s

servants had told her how cruelly Nabal had replied to David.
Abigail realised that she must act at once to save her family
and her servants from David’s punishment. She acted wisely.
Perhaps she could not save her wicked husband. However,
she hoped to save her servants, who were innocent in this
matter. She also desired to save David himself, so that he
would not be guilty of this evil deed against innocent men.
David led 600 men. Abigail wanted to give a gift that would
provide something good for them all. It was a great task to
prepare a good meal for so many men. However, the
situation was urgent and the task was important. Her
purpose was not to feed people but to save innocent lives.
Of course she did not tell her husband. Nabal would never
approve of her plan; he intended to make David angry. Nabal
probably thought all the food was for himself and his friends.
He intended to eat and to drink as plentifully as a king that
night (1 Samuel 25:36).
As soon as the food was ready, Abigail ordered her

servants to take it to David. She herself would ride behind
her gift.
She was just in time. David, with 400 of his men, was already
approaching. They all had swords. David had just made a
serious promise to kill Nabal and all the men who worked for
him. Abigail had shown great wisdom. Now she must urge
David to act wisely too.
Abigail urges David not to attack

Nabal
(1 Samuel 25:23-27)
Nabal had offended David greatly. Now David and his men
were coming to attack Nabal at his home. David had even
made a serious promise to kill every man who worked for
Nabal. That was a foolish promise. However, nobody tried to
stop David until Abigail, Nabal’s wife, came.
Abigail acted in a very humble manner as she gave honour to

David. Then she spoke to David and she urged him not to
carry out his attack.
Abigail did not pretend that David had not suffered. She
knew that he was right to be angry. Her husband had
behaved in a wrong and evil manner. However, she did not
first blame her husband. She blamed herself. Like David in 1
Samuel 22:22, she accepted responsibility for an evil deed
that someone else had carried out. She did it to save the lives
of the men who worked for Nabal. In this matter, they were
innocent. Nabal, of course, was not innocent. Abigail
reminded David that in their language (called Hebrew), the
word NABAL means a wicked fool. That was how Nabal had
behaved. He had behaved wickedly, and he had done it on
purpose.
Abigail then explained to David why she had come to meet

him. She had not merely come on her own authority. God
himself was using Abigail to save David from the
responsibility for an evil deed. Saul, like many cruel men,
often attacked people simply because he was angry with
them. However, David was a man who served God loyally; he
should not behave like that. If David attacked Nabal, many
innocent men would die too. They were the men who worked
for Nabal.
So Abigail urged David to accept the gift that she had

brought for his men. Also, she prayed that God would act
against all David’s enemies, including Nabal. It was right
that God, and not David, should punish them.
Abigail, a holy woman
(1 Samuel 25:28-31)
We already knew that Abigail was beautiful and intelligent (1
Samuel 25:3). Here, we discover that she was also a holy
woman. God had sent her to David (1 Samuel 25:32) and she
declared God’s message to him.
In the Book of 1 Samuel, women gave a series of messages

from God. First, Hannah declared how God would establish
his rule on the earth (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Then Israel’s women
sang that David’s successes in battle would be much greater
than Saul’s successes (1 Samuel 18:7).
Now Abigail declared God’s promises to David (1 Samuel

25:28-31). Samuel (1 Samuel 15:28), Jonathan (1 Samuel
23:17) and even Saul (1 Samuel 24:20) had already declared
similar things about David. However, Abigail’s words seem
even clearer.
First, Abigail declared that, unlike Saul’s rule (1 Samuel

13:13), David’s rule would last (see 2 Samuel 7:8-16).
David’s family would rule after him and God’s king, called the
Messiah or Christ, would come from his family (Matthew
1:1).
For that reason, David had to be a holy king, in other words,

a king who belonged to God. David must not fight his own
battles, as he had tried to do against Nabal. It was David’s
duty and honour to fight God’s battles. David must not fight
except where God had sent him to fight. So, David would only
fight against God’s enemies; he must only fight when God had
sent him to carry out an act of judgement.
God had chosen David to serve him as Israel’s next king. For
that reason, it was especially important that David should
not do wrong things. He was not just a soldier and a leader;
he was a holy man. Saul was trying to kill David, but God was
on David’s side. So David would live, but his enemies would
die. They could not succeed; they were opposing the king
whom God had chosen to lead his people.
David confesses his wrong plans
(1 Samuel 25:32-35)
Many people do not like to confess when they have done
wrong things. One of David’s best qualities was that he did
not hesitate to confess such matters. He was guilty of
several actions that were seriously wrong during his life.
Each time, he confessed the matter as soon as he was aware
of it.
On this particular occasion, Abigail managed to stop David

before he actually did anything wrong. David had no wrong
deeds to confess; so he confessed that his plans were
wrong. He was coming to kill every man who worked for
Nabal. However, many of those men were innocent. David
had made a cruel decision because Nabal had offended him
by his insults. It was wrong for David to make that decision.
People may confess their wrong deeds, but refuse to change

their attitudes. That was how Saul behaved in 1 Samuel
15:24-25. Such people should not imagine that God will
forgive them. David acted properly: he changed his
attitudes at once.
David expressed his thanks both to God and to Abigail

that she had stopped his wrong plan. Clearly, he was very
grateful that she had interrupted his progress. He recognised
that it would have been very wrong for him to act cruelly
towards Nabal and his servants. David did not want to be
guilty of an evil deed; he only wanted to do what God
considered to be right.
Nabal had refused to pay David’s men for their work as

guards. Abigail considered herself guilty because she had not
dealt with the matter (1 Samuel 25:23-25). So now she had
brought a gift for the men, and she wanted David to forgive
her.
Of course, David gladly forgave her if she did anything

wrong. He accepted the gift and he promised not to attack
Nabal’s servants. The trouble between himself and Nabal’s
family had ended.
The death of Nabal
(1 Samuel 25:36-39)
Abigail had convinced David that he should not attack
Nabal’s house. She had saved Nabal’s servants, and she
could have saved Nabal’s life too. However, Nabal was much
too proud and wicked to receive any benefit from her
actions.
Nabal’s proud attitudes astonish us. It did not worry him

that he had offended David so seriously. He was not even
making plans about how he might defend himself from an
attack by David’s men. Instead, he was very happy. He had
arranged for himself (and, probably, his friends) a great meal
with plenty of food and wine. He was enjoying himself very
much.
Probably, Nabal was pleased that he had cheated David’s

men. They had worked hard for him for several months, and
he had not given them the usual payment. Nabal probably
thought that he was very clever. This proud and foolish man
thought that it was clever to behave in a wicked manner.
David did not need to punish Nabal. As Abigail had said (1

Samuel 25:29), God acted against him. The news of how
Abigail had acted to save Nabal and his servants, upset him
greatly. The Bible says that his heart became like a stone. He
was completely unwilling to change his attitudes; this seems
to have caused a terrible illness.
Soon afterwards, Nabal died.

David heard, and he gave thanks to God. He did not thank

God for Nabal’s death. He thanked God because God had
saved him from the responsibility for an evil deed. David
had not carried out his intention to kill Nabal and his
servants. Instead, he waited and he allowed God to act
against Nabal.
So Nabal died, not because David was angry with him, but
because of God’s judgement. David could see that God’s
judgement against Nabal, like all God’s judgements, was right
and proper.
Abigail becomes David’s wife
(1 Samuel 25:40-44)
We already knew that David admired Abigail’s character.
Now the author of 1 Samuel tells us how much David liked
her. He chose her as his wife.
We are sure that Abigail was very sad after the death of
Nabal, her first husband. Nabal was an evil man so, almost
certainly, he had been cruel to Abigail. Still, Abigail would
have felt a definite sense of loss at his death. Nabal had an
important place in her life; she would have felt lonely without
him. Also, she would have regretted deeply that she had been
unable to persuade him to change his attitudes. The death of
Nabal was an awful death.
It seems that Abigail had no children yet. Therefore, after

Nabal’s death, his brother had a duty to marry her
(Deuteronomy 25:5). It seems that David prevented that by
his decision to marry her. He did not want her to have to
marry another cruel man. Instead, he chose her to be his
own wife, because he loved her. Her reply to him shows that
he chose well. She did not accept in order to become rich
or important, but to serve other people.
David had several wives. We do not think that was a wise

decision; however, God’s law permitted it. The children of
David’s different wives argued and fought against each
other; they caused David many troubles.
In fact, the only one of David’s first 4 sons who did not cause
great trouble for him was Abigail’s son. He is called by two
different names: Kileab in 2 Samuel 3:3, and Daniel in 1
Chronicles 3:1. He was born in Hebron and he was David’s
second son. After the death of his oldest brother, Amnon,
people would normally expect Kileab to become king after
David. However, God chose Solomon to rule after David.
Unlike Kileab’s younger brothers, Absalom and Adonijah,
Kileab did not fight to try to become king. Perhaps he had
learnt some of the good qualities that his parents, David and
Abigail, had shown.
1 Samuel chapter 26
The Ziphites again cause trouble
for David
(1 Samuel 26:1-4)
For several months after the incident in 1 Samuel chapter 24,
Saul allowed David to live peacefully in southern Judah.
David had remarried, and his men had found work as guards
there. It seemed as if Saul had forgotten his anger towards
David.
Then the inhabitants of Ziph (called Ziphites), who caused

trouble for David in 1 Samuel 23:19-20, began to cause
trouble for him again. Ziph was near to Maon, where Nabal
had lived (1 Samuel 25:2). It is likely, therefore, that the
inhabitants of Ziph were relatives of Nabal. Perhaps they
were now angry with David about what had happened to
Nabal. Or perhaps they were angry that David had married
Abigail, Nabal’s widow.
These men went to Saul, and they reminded him about his
anger towards David. They told him where David was now
living. They urged Saul to come and to kill David.
Saul’s usual army had 3000 men, as 1 Samuel 13:2 and 1

Samuel 24:2 show. These men were the skilled soldiers who
were constantly fighting on Saul’s behalf (1 Samuel 14:52).
Saul’s decision to bring this army into the region was a very
serious matter for David. David could see that he would be
unable to remain in Israel (1 Samuel 27:1). It was too
dangerous for David to be there when Saul’s attitudes could
change so quickly. At their last meeting, Saul had been
friendly towards David (1 Samuel 24:16-20). Now the
inhabitants of Ziph had persuaded Saul to become David’s
enemy again (1 Samuel 26:19).
David had no desire to fight Saul or his army. Instead, David

was thinking about how he and his men could safely leave
Israel.
David goes to see Saul’s camp
(1 Samuel 26:5)
Saul had brought his 3000 best soldiers into the region of
Ziph. They were ready to attack and to kill David and his 600
men.
Clearly, it would have been foolish for David to fight a battle

in such circumstances (Luke 14:31-32). In fact, David did
not want to fight Saul in any situation. David respected
Saul as the king whom God had chosen to rule Israel. In
David’s opinion, a person who fought against Saul was
opposing God.
David could see that none of Saul’s officials could ever

persuade Saul not to fight against David. Jonathan, Saul’s
son, had tried it and he had failed (1 Samuel 19:4-10).
Instead, David could only appeal to Saul himself. David did
that successfully in 1 Samuel chapter 24.
Even if David succeeded on this occasion, the result would

not be permanent. Since an evil spirit began to affect Saul in
1 Samuel 16:14, Saul could not control his own emotions. For
Saul, an attitude of love could quickly change into hate (see 1
Samuel 20:27-33). Evil people could easily persuade Saul to
act wickedly (1 Samuel 26:19).
However, on this occasion, David did not need to achieve

anything permanent. It was becoming clear that David and
his men would have to leave Israel (1 Samuel 26:19; 1
Samuel 27:1). So David simply wanted to arrange that his
men could leave safely. He did not want Saul’s men to
attack as they tried to escape.
To arrange that, David needed to speak personally to Saul.

That was not an easy matter. 3000 skilled soldiers who
wanted to kill David were camping round Saul’s tent. Even if
David could speak to Saul, David would still have to persuade
him to act kindly towards David and his men.
Abishai and Ahimelech the

Hittite
(1 Samuel 26:6)
David needed to persuade Saul not to attack him or his men.
So, David went, with two men whom he trusted, to Saul’s
camp. David went by night; Saul was asleep, and 3000
soldiers were camping round him, to protect him.
The two men whom David asked to join him that night are
interesting. The man who accepted was Abishai.
Abishai was a relative of David. Abishai’s mother was

Zeruiah, who was David’s sister. David had a group of three
men who were the strongest and most capable men in
Israel’s army. Abishai became the commander of those three
men, although he was not one of them (2 Samuel 23:18-19).
Abishai’s brother was Joab, who became the leader of

David’s whole army (1 Chronicles 11:6). David considered
Joab and Abishai the most powerful men in Israel (2 Samuel
3:39).
We know nothing about the other man, Ahimelech, except

the nation that he came from. However that fact is very
interesting. Ahimelech did not belong to Israel’s people. He
was one of the people called Hittites, who were among the
original inhabitants of Canaan. Uriah, who was one of David’s
most loyal and skilled soldiers, also belonged to the Hittites
(2 Samuel chapter 11; 2 Samuel 23:39).
David fought many wars against foreign nations (2 Samuel

chapter 8); sometimes people wrongly imagine that David
hated foreigners. In fact, David constantly made friends
with foreigners. For example, he was friendly with King
Nahash of Ammon (2 Samuel 10:1-2); and Zelek from Ammon
was a leader in David’s army (2 Samuel 23:37). Some of
David’s most important soldiers were the men called the
Kerethites and Pelethites (2 Samuel 8:18); the Kerethites
were from Philistia (Ezekiel 25:16). In fact, men from
Philistia were among David’s most loyal soldiers (2 Samuel
15:18-22). Araunah, who provided David with the land for
God’s house, belonged to the people called Jebusites (2
Samuel 24:18-25). Many of these foreigners had accepted
the real God as their God.
Contrast between the attitudes

of Abishai and David
(1 Samuel 26:7-9)
Although David respected Abishai and his brother Joab for
their military skills, he did not approve of their cruelty. He
considered them evil men whom he was unable to control (2
Samuel 3:39; 1 Kings 2:5-6).
Abishai and Joab believed that David would become Israel’s

king. They supported him because his rule would give them
the opportunity to have great power and authority.
For that reason, David’s attitudes and methods were very

different from theirs. Of course Abishai wanted to kill Saul.
David could never be king while Saul remained alive.
However, David was not asking himself what he needed to do
in order to become king. David was trusting God to arrange
his life for him. So instead, David was asking himself what
he must do in order to please God. Clearly God would not
be pleased if David murdered Saul.
David had a special reason why he would not hurt Saul. Saul
was the king whom God had appointed to rule Israel. God
had separated Saul from everyone else in Israel for that
special task. Therefore, David considered Saul to be a holy
man, a servant of God. Saul had not been loyal to God, but
he was still Israel’s king. So, David believed that everyone in
Israel, including David himself, must be loyal to Saul.
David ordered Abishai not to attack Saul. Abishai obeyed; he

accepted David’s authority. However, Abishai would still
have considered David’s decision very strange. In Abishai’s
opinion, any opportunity to achieve success was a gift from
God.
However, David would have preferred for his ambitions to

fail than that he should offend God by them.
Why David would not punish Saul
(1 Samuel 26:10-12)
David and Abishai had entered Saul’s camp secretly by night.
Although 3000 soldiers were guarding Saul, they were all
asleep. David and Abishai were able to enter the king’s tent,
and nobody stopped them.
Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but David stopped him. David

simply wanted to take two objects as evidence that they had
been in Saul’s tent. Later, David would use those objects to
prove to Saul that he remained loyal to him.
David did not protect Saul because he imagined Saul to be an

innocent man. David knew that Saul was guilty of many
terrible crimes. Saul had ordered the deaths of many people,
without any proper reason (1 Samuel 22:16-18; 2 Samuel
21:1). He had decided on purpose not to obey God (1 Samuel
13:13; 1 Samuel 15:11). He was jealous and angry with
David, and he had tried to murder David on several
occasions.
Clearly, Saul deserved punishment. However, David insisted

that he would not carry out that punishment against Saul.
Because God had appointed Saul to be king, David considered
Saul to be God’s servant. A servant is responsible to his
master, therefore, Saul was responsible to God. So it would
be wrong for David to punish Saul; God alone should
punish Saul.
David believed that God would punish Saul. He explained to

Abishai how that might happen. Saul might die in a battle, or
he might die in some other way. Then Saul would stand in
front of God as his judge. All the rulers of the world are
responsible to God. He laughs when they try to oppose him.
He will establish his government in the world, as 1 Samuel
2:1-10 and Psalm 2 teach.
David calls to Abner
(1 Samuel 26:13-16)
David had gone by night into Saul’s camp. He took away two
objects to prove that he had entered Saul’s tent. Nobody had
stopped him because they were all asleep.
On the next morning, David stood on the hill opposite Saul’s

camp. He was some distance from the camp, but he could
shout across to the people there.
Then David called to Abner. Abner was the most important

official in Saul’s government and the commander of his army.
Abner had spent the night in the same tent as Saul. It was
his special responsibility to guard Saul. However when David
and his companion Abishai entered the tent, Abner was
sleeping.
Abner heard David’s shouts, although David was too far away
for Abner to recognise him. As Saul’s chief official, Abner
understood that David’s message was really for Saul.
Abner replied. Then David continued to speak to Abner,

although his message was really to Saul. It was the duty of
all Israel’s soldiers to defend the life of their king. That was
their national duty, as citizens of Israel; but it was also a
sacred duty because God had appointed Saul to rule Israel.
For Abner, it was also a personal duty, David explained.

Abner had neglected that duty during the night, and the
king had been in danger. Someone had entered the king’s
tent, and he had wanted to kill the king (1 Samuel 26:8).
Abner knew nothing about it, because he was asleep.
However, David had evidence. The evidence was the two
objects that David had taken from Saul’s tent
Abner had not saved Saul’s life that night. David, whom Saul
considered his enemy, had saved Saul. The king’s most
important official had not acted in a loyal and responsible
manner; but David was still loyal to Saul. David’s purpose
was to prove that Saul should not be opposing him.
Saul’s change of attitude
(1 Samuel 26:17)
The sound of David’s voice went far in the quiet air of the
early morning. Although David was on a hill opposite Saul’s
camp, Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, heard him
clearly. David explained how, during the night, he had saved
Saul’s life.
Saul himself was also listening to David’s speech. David

had not told Abner his name; but Saul knew that it was
David. Saul knew that because of David’s attitudes. None of
Saul’s officials were as loyal to him as David (1 Samuel
22:14). None of them cared so much about Saul as David did
(1 Samuel 16:21-23; 1 Samuel 19:4-5).
Immediately, Saul realised that he was wrong to oppose

David. For that reason, Saul again called David ‘my son’ (see
1 Samuel 24:16). He chose that phrase in order to express
love towards David. He was pleased with David; he approved
of David.
Saul’s attitude of hate towards David had again changed to

the opposite emotion: love.
David then replied in a manner that gave honour to Saul. He

called Saul ‘my lord’, in other words, ‘my master’. That
showed that he still respected Saul greatly. Saul was David’s
master, so David considered himself merely to be Saul’s
servant. A servant has a duty to be loyal to his master; David
understood that he still had a duty to be loyal to Saul.
David also called Saul ‘the king’. God had appointed David to
rule Israel (1 Samuel 16:13), but David still recognised Saul’s
authority as king. David would not start a revolution and he
would not oppose Saul. For the rest of Saul’s life, David
considered Saul to be Israel’s king.
David’s second appeal to Saul
(1 Samuel 26:18-20)
At David’s first appeal to Saul, David had approached Saul (1
Samuel 24:8). At this second and last appeal, David stood at
a great distance from Saul (1 Samuel 26:13). David shouted
his message to Saul; all Saul’s soldiers could hear David’s
words and Saul’s reply.
That first appeal was very personal in its nature. David spoke
about his relationship with Saul as his master and king; David
insisted that he had always been loyal to Saul (1 Samuel
24:9-15).
This second appeal is much more about David’s relationship

with his nation and with God. Israel was the only nation
where the people served the real God; all the other nations
had false gods. God had established a relationship with
Israel’s people; in other words, he had made promises to
them.
David’s enemies were forcing David to leave Israel. Such

an action would separate David from God’s promises to
Israel. He could not live on the land that God had promised
to his family. He would be unable to visit God’s house (the
tent called the tabernacle). It would be hard for him to serve
God properly in a country whose inhabitants served false
gods.
David’s life did not matter to Saul, but Saul had brought an
army to oppose him. Perhaps God had sent Saul, David said.
Then God would accept David’s humble prayer, because God
is kind. However, David realised that, in fact, cruel and
wicked men had urged Saul to oppose him. Nothing but
David’s death would satisfy such men. They were not even
content for him to die in Israel; they wanted him to die as a
foreigner in a place where all the people served false gods.
Those men were guilty of a terrible crime. David prayed that

God would act against them.
Saul urges David to return to him
(1 Samuel 26:21)
When David first began to work for Saul, he worked as a
sacred musician. An evil spirit was affecting Saul, so that
Saul could not control his own behaviour. David alone was
able to make Saul calm again, so that Saul could think and
act in a sensible manner (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
Now, for the final time, David’s words had that effect on
Saul. Saul was able to confess his evil deeds against David;
Saul’s words here seem genuine and sincere.
David had explained to Saul that he would have to leave

Israel. Saul’s actions, and the actions of Saul’s evil officials,
had forced him to go abroad. Saul urged David not to go,
but to return home with him. He again called David ‘my son’
in order to express his love for David. Saul did not want to be
separate from David, who had cared so much about him. It
would seem to Saul as if his own son had left home, never to
return.
David had saved Saul’s life; now Saul promised to save

David’s life. Saul promised never to act against David again.
Saul was grateful for David’s great kindness to him. Saul
even confessed that he had acted like a fool. It would have
been hard for this proud king to say such things in public, in
front of his army. Saul had to shout, because David was
distant from him. All Saul’s 3000 skilled soldiers could hear
him. However, Saul did not hesitate. He knew that his errors
were great. He wanted to take responsibility for those
errors. He was desperate to have a right relationship with
David.
David would have wished that he could trust Saul. However,

David knew how quickly Saul’s emotions could change. Saul
was a dangerous man; he was very powerful, and his advisers
were wicked. David knew that he could not return safely to
Saul.
It is better to please God than to

achieve your ambitions
(1 Samuel 26:22-24)
‘Evil people do evil things’ (1 Samuel 24:13). ‘God rewards
people who behave in a loyal and right manner’ (1 Samuel
26:23). Such were the explanations that David gave to Saul
of his (David’s) attitudes.
In these statements, David showed a simple and clear

desire to do what is right and good. He believed that there
is a difference between right and wrong behaviour. He
wanted God to approve of his actions. So he refused to carry
out evil deeds.
On two occasions, David had the opportunity to kill Saul.

David knew that God wanted him to be Israel’s king. If David
killed Saul, that would be an easy way for him to become
king. However, God did not approve of it. That fact was clear
to David because God does not approve of any evil act. So,
David twice refused to do it.
We may think that such attitudes are the attitudes of a holy

man rather than a great king. Rulers usually use clever
schemes to achieve their ambitions, whether those schemes
are good or not. However, David was both a holy man and a
great king. He considered it more important to do what is
right than to achieve his ambitions. It was much better to be
a good man than to be famous, important or powerful.
David’s explanation of his own attitudes also shows us why

Saul’s attitudes were wrong. Saul had chosen not to be loyal
to God (1 Samuel 15:16-26). He carried out evil deeds on
purpose (for example 1 Samuel 22:16-18). He thought that
such acts would make his rule stronger. He was wrong,
because God did not approve of his wicked behaviour.
Saul blesses David
(1 Samuel 26:25)
These were Saul’s last words to David; they would never
meet again.
Saul used his authority as Israel’s king to bless David.

That is, Saul declared God’s kindness to David. Saul did not
declare these things merely from his own mind. It is not
possible to say such things except by the power of God’s Holy
Spirit (compare 1 Corinthians 12:3). Saul had spoken by the
power of the Holy Spirit on previous occasions (1 Samuel
10:10; 1 Samuel 19:23-24). Probably, this was the last time
that Saul spoke a message from God.
For the third time, Saul called David ‘my son’ (1 Samuel
24:16; 1 Samuel 26:17). On the previous occasions, Saul used
that phrase as an expression of love. Now, however, it seems
to have a further meaning: David would take Saul’s place as
Israel’s next king.
Before their deaths, some of the greatest men in the Bible

blessed their sons (for example, Genesis 27:27-29; Genesis
chapter 49). By this act, they showed that authority was
passing to their sons. They also spoke messages from God
on these occasions. In such a manner, Saul blessed David.
Saul declared that David would achieve great things. He also
said that David would be successful.
Saul made this declaration in public; his army of 3000

soldiers heard these words. Perhaps that would help them to
accept David as their king. Saul had ruled Israel for about 40
years (Acts 13:21); just 16 months later, he would die and
David would become the king of Judah (southern Israel).
However, in the meantime, David did not remain in Israel, he
went into Philistia.
1 Samuel chapter 27
David goes to live in Philistia
(1 Samuel 27:1-4)
When Jonathan told David to run away from Saul, David
went first to Gath in Philistia (1 Samuel 21:10). We think
that God sent him there; David inquired of God at Nob, on
the way there (1 Samuel 22:9-10). However, David was too
afraid to remain in Gath on that occasion.
David had good reasons to feel afraid there. During Saul’s

rule, Philistia was Israel’s most serious enemy. As an army
commander, David himself had led a group of 1000 soldiers
in battles against Philistia. Philistia’s champion Goliath,
whom David had killed, came from Gath.
So it was extraordinary that David now considered himself

safer in Philistia than in Israel. However, it seems that
King Achish, of Gath in Philistia, liked to have the support of
foreign soldiers (2 Samuel 21:22). Each of Philistia’s 5
principal towns had its own king; that king had absolute
authority over his own region. Achish had the right to decide
who would live in Gath. Because Achish allowed David and
his men to live there, they were safe.
In fact, they were so safe in Achish’s territory that they even

set up homes there. The men brought their wives and
children there. Probably while David had been in Israel’s
forests and deserts, the men had to live separately from
their families (see 1 Samuel 21:4-5). They would have been
very grateful to see their wives and to be at peace again.
Saul heard that David was in Philistia. David might make

peace with Gath’s king, but Saul would always be a bitter
enemy of Philistia. Saul knew that he could not go there,
even to chase David. The king of Gath was Saul’s personal
enemy; he would not hand David over to Saul. So Saul did
not try to arrest or to attack David again.
David in Ziklag
(1 Samuel 27:5-7)
David brought a large group of people to Gath; 600 men, with
their wives and families. He asked the king of Gath to permit
them to live in one of the small towns near Gath. The king of
Gath ruled not just Gath, his capital, but also the
surrounding towns and villages.
David desired a place where his group of people could live

peacefully together. Most of them were from Israel;
probably all of them considered Israel’s God to be their God.
If they lived in Gath, the false religion of Gath may tempt
them (1 Samuel 26:19). They would constantly be aware of
the ceremonies of that religion and the false gods of their
neighbours. Not all of David’s men were strong in their
relationship with God (1 Samuel 30:22). They might marry
foreign wives; they could even forget that they belonged to
Israel.
So David wanted them to have their own small town. His

request, to Achish, king of Gath, was polite. He explained
that he wanted somewhere to live under Achish’s authority.
Achish gave a small town called Ziklag to David. It was

close to the border between Israel and Philistia. So, David
became ruler of that town, and his men took their families
there. For 16 months, he ruled that town under the authority
of the king of Gath in Philistia. However, the gift of that town
actually became permanent when David became king of
Judah. At that time, the border moved and Ziklag became
part of Judah.
David’s men behaved well in Ziklag; and that impressed the

people who lived in the surrounding area. The result was that
600 men from Philistia became loyal to David, in addition to
the 600 men from Israel (2 Samuel 15:18-22).
David organises attacks against

robbers
(1 Samuel 27:8)
For many years, the armies of Israel and Philistia had been
fighting against each other. The result of this constant war
was that the armies could not defend properly the
southern borders of their countries. Those regions were
weak because groups of robbers often attacked them.
David became aware of these problems when he lived in the

deserts and forests of southern Israel. Now that he was
living in the south of Philistia, he could see the same
problems there. In fact, it was the same groups of robbers
who were attacking both countries.
David wanted to serve well King Achish of Gath, in Philistia,

because David was living there. He also wanted to remain
loyal to King Saul of Israel, because God had appointed Saul.
So David decided that he would lead his men in a series of
attacks against those robbers. By that means, he would be
helping both Israel and Philistia.
Those robbers had organised themselves into groups of

several hundred men, with a chief (leader). David organised
his men in the same manner; he himself acted as their chief.
Then he attacked them in a similar manner to the way that
they frequently attacked each other. Probably at this time he
became friends with Ittai (2 Samuel 15:18-20). Ittai was the
chief of several hundred men from Philistia who were
probably carrying on similar work. David and Ittai would
have supported each other in their attacks.
We have already studied about some of these groups of

robbers in 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel 30:1-20 gives a
good description of how they behaved. They destroyed entire
towns and took everything from them. They even took the
inhabitants in order to sell them as slaves.
Desert robbers
(1 Samuel 27:9)
David and his men were fighting against robbers in the
deserts south of Philistia and Israel.
Groups of robbers had lived there since ancient times. They

had established their own rules and customs about how they
operated.
Each group consisted of several hundred men with a chief

(leader). The chief would establish friendly relations with the
chiefs of some groups, but other groups would be his
enemies. Each group showed great kindness towards their
friends, but they dealt cruelly with their enemies.
To King Achish, David’s men would have seemed like one of

those groups of robbers. David’s men gained their property
by attacks on those groups which were their enemies.
David’s men had friendly relations with Achish, so they did
not cause any trouble for him. They were also friendly with
Ittai and his men (2 Samuel 15:18-22), who probably
supported them in their attacks.
There was, however, one important way in which David’s

men differed from the groups of robbers. When the robbers
attacked Philistia, Israel or each other, they tried to take as
many prisoners as possible. They could make a lot of money
when they sold those prisoners as slaves. They kept the most
beautiful women for themselves.
David would not allow his men to behave in such a

manner. If his men caught any of their enemies, they must
kill that person. They could not keep a man as a slave, or a
woman for sex. David had a special reason for that rule. He
did not want Achish to realise that he was fighting on behalf
of the people in southern Israel (1 Samuel 27:10-12).
David’s plan to help the people in

southern Israel
(1 Samuel 27:10-12)
There are two reasons why people may not speak the whole
truth. One reason is because they may be lying. The other
reason is to keep a secret. Of course, people often tell lies in
order to keep a secret.
We do not think that David was lying here; however, he

certainly did not speak the whole truth. It was his secret
plan, while in Philistia, to help the people in southern
Israel. They were suffering greatly because of frequent
attacks by large and fierce groups of robbers.
David told King Achish of Gath truthfully where his men were
fighting. They were fighting in Judah, and in the regions that
belonged to the people called Jerahmeelites and Kenites.
Judah was southern Israel; the Jerahmeelites and Kenites
lived further into the desert. The Kenites did not belong to
Israel; they came from the family of the brother of Moses'
wife. However, they supported Israel, so even Saul had
protected them (1 Samuel 15:6).
However, David did not tell Achish whom his men were
fighting in those regions. In fact, David gave his men very
careful instructions so that Achish could not discover that
fact.
Achish imagined that David was attacking Israel’s people

there. Achish thought that David was leading a group of
robbers, like the other robbers in that region. That thought
pleased Achish: he wanted David to be loyal to him. Also, he
wanted David to be an enemy of the people in Israel.
However, really David was fighting against the robbers in

that region. So, by his actions, David was establishing
friendly relations with the people in southern Israel. That
was David’s secret plan; and he considered it very important
that Achish should not know about it.
1 Samuel chapter 28
Achish orders David to join
Philistia’s army
(1 Samuel 28:1-2)
Philistia’s leaders had decided to carry out a major attack
against Israel. The plan for this battle was unusual. Usually,
their army fought Israel’s army in the hills of southern
Israel, or near to Philistia’s border. On this occasion,
Philistia’s army would make their camp in central Israel,
and they would fight there.
For such an important battle, Philistia’s leaders needed the

support of every man in Philistia who could fight. So, of
course, King Achish ordered David and his men to join
Philistia’s army. Although David’s men came from Israel,
they had been living in Philistia for the last 16 months.
Achish trusted David completely (1 Samuel 27:12). He had

seen how loyal, capable and strong David was. He did not
just want David to fight in the army; he wanted David to be
his personal guard. It would be a great honour for David to
do such an important job.
However, David had a very serious problem in this situation.

Achish was asking David to fight against Israel, and against
King Saul. Although David was completely loyal to Achish,
until now David had always remained loyal to Israel and
Saul also. In fact, David was still fighting to help Israel’s
people, although Achish did not know it (1 Samuel 27:8-12).
David believed that it would be wrong for him to attack Saul
(1 Samuel 26:9-11).
David did not tell these problems to Achish. If David had

done that, Achish would have considered David his enemy.
Instead David gave a very careful answer. Achish would see
what David was able to do. David did not say what he was
able to do.
David was trusting God to help him in this situation. It

seemed impossible for David to remain loyal both to Saul and
Achish. However, God would bring about a situation where
David could still be loyal to both men. David would not have
to fight against Saul, or against Israel’s army.
Saul forces everyone who uses

witchcraft to leave Israel
(1 Samuel 28:3)
Samuel had died about 2 years earlier (1 Samuel 25:1). His
funeral was a great national event. People from across the
country gathered for it. Such an event would certainly have
had a powerful effect on the minds of many people, including
perhaps even Saul.
At some time, Saul had forced everyone who used

witchcraft to leave Israel. Witchcraft is the use of magic,
especially in order to contact spirits. God’s law strictly
forbids any such practices (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy
18:9-14).
We do not know when, or why, Saul gave that order. A

possible answer is that he did it after the death of Samuel.
Although Saul would not obey God, he still wanted God to

support his rule. So it mattered very much to Saul that Israel
had Samuel as its national prophet (holy man). When Samuel
retired, he promised to pray for Israel for the rest of his life
(1 Samuel 12:23).
At Samuel’s funeral, everyone in Israel became aware of the

importance of Israel’s relationship with God. Now Samuel,
their prophet, was not still alive to pray for them; and
Saul, their king, was not obeying God. The people would
have considered that to be a very dangerous situation,
especially as their nation was constantly at war. Saul would
have wanted to do some great act, in order to give
confidence to the people and to impress God. Previously, he
had given great sacrifices (gifts) to God for that purpose, but
Samuel had told him not to do that (1 Samuel 15:22).
So, in Saul’s mind, it would have seemed a very good idea

to force everyone who used witchcraft to leave Israel.
However, Saul was still not serving God; his attitudes had not
changed. The proof of that is what Saul did on the night
before his death. He himself decided to use witchcraft then (1
Samuel 28:4-20).
Philistia’s plan for Saul’s last

battle
(1 Samuel 28:4-5)
By this time, Saul was probably more than 80 years old. For
his whole life, he had been fighting battles against Philistia’s
army. He probably thought that he knew every possible plan
for a battle between Israel and Philistia. However,
Philistia’s plan for his last battle seems unlike any battle
that Saul had ever known.
Ancient Israel had three main parts, and they were all in the
hills. The southern part was the hills of Judah. Battles
between Israel and Philistia usually happened in the hills of
Judah or on the border between Judah and Philistia. The
central part of Israel was the hills of Ephraim, which were
next to the hills of Judah. The northern part was the hills of
Galilee.
Between Galilee and Ephraim, there is a great plain, which

runs to the coast. That plain is very important for
agriculture. In Revelation 16:16, it is called by the name
Armageddon. The east part of the plain is called the valley
of Jezreel. Philistia’s army had made their camp for this
battle on the north side of that valley.
That was a bold position. Philistia’s vast army had marched

for 3 days to get there. Saul could see that Israel was in
great danger. Philistia’s army had established a vast camp in
the middle of Israel and it had control over Israel’s best
agricultural land.
Saul immediately ordered every man in Israel who could

fight to join Israel’s army. Their camp was on the south
side of the valley, opposite Philistia’s camp. Gilboa was a hill
on that side of the valley; there Saul would die.
Saul could only see Philistia’s camp from a distance.

However, he could see that it was a vast camp. He knew that
Philistia’s leaders had organised their attack well. He felt
very afraid. The situation was very serious.
How God gave messages to

Israel’s kings
(1 Samuel 28:6)
Saul had chosen not to obey God, but he still wanted God’s
support. He had seen how large and powerful Philistia’s army
was; he was very afraid of the battle that would happen
soon. So Saul began to pray. He wanted to receive a message
from God that would give him confidence for the battle.
However, God gave no answer to Saul’s prayer. The author

of 1 Samuel gives a list of the methods that God used to
speak to Israel’s kings:
(1) Dreams. Of course, not every dream is from God.

However, sometimes God uses a special dream to speak to
one of his people (Job 33:14-18; Joel 2:28). God spoke to
Solomon in a dream in 1 Kings 3:4-15.
(2) The URIM and THUMMIM (Exodus 28:29-30). These

were probably precious stones; Israel’s chief priest carried
them in his ephod (a special shirt).
Saul had often asked the chief priest to use these objects in
order to inquire of God (for example, 1 Samuel 14:36-42). By
this means, God would show the answer to the chief priest.
Then the chief priest would declare the message that God
had told him.
Some people think that the URIM and THUMMIM were a kind
of lot. In other words, it seemed as if the chief priest was
making a decision by chance. However, really, God was
guiding him (Proverbs 16:33); so the chief priest had
received a message from God.
Saul was unable to use this method because Abiathar,

Israel’s chief priest, had escaped with David into Philistia (1
Samuel 30:7-8).
(3) Prophets. The prophets were Israel’s holy men. (There

were also a few female prophets, for example Huldah in 2
Kings 22:14). For most of Saul’s life, Samuel had been
Israel’s principal prophet. He had frequently given messages
from God to Saul, and Saul depended very much on him. Now
Samuel was dead. Gad had begun to act as a prophet; he
gave a message from God to David in 1 Samuel 22:5. Perhaps
there were also other prophets in Israel then.
However on this occasion, none of the prophets gave Saul

any message from God. The result was that Saul became
even more afraid.
Saul chooses to use witchcraft
(1 Samuel 28:7)
1 Samuel 14:36-42 describes a previous occasion when God
refused to answer Saul’s prayer. On that occasion, the
reason was that one of Israel’s soldiers had carried out an
evil deed (compare Isaiah 59:1-2). Saul realised that fact at
once. He then asked God to show him who was responsible.
On this later occasion, God had again refused to answer

Saul’s prayer, and Saul felt desperate. Now, Saul did not
need to ask who was responsible for this situation. Saul
himself had chosen not to obey God, and he was living in a
very wicked manner.
Although Saul was not willing to obey God, he was praying.

He needed God’s help for his next battle against Philistia’s
army. Saul could see that the battle would be one of the most
important battles in Israel’s history. He was desperate for
support from God.
For that reason, Saul made an extraordinary and terrible

decision. He could not, of course, force God to speak to him.
However, Saul believed that he could force one of God’s
prophets (Israel’s holy men) to speak to him. In particular,
Saul wanted Samuel, who had often declared God’s messages
to Saul in the past, to speak to him. As God’s servant, Samuel
had authority to speak on behalf of God.
Samuel had been dead for two years, but that fact did not
stop Saul. By means of witchcraft (magic), some people claim
to have power over spirits and to contact dead people. The
Bible considers witchcraft to be a very wicked act, witchcraft
is against God’s law (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; 1 Samuel 15:23).
On the night before the battle, Saul sent his men to find
someone who used witchcraft. They found such a woman in
Endor. To get there, Saul had to follow a long and dangerous
route. He actually had to go round to the other side of his
enemies’ camp. That fact shows how desperate he was.
Saul urges a woman to contact a

spirit for her
(1 Samuel 28:8-10)
Saul wanted to find someone who would help him to contact
the spirit of a dead person. People try to do that in many
false regions, but God hates such practices (Deuteronomy
18:10-13). They are completely against God’s law.
At one time, Saul himself had hated such practices. He had

forced everyone that did such things out of Israel. By that
action, he would have hoped to gain God’s support for his
(Saul’s) plans. However, Saul did not want to do what God
considers to be right. Instead, Saul was trying to be strong
and powerful, and that needed God’s support.
Probably very few people who carried out such practices had
managed to keep their activities secret. The woman in Endor
was very worried about the fact that Saul had discovered
her.
She did not of course know that her visitor was Saul. Saul did
not want anyone to recognise him. For that reason, he was
wearing the clothes of an ordinary man, and not his royal
clothes. To get to Endor, he had to go round the back of his
enemies’ camp. He went by night; he took just two men with
him to act as his guards.
At first, the woman refused to help him. It was too

dangerous to contact spirits now, she said. She had managed
to stay in Israel; she did not want to risk her life. She
believed that the king might order her death. So, she insisted
that she would not help her visitor.
That forced Saul to make a serious promise to her. He

promised, in front of God, that nobody would punish her.
It seems extraordinary that Saul actually used God’s name in
order to carry out such a wicked act. He himself declared
that God lives always. Then he carried out an act that God
hates. It was very wrong for Saul to do such things.
An evil spirit takes control of the

woman
(1 Samuel 28:11-12)
Before Saul’s last battle against Philistia’s army, he wanted
to receive Samuel’s advice. However, Samuel was already
dead. So, Saul found a woman who used witchcraft (magic).
He believed that she could force Samuel’s spirit to speak to
him. Saul went to her in secret; she did not recognise him.
Saul felt terror before the battle; for that reason he did this,
although it is completely against God’s law (Deuteronomy
18:10-13). He thought that the experience would bring him
comfort and confidence for the fight. He did not realise how
terrible this experience would be. Even for the people who
carried out such activities often, their experiences could be
awful (see 1 Kings 18:27-29).
To carry out her magic, the woman first had to put herself
under the control of an evil spirit. Evil spirits do not usually
deal kindly with the people whom they control (for example,
Mark 5:1-13). They are completely evil, so acts of cruelty are
part of their nature.
At the start, the woman would have spoken her incantation

(magic words) very quietly. She would repeat the same words
many times (see Matthew 6:7), until she lost control over her
own thoughts. Then the evil spirit took control of her, and
strange things would start to happen. She would act and
move in a strange, frightening manner.
This was when the woman began to scream at Saul. The evil
spirit that controlled her had caused another spirit to
appear in front of her. At that moment, she knew by the
power of her evil spirit that her secret visitor was really
Saul. She was very afraid; but probably, the evil spirit caused
her to scream. The Bible often records that evil spirits
caused people to scream (Mark 5:7; Luke 4:33; Luke 9:39).
A strange spirit appears
(1 Samuel 28:13-14)
Saul had asked the woman to bring back the spirit of Samuel,
who was dead. The woman had often used witchcraft (magic)
for such purposes before. However, on this occasion, her
experience seemed to be extremely bad. Saul even had to
urge her to be calm and not to be afraid. Otherwise, he might
not have been able to ask for the advice that he wanted the
spirit to give him.
Saul himself could see nothing. He asked the woman what

she could see. She first replied that she could see something
like a great and powerful god. The word for ‘god’ can mean
God, a spirit, or a very important ruler, as in Psalm 82:6-7.
So it was not clear to Saul what the woman saw.
Saul asked her to describe this ‘god’. The woman replied that
he was an old man in a long coat. So, the spirit had taken a
human form. Then Saul believed that it was Samuel.
However, we may ask whether that spirit really was Samuel.

It is in the nature of an evil spirit to lie (John 8:44; 2
Thessalonians 2:9-12) and to imitate (Luke 21:8; 2
Thessalonians 2:4).
Of course, the passage does call the spirit ‘Samuel’. However

the author describes the incident as Saul and the woman saw
it. They believed the spirit to be Samuel, so the author calls
the spirit ‘Samuel’.
Many people believe that witchcraft can bring back the

spirits of dead people. The Bible does not agree. It says that
life comes from God alone (John 1:4; John 11:25-26). When
people die, God separates them from everything in this
world (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6). Then God is their judge.
So it is wrong and evil for anyone in this world to try to

contact people who are dead (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
The spirit says and does wrong

things
(1 Samuel 28:15)
By means of witchcraft (magic), the woman caused a spirit to
appear in front of Saul. That is, the woman could see the
spirit. Saul did not see it; and he probably could not hear it.
The woman would repeat the spirit’s words.
The Bible does not explain whether this really was Samuel’s
spirit. An evil spirit could be imitating Samuel.
We do not like this spirit’s attitudes. The spirit complained

that Saul had disturbed him. However, Samuel’s spirit was in
heaven (Luke 16:19-31). Nobody could take him from there
unless God sent him. If God had sent Samuel to declare God’s
message to Saul, that would be a great honour for Samuel.
Then we may notice that the spirit came up out of the

ground (1 Samuel 28:13). Samuel’s body was in the ground
(1 Samuel 25:1), but not his spirit. The Bible always
describes heaven as above us, but hell as below us.
The spirit also said that dead people were ‘with him’ (1
Samuel 28:19). Of course, their bodies lie, like the body of
Samuel, in the grave. However, God is the judge of all people
(Ecclesiastes 3:17). He separates his people from wicked
people; that is his work as their judge.
At the end of Elijah’s life, God took him into heaven and he
did not die (2 Kings 2:11). That shows us what God’s loyal
people in Israel understood about death. They knew that
God took the spirits of his servants to heaven after their
deaths.
Of course, we do not like Saul’s attitudes either. He does not

confess that he has behaved wickedly. He complains that God
does not answer his prayer. He dares to blame God for the
situation. Saul wants Samuel to persuade God that he (God)
should change his attitude towards Saul.
The spirit declares that Saul’s

fears were right
(1 Samuel 28:16-19)
If Samuel had given such a message during his life, we would
consider it a message from God. However in these strange
circumstances, it seems impossible that the message could
be from God. Saul received this message by means of a
woman whom an evil spirit controlled. Such spirits may
sometimes speak the truth (Mark 1:24; Mark 3:11; Acts
16:17), but their message is never good (Mark 1:25; Mark
3:12; Acts 16:18). They try to confuse people so that those
people will not turn to God.
The facts that appear in this message were in fact correct.

The history in it is well-known to everyone who has studied
the Book of 1 Samuel. God turned from Saul because Saul
first turned from God (1 Samuel 15:26). As Saul had torn
Samuel’s coat, so God would take away Saul’s rule by force (1
Samuel 15:27-28). Saul already knew that David would be
Israel’s next king (1 Samuel 23:17). These things would
happen because Saul did not obey God during the war against
Amalek (1 Samuel chapter 15).
It was also clear to Saul what would happen during the battle
on the next day. During Saul’s rule, he had constantly led his
army in battles against Philistia. He knew that Philistia’s
leaders had made their plans with great skill on this
occasion. He could see the sizes of the two armies. He also
knew that God would not support him. For all those reasons,
terror had filled Saul’s mind (1 Samuel 28:5). This message
insisted that all Saul’s fears were right. Israel would
suffer a great defeat; Saul and his sons would die.
Saul had hoped to gain confidence from a meeting with

Samuel. In fact, this strange experience had the opposite
effect. Now Saul was more afraid than ever.
Saul’s last meal
(1 Samuel 28:20-25)
Saul had knelt in a low position with his face on the ground (1
Samuel 28:14). He did that in order to give honour to
Samuel. Probably Saul did not show such great honour to
Samuel during his life. However, Saul felt that it was
necessary to give the greatest honour to a spirit from
another world.
When Saul heard the spirit’s message, he felt a sudden

shock. All his strength left his body. He fell flat on the ground
as if he was dead.
However, although Saul was extremely weak, he was not

dead. As soon as the woman regained control of her mind
from the evil spirit, she went to help him. Because of the
state of terror that Saul felt, he had been refusing food. That
left him unable to deal with the strong shock that he received
from the spirit’s words.
At first, the woman was unable to persuade Saul to accept

anything. She called the two men that had come with him to
help her. Together they all urged Saul to eat. It seems that
Saul wanted to die; however, they could not let him die yet.
Israel’s young soldiers needed to see their king at the start
of the battle on the next day. Otherwise, they would lose all
courage.
In the end, Saul agreed to eat and, even before the meal, he
began to recover. In the meantime, the woman quickly
prepared the kind of meal that was fit for a king. She killed
her best animal, and she cooked it at once. She served flat
bread, because there was no time for the bread to rise.
It is interesting to compare this meal with the meal that

Samuel prepared for Saul in 1 Samuel 9:22-24. That meal
was Saul’s last meal before Samuel appointed him king. This
meal was Saul’s last meal before his death.
1 Samuel chapter 29
David’s men arrive at the camp
of Philistia’s army
(1 Samuel 29:1-3)
While Saul was worrying about Philistia’s vast army, David
and his men were joining it. Every man in Philistia who could
fight had to join its army. David had been living in Philistia
since Saul’s actions forced him to leave Israel, 15 months
earlier.
Philistia consisted of 5 principal towns: Ashdod, Gaza,

Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. Each town had its own king, who
had absolute authority over that town and the country areas
round it. When the nation went to war, each king brought
the men from his region to join in the battle.
David and his men lived in the region that King Achish of
Gath ruled. Achish had seen that David was a skilled, loyal
and strong soldier. In fact, Achish trusted David so much
that he wanted David to be his personal guard (1 Samuel
27:12; 1 Samuel 28:2).
Although Achish had absolute rule over his region, his

decisions about Philistia’s army needed the support of its
other rulers.
It surprised Philistia’s rulers very much to see men from

Israel among the soldiers that Achish brought. Achish told
the rulers that they could trust David. David was an army
commander from Israel who had become an enemy of Saul.
When David escaped from Saul, he came to Gath. Achish had
watched David carefully and, for more than a year, David had
been loyal to Achish. Achish believed that David had now
made the people in Israel his enemies (1 Samuel 27:12).
Achish’s opinion about David was not completely correct.

David had been loyal to Achish, but David was not in fact
opposing the inhabitants of Israel (1 Samuel 27:8-12).
David continued to support and to protect Israel’s people
even while he was living in Philistia. Also, although Saul had
often tried to kill David, David refused to attack Saul. David
still considered Saul to be the king whom God had appointed
to rule Israel.
Philistia’s rulers tell Achish to

send David home
(1 Samuel 29:4-5)
The rulers of Philistia told Achish why they would not allow
David to join their army.
They agreed with many of the things that Achish had said
about David. They believed that David had served Achish
loyally and well. It seemed clear to them that David and
Saul were now enemies.
However, Philistia’s rulers still considered it too

dangerous to have David in their army. Even in Philistia,
David’s name was well-known. They knew him from the
popular song that the women in Israel sang in 1 Samuel 18:7.
That song had spread across the whole region. It praised
David as a great army commander. In 1 Samuel 21:11, that
song had confused Achish’s servants so much that they
believed David to be Israel’s king.
If David had been such a great military leader in Israel,

perhaps he wanted to serve Saul again. Clearly, there had
been a terrible argument between David and Saul. If David
joined Philistia’s army, he might use his position inside its
camp for his own advantage. During the battle, he might
attack Philistia’s soldiers and not their enemies. Such actions
would make Saul pleased with David again. That would end
their argument and Saul would re-appoint David to lead
Israel’s army again. Such thoughts worried Philistia’s
rulers greatly.
We may ask whether Philistia’s rulers were right. It is clear

that David would not attack Saul (1 Samuel 26:9-11). David
had also been fighting to support Israel’s people, and
Philistia’s rulers did not know that (1 Samuel 27:8-12).
However, David was living peacefully with his family in
Philistia (1 Samuel 27:3), and he served Achish well. When
Philistia’s rulers sent David away, David left their camp
peacefully. He obeyed Achish, and he did not try to fight
against Philistia’s men (1 Samuel 29:10-11).
David behaved like this because he respected God. He did not

want to gain power by means of clever schemes. David
wanted God to bring about God’s plan for David’s life. So
David tried to deal with everyone in a proper, loyal and
honourable manner.
Achish’s opinion of David
(1 Samuel 29:6-9)
King Achish of Gath had ordered David and his men to join
Philistia’s army. When they had marched for three days, they
reached the army’s camp. However, the rulers of Philistia
then saw them, and they would not allow them to join the
army. So David and his men had gone that long march for no
purpose whatever.
David protested to Achish. Achish insisted that he

considered David loyal and honourable. Achish had wanted
David to join the army; but he had been unable to persuade
the other rulers to change their minds. They would not
approve of David. It seems that David had made a good
impression on Achish. Achish had seen that David was a
holy man. Achish even referred to the LORD (the real God;
the God of Israel) as he spoke to David. Achish considered
David as perfect as an angel (servant of God). These were
impressive words from a foreign king who probably served
false gods.
As a holy man, David was very careful only to speak the

truth. He did not tell Achish that he wanted to fight against
Saul or against Israel; that would be untrue. Instead, David
said that he would fight against Achish’s enemies. That
was true. In fact, as soon as David returned home, he had to
do that. He led his men in an attack against a large group of
robbers who had attacked Philistia (1 Samuel chapter 30).
God did not want David to fight against Saul or against

Israel. That was clear both from David’s beliefs (1 Samuel
26:9-11) and from the fact that Philistia’s rulers would not
allow him to do it. However, David would not say that Achish
and Philistia’s army should not carry out their attack.
Perhaps God was permitting them to do that in order to
punish Saul for his evil deeds (1 Samuel 26:10).
David and his men return to

Ziklag
(1 Samuel 29:10-11)
In 2 Chronicles 25:6-13, King Amaziah of Judah paid the
army of Israel (that is, northern Israel) to fight for him.
However, a prophet (holy man) then told Amaziah that he
must not allow those men to fight for him. If he did, God
would not support him in the battle. So Amaziah sent them
home.
The reaction of those men shows us how evil men behave in

such circumstances. They became very angry. Although
Judah’s king had already paid them, they still attacked
several towns in Judah. They robbed those towns and they
killed 3000 people.
Philistia’s rulers had disappointed David and his men in a

similar manner. They told them to return home immediately
before Philistia’s army left its camp for the battle. However,
David was a holy man, and his men obeyed him loyally.
David had protested against that decision, and perhaps he

felt angry. He could have caused a lot of trouble for Philistia.
Every man who could fight had joined Philistia’s army for its
battle against Israel. So, nobody remained in Philistia to
defend the country from attack. Already, robbers had
attacked Philistia while the men were away (1 Samuel 30:16).
David too could have attacked the country.
David, however, was not a robber and he behaved in an

honourable manner. He simply ordered his men to return
home peacefully. They went straight to Ziklag in Philistia,
where their wives and families lived. They intended simply to
carry on their normal activities there while they waited for
Philistia’s other men to return from the battle.
However, they had a great shock when they reached Ziklag.

Robbers had attacked it and they had destroyed the town.
1 Samuel chapter 30
The Amalekites attack Ziklag
(1 Samuel 30:1)
Philistia’s army was carrying out a very important battle
against Israel. The leaders of Philistia had ordered every
man from Philistia who could fight to go into the centre of
Israel. They had to march for three days to get to their camp
there.
Their plan to fight a great battle in the centre of Israel was

clever. It seemed likely that they would defeat Israel.
However, the plan had serious risks. They had left their
country without anyone to defend it.
On the south side of both Philistia and Israel, there was a

desert. One of the groups of people that lived in that desert
was called the Amalekites. The Amalekites were a very
serious problem for everyone in that region. For a long
time, they had acted as robbers whenever they saw an
opportunity. God sent Saul to attack them in 1 Samuel
chapter 15, but they continued to be a problem. David too
had fought against them in order to help the people in
southern Israel (1 Samuel 27:8).
Ziklag was a town in Philistia, near the border with Israel.

When David decided to live in Philistia, King Achish offered
the town to David and his men. At this time, David was the
leader of a group of 600 men. They all brought their wives
and children to Ziklag and they made their homes there.
Achish had ordered David and his men to join Philistia’s army
in central Israel. When they arrived, Philistia’s leaders would
not allow them to join its army. So David’s men all marched
back again. However, when they arrived back, Ziklag was
nothing more than a heap of burning rubbish. When there
was nobody to defend the town, the Amalekites had
cruelly and fiercely attacked it.
The Amalekites take away the

wives and children of David’s
men
(1 Samuel 30:2)
The Amalekites were an especially cruel group of robbers;
they did not hesitate to kill people (1 Samuel 15:33). When
they allowed someone to live, they were not showing
kindness. Instead, they intended to sell that person as a
slave.
The group of Amalekites who destroyed Ziklag had already

attacked several other towns, both in Israel (1 Samuel
30:14) and in Philistia (1 Samuel 30:16). In those towns,
they probably killed many people. Nobody would want to buy
a slave who was weak, old or ill. So, the Amalekites had no
reason to take such people as slaves. They would simply kill
them as they robbed the town.
In Ziklag, however, the Amalekites found something

extraordinary. The town was full of beautiful women. Their
children were strong and healthy, and many of the women
did not even have children yet. Such women would have a
high price; men would want to buy them to work as maids, to
become their wives, or for sex.
The explanation is that these were the wives of many of

Israel’s best young soldiers. These soldiers supported
David, and they had left Israel with him. King Achish, from
Gath in Philistia, had allowed them to live together in Ziklag.
The Amalekites did not see any young men in Ziklag because
they had all gone to fight in the war. Achish had ordered
David to take them to central Israel, so that they could join
Philistia’s army. Because the town then had nobody to guard
it, it was easy for the Amalekites to take away the women.
Then they started the fire which destroyed the town.
Perhaps they thought that the young women would not want
to return there after the fire. They had lost their homes, so
they had no reason to return to that place.
David finds strength in God
(1 Samuel 30:3-6)
David’s group of 600 men had recently had a very bad
experience. They had marched for 3 days to join Philistia’s
army. However, when they arrived at the camp, Philistia’s
leaders would not accept them into the army. So, they then
had to march back home.
Then, when they arrived back, they had a terrible shock.

Robbers had attacked their town, and they had burnt it
down. Nothing remained. Their wives and children were all
missing.
The men probably felt bitter and angry when Philistia’s

leaders sent them home. Now, however, they felt
desperately sad. They wept because of the loss of their
wives and children, whom they loved. They wept until
weakness overcame them.
After some time, the men became angry with David, their
leader. Because David had taken them on such a long march,
they had been unable to defend their own families. These
men had been loyal to David through all his troubles. Now,
however, they no longer wanted to serve him. They discussed
how they might kill him.
David understood their feelings, because he too was

suffering the same troubles. He felt deeply sad that his own
wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (1 Samuel chapter 25) were
missing. He loved them very much; he would have given his
life to defend them.
David, like his men, felt tired and weak. Their bitter feelings
upset him greatly. His own strength had gone completely.
However, in this terrible situation, David found strength
in God.
We may remember how, on a previous occasion, Jonathan

helped David to find strength in God (1 Samuel 23:16). Now
David had nobody but God to help him. Yet God provided the
strength that David needed (see Psalm 18:1).
God tells David to attack the

robbers
(1 Samuel 30:7-8)
David had felt tired and weak, and he was in a desperate
situation. Even the 600 men who had remained loyal to him
through all his troubles wanted to kill him.
Then David found strength in God (1 Samuel 30:6). Of

course, David’s troubles had not yet disappeared. His
situation was still very difficult. However, David had found
the strength to deal with his problems. That strength had not
come from David himself; it came from God. Now David
would trust God, and God would show him how to deal with
his troubles. Or perhaps we should say that God would deal
with David’s troubles; David only had to obey God.
So David’s next action was to ask God what he should do.

Israel’s chief priest was Abiathar who, like David, had
escaped from Saul (1 Samuel 22:20-23). Abiathar took with
him the objects that the chief priest used to inquire of God (1
Samuel 23:6). Abiathar had remained with David, even when
David went into Philistia.
When David inquired of God on this occasion, God’s answer

was very clear. David should lead his men against the
robbers who had attacked his town, Ziklag. God would give
success to David’s men. They would be able to rescue the
people whom the robbers had taken from Ziklag.
That message from God gave hope and confidence to

David’s men. David trusted God; the result was that they
too were ready to trust God. None of them wanted to oppose
David now. Instead, they all accepted him as their leader
again. David told them to go south, to the stream called
Besor. That stream was about 10 miles (15 kilometres) south
of Ziklag.
200 of David’s men stop at Besor
(1 Samuel 30:9-10)
David and his men were trying to rescue their wives and
children from the robbers who had taken them from Ziklag.
First David went south, into the region that the robbers
controlled. Since ancient times, those groups of robbers had
lived in the desert on the south side of Philistia and Judah.
The border was at or near a stream called Besor.
Because that region is so dry, the streams there do not flow

for the entire year. During Summer and Autumn, they are
completely dry. In the place of the stream, there is just a
narrow valley with steep sides. However in Winter and early
Spring, it is completely different. Rain has fallen on the hills
in Judah, and the stream becomes a fast, powerful river. At
such times, it is very difficult to cross.
Many of David’s men were already tired when they reached

Ziklag. They had been on two long marches that week. Then
they all had the terrible shock to discover what had
happened at Ziklag. At the stream, 200 men decided that
they were too weak to continue. Probably it was not just the
stream that stopped them. Their wives and children had
already crossed that stream. However, on the other side of
the stream they would be living in the desert, perhaps for
several weeks. Life would be hard, and then they would have
to fight against the robbers. They needed to rest.
Saul urged his men always to use every effort, even when
they felt very weak (1 Samuel 14:24-28). David had a
different attitude; he loved the men whom he led. So he
allowed those 200 men to establish a camp by the stream.
There they looked after whatever possessions the other men
still had. Probably they also supplied food to David and his
men while they were in the desert.
David’s men rescue a dying slave
(1 Samuel 30:11-12)
David and his men were searching in the desert for the
robbers who had attacked Ziklag. David probably organised
his men into small groups for that purpose; they had a vast
area to search.
David’s men did not find the robbers’ camp. However, they
did find a man who was lying unconscious in the desert.
It astonishes us to see how much David’s men cared about

this man. They were desperate to save their own wives and
children, whom the robbers had taken away. However, when
they saw this man, they stopped. Carefully and gently they
looked after him, and slowly he started to recover.
The man was not an important man. He was only a slave

from Egypt. He would probably be naked; slaves wore few
clothes.
David’s men gave him their own water, and water is precious
in a desert. They also gave him dried fruit, which was a
convenient food for the men to bring into the desert. Dried
fruit contains natural sugars, which give energy.
The men did all these things as an act of kindness to a

stranger. They had no reason to expect that the man would
be able to help them. That did not become clear until the man
started to recover.
As the man became stronger, he began to talk. He probably

did not speak the same language as David’s men, but they
would recognise a few of his words. In particular, he knew
something about their town, Ziklag. Suddenly, it became
clear that the man had extremely important information.
They took him to David, who then asked him a series of

questions (1 Samuel 30:13-15).
David asks the slave about the

robbers
(1 Samuel 30:13-15)
David and his men were looking for the robbers who had
taken their wives and children away. Some of the men found
a slave from Egypt, and they took him to David.
We would not expect that David and the slave spoke the
same language. Perhaps David had someone to translate;
perhaps they expressed themselves by means of actions.
The account that the slave gave was very sad. He had a
cruel master, who was one of the robbers. He was with his
master when the robbers attacked a series of towns across
the region. He helped to rob those towns but, as a slave, he
gained no benefit. The robbers had attacked towns in both
Israel and Philistia. The people called Kerethites belonged to
Philistia; they later became loyal to David (2 Samuel 15:18).
Judah was in the south of Israel; Caleb’s family owned land
there at Hebron (Joshua 14:13-15). Ziklag was the town in
Philistia where David’s men were living with their families.
The slave had assisted his master in all these attacks.

However, his master did not reward him or even care about
him. When the slave became ill, his master left him to die.
David asked the slave whether he could lead him to the

robbers’ camp. It would be a very large camp; there were
many hundreds of robbers, in addition to all their prisoners.
The slave knew where to find it; that was the information
that David needed.
However, the slave was very afraid. He had served a very

cruel master; he did not expect to receive any kindness from
David. So the slave did not ask for any reward when he took
David there. He just asked David not to kill him, and not to
hand him over to his former master. He never wanted to
serve such a cruel master again. He probably thought that it
was better to die than to serve such a wicked man.
David’s battle against the

robbers
(1 Samuel 30:16-19)
The size of the robbers’ vast camp probably astonished
David. As only 400 robbers escaped, there must have
originally been several thousand robbers there. They had all
gathered together in order to attack several towns in
southern Israel and Philistia. Because the armies of those
two nations were fighting each other, there was nobody to
defend the towns. The result was that the robbers were very
successful.
David and his 600 men had often attacked groups of robbers
in that desert on previous occasions (1 Samuel 27:8-9).
Probably those were much smaller groups. On this occasion,
only 400 of David’s men felt strong enough to fight (1 Samuel
30:9-10). The robbers were not expecting that anyone might
attack them. They were having a party because of their
great success. They had eaten plenty of meat and they were
drinking plenty of wine. They were singing and they were
dancing. Then David attacked.
The robbers fought well. It took David the whole night and
the next day to defeat them. Perhaps it took so long because
there were so many robbers. They were desperate to keep
the wealth that they had taken from Israel and from
Philistia. However, David’s men were desperate too. They
were fighting in order to rescue their wives and children.
The result of that battle was a complete success for David,

except that 400 of the robbers escaped. David rescued all
the people whom the robbers had taken to sell as slaves.
David also found all the animals and the other valuable
things that the robbers had stolen. By the ancient rules of
war, those things now belonged to David and to the men who
fought for him.
How David began to rule as king
(1 Samuel 30:20)
This was the day when David began to rule as king. On this
day, his men led him in a great procession like a king. Also on
this day, David made his first law (1 Samuel 30:25).
The battle against the robbers had made David as wealthy

as a king. By an ancient rule of war, the winner of a battle
took everything from the enemy that he had defeated. That
vast group of robbers had taken many animals and other
valuable things from Israel and Philistia. When David
defeated them, those things were his prize.
Long before, God chose David to be Israel’s next king (1

Samuel 16:1). Samuel carried out the special ceremony,
called the anointing, in order to appoint David king (1 Samuel
16:13). However, David always refused to fight against King
Saul, who had also received an anointing (1 Samuel 10:1; 1
Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9-10). David remained loyal to
Saul while Saul was still alive.
Now Saul had died (1 Samuel chapter 31), although David

did not know yet (2 Samuel chapter 1). Saul’s last battle was
probably on the day when David’s men left Philistia’s camp (1
Samuel 29:11; 1 Samuel 28:19).
David did not choose the day when he began to rule. No part
of Israel had yet chosen him to rule over them (see 2 Samuel
2:1-4). It was David’s men who chose to organise that
first procession. David probably permitted it because his
men needed to express their happiness at the rescue of their
wives and children. Perhaps he did not even consider it a
royal procession.
However, the decision to make a law was clearly the

behaviour of a king. Again, David did not choose to make that
law to show royal authority. The law was necessary in order
to deal with some greedy people among his men. So, David
used his authority as their leader and he made a rule about
the matter.
Greedy and selfish attitudes

among David’s men
(1 Samuel 30:21-22)
David’s desire was to establish a right and good government
in Israel. However, even before he began to rule, the greedy
attitudes of some of his men could have prevented it. The
author of 1 Samuel does not hesitate to accuse those men.
He calls them evil men who only wanted to cause trouble.
These men were among the 600 men who had remained loyal
to David through all his troubles. They had fought bravely
with him and for him. They should have been heroes, not men
who caused trouble for David.
Something had happened that changed their relationship

with David. Until now, all David’s men had been poor. They
joined David because they had debts or other troubles (1
Samuel 22:2). They gained some possessions during their
time in Philistia (1 Samuel 27:9), but they were still not
wealthy. Then the battle against the robbers from Amalek
changed their situation. They could all see that they had
taken a vast amount of wealth.
So David’s men began to argue about who deserved that

wealth. 200 of his men had been too tired to fight in that
battle. Some of the other men argued that those 200 men
deserved nothing. They would be even richer if those 200
men remained poor. They offered them nothing except the
return of their own wives and children. They had suddenly
become so greedy that even that arrangement probably
seemed generous to them.
If those men had achieved their desire, it would have ruined

David’s hopes of a good government in Israel. They were
trying to establish a situation where a few rich and greedy
people had all the power. There are many countries like
that, and under Saul’s rule, Israel was like that too.
However, David had other plans for Israel. He wanted to
establish Israel as the country that God ruled. So he would
not allow the people to deal with each other in a cruel and
greedy manner.
Why David urged his men to be

generous
(1 Samuel 30:23)
When some of David’s men began to speak in a greedy and
selfish manner, David dealt with the situation at once. They
were trying to get for themselves a greater share of the
wealth that they had taken in battle. However, David
recognised quickly the problems that their love of money
could cause (see 1 Timothy 6:10).
David urged his men to remember who had given that wealth
to them. They must not proudly say that they had gained that
wealth by their own power or strength (Deuteronomy 8:17).
It is God who gives a person the power to get wealth
(Deuteronomy 8:18). So, his people must be grateful to him,
and they should use their possessions in a generous manner.
David reminded his men how much God had done for them.
Before the battle, they were all weak, tired and worried.
When soldiers fight in such circumstances, success is
unlikely. Therefore, their success was clearly not the result
of their efforts. They only won that battle because of God’s
special kindness to them.
God did not just give them success, he also protected them
in the battle. They were in great danger, but God looked
after them. He helped them to rescue their wives and their
children. Not one of them was missing (1 Samuel 30:19).
David’s men did not fight the battle for wealth, and they had
not expected to gain anything from it. However, God had
used that battle to provide wealth for them all.
God had been very generous to David’s men. So clearly, it

was right that they should now be generous to each other.
All must share alike
(1 Samuel 30:24-25)
Only 400 of David’s men fought in the successful battle
against the robbers from Amalek. His other 200 men were
too tired to fight so, instead, they established a camp. They
guarded the possessions of the men who fought. They
probably also helped to supply food and water to them.
After the battle, David wanted all his men to share the joy of
their success. So, he made a law for them. He declared that
all his loyal soldiers must share alike in the rewards of
their battles. A man who guarded the camp would not receive
less; a man who fought in the battle would not receive more.
They all would share alike in the things that they had taken
from their enemies.
That became David’s first law as Israel’s king. For a long

period afterwards, Israel’s army continued to obey it.
That law expressed well the nature of the new kind of

government that David was establishing. Usually, rulers only
cared about people who were strong, rich or important.
David, on the other hand, cared about everyone who was
loyal to him. He wanted them all to share in the benefits of
his rule, whether they were rich or poor, strong or weak.
David was grateful for the help of everyone who supported

him. He knew from personal experience how much effort it
took to take supplies to Israel’s army (1 Samuel 17:17-20).
He had seen how dangerous it was to leave a place without
anyone to guard it (1 Samuel 30:1-2). Often weaker and less
skilled men carried out these tasks. The other soldiers may
not respect them, but their work was essential. So David
insisted that they must all receive a proper reward.
David sends gifts to Judah’s

leaders
(1 Samuel 30:26-31)
David had just insisted that his men must be generous
towards each other. Now, they saw how generous David
himself was.
In their battle against the robbers, David’s men had taken a

vast quantity of valuable things. Those things now belonged
to David’s men and, as their leader and commander, David
received the largest part of them.
Immediately, David became a very rich man. However, David

chose not to keep all that wealth for himself. As soon as he
returned home, he began to send generous gifts for
Judah’s leaders.
David sent a message with those gifts. That message said

that God had provided these things for them. The gift was
their part of the things that God had taken from his enemies.
So, David was saying that the gift was really from God,
rather than from David. David was not asking for honour or
anything else in return for the gift.
The towns whose leaders received these gifts were mostly in

the south of Judah. Many of them were in the forest and
desert regions where David lived during his troubles.
David chose those towns whose leaders had supported him.
They had been kind to him when Saul was trying to arrest
him. Now David’s sudden wealth gave him an opportunity to
show kindness to them.
David had not yet decided that he would return to Judah.

That did not happen until 2 Samuel 2:1. He did not yet know
that Judah’s men would ask him to be their king (2 Samuel
2:4). It seems that he was not giving these gifts in order to
make himself popular. The gifts were simply a genuine act of
kindness. In his joy after the successful battle, David
wanted to share God’s goodness with everyone who had
helped him.
1 Samuel chapter 31
Israel suffers a terrible defeat
(1 Samuel 31:1)
In 1 Samuel chapter 30, the author has recorded the events
in David’s life during a period of several days. The author
now returns to the day after Saul’s visit to Endor (1 Samuel
chapter 28). His purpose is to tell what happened during
Israel’s battle against Philistia.
That battle was one of the worst battles in Israel’s history. It

began near a place that even today is famous for its battles:
Armageddon, also called the Plain of Megiddo. Revelation
16:16 describes a future great battle that will happen there.
It seems that the battle went east from there, into the Valley
of Jezreel. Between the Plain of Megiddo and the Valley of
Jezreel, there are a series of steep hills, called the hills of
Gilboa. Israel’s army had camped on these hills (1 Samuel
28:4). When the fight became very severe, Israel’s soldiers
tried to escape across these hills.
Philistia’s soldiers could see that they were winning the

battle. So, they chased after Israel’s soldiers. They shot
arrows after them. It was impossible for the soldiers to
defend themselves while they were running away. They could
only run in the hope that they would reach a safe place.
Many men suffered terrible injuries and died on those
hills. There was nobody to help them.
For the last 40 years, Saul had been leading Israel’s army in
frequent battles against Philistia’s army. Sometimes he had
been successful, and sometimes he had suffered defeat.
However, neither army had suffered such a terrible defeat as
Israel’s men suffered that day.
The death of Jonathan
(1 Samuel 31:2)
As the battle against Philistia’s army continued, the situation
for Israel’s men rapidly became worse.
Very many men died, and they included three of Saul’s sons:
Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
This first mention of Jonathan’s death seems very brief. The

author merely mentions his name, like the names of his less
important brothers who died with him. Jonathan’s body lay
on the earth next to the bodies of men that nobody ever
considered to be great men.
Yet, this was Jonathan, the king’s oldest son, David’s

closest friend, a great hero and a man of God. If Jonathan
had lived, he had the right to become Israel’s king after
Saul’s death. Since the beginning of Saul’s rule, Jonathan had
led a third part of Israel’s army. Jonathan became Saul’s
constant adviser (1 Samuel 20:2).
Jonathan did not allow his relationship with Saul to prevent

his close friendship with David. Jonathan always encouraged
and supported David. From Jonathan, David learnt many
lessons about how to rule Israel. Jonathan’s hope was that,
in the future, David would become Israel’s king (1 Samuel
23:17).
Jonathan had a strong relationship with God. We can see

how completely he trusted God from his actions in 1 Samuel
14:1-14. With only one young man to support him, Jonathan
attacked a vast army. In that battle, God gave success to
Jonathan.
However, in Jonathan’s last battle, there was no success for

Israel. Israel’s men died together, whether they were good
men or evil men. At the place of his death, nobody
remembered Jonathan’s former greatness. Even Philistia’s
soldiers did not realise that they had killed Jonathan until
the next day (1 Samuel 31:8).
Philistia’s soldiers attack Saul
(1 Samuel 31:3)
Philistia’s soldiers had killed so many of Israel’s men that
their success in the battle was already certain. However,
there was still one man whom they very much wanted to kill.
For the last 40 years, King Saul of Israel had been Philistia’s
fiercest enemy. During all that time, he had led his nation’s
army in constant battles against Philistia. The war was
continuous during his rule; the two nations were never at
peace.
Saul was now, of course, an old man, but he remained a

powerful leader. His speeches to Israel’s soldiers were
impressive; he knew how to persuade them to fight well. Even
the fact that he was present at a battle gave great
confidence to his men.
Of course Philistia’s soldiers had tried to kill Saul during

previous battles. They had not succeeded because Israel’s
men defended him so well. Israel’s soldiers realised how
important Saul was to them.
However, in this last battle, Philistia’s soldiers saw their

opportunity to attack Saul. Israel’s army was weak because
so many of its soldiers had died. So Philistia’s commanders
sent more men to fight in the area where Saul was. In
particular, they sent men with bows and arrows.
Those men shot many arrows into the air round Saul. They
did not know whom they had hit. They left the men whom
they had injured to die. Then they continued to chase after
their enemies who were still alive.
There was much confusion. Nobody knew what had

happened to Saul. In fact, one of the arrows had injured him
badly. He had fallen to the ground. Only one man, his
personal guard, remained with him.
Saul wants to die
(1 Samuel 31:4)
The first group of Philistia’s soldiers had used their bows and
arrows to attack Saul and the men near him. They probably
killed some men in that attack, but they left many more men
with terrible injuries. That first group of soldiers moved on
quickly; other men would follow them.
There was no medical aid for the men who had suffered
injuries. If they could still walk, they tried to escape. Men
whose injuries were more severe could only lie on the
ground. They waited for death to come. Some men would
pray; other men would curse.
Saul was one of the men who hoped for death. He was too
weak to escape, but he was too strong to die. He wanted to
die, but death did not come.
Saul was aware that Philistia’s soldiers would be very cruel

to him. They might lead him through the streets naked; men
often did that to their prisoners. They might pull out his eyes
(Judges 16:21). They might cut off his fingers or other parts
of his body. They would certainly make him suffer before
they killed him.
So Saul urged the one young man who remained with him
to kill him. That man’s job was to carry Saul’s military
equipment; he was one of Saul’s personal guards. He would
have made a serious promise in front of God to defend the
king’s life in every circumstance. That man would not be
afraid to die for Saul, but he was much too afraid to kill Saul.
Perhaps that was because of his promise. He did not dare to
be responsible for such a terrible act.
So Saul had to kill himself. He took his own sword and he

pushed it into his body.
How Saul died
(1 Samuel 31:5)
Saul did not die easily; his death was slow, difficult and
painful.
First, an enemy shot an arrow into him. That arrow caused a

serious injury, so he was bleeding badly.
Saul was too weak to escape, so he urged his guard to kill

him. However, the guard refused; he was too afraid to do it.
So Saul took his own sword and he pushed it into his own
body.
It seems that Saul then became unconscious. He seemed

dead. His guard killed himself, probably because he had
failed in his duty to protect the king’s life.
We think that Saul was actually unconscious then, and not

dead, because of the account in 2 Samuel 1:5-10. That was
the account of a robber, who came to steal valuable objects
from the dying men.
The robber said that he found Saul still alive, but alone. Saul
was still trying to kill himself. He was especially desperate
because another group of Philistia’s soldiers was
approaching. He was trying to push a spear (a pole with a
sharp metal point) into his body. However, he did not have
the strength to do it.
When Saul saw the robber, he called him. Saul then asked
the robber to kill him. The robber did that, and he then stole
some precious objects from Saul’s body. He took those things
to David. He hoped that David would reward him; in fact,
David ordered his death as a punishment. It was a very
wicked act to kill the king whom God had appointed to rule
his (God’s) people.
The results of the battle
(1 Samuel 31:6-7)
In 1 Samuel chapter 4, we read about a terrible defeat that
Israel’s army suffered about 80 years earlier. Then, 30,000
men from Israel died in a single day. On that same day,
Israel’s chief priest and both his sons also died. We hoped
never to read of such a terrible incident again.
Here, just before we finish the Book of 1 Samuel, we read

about another terrible battle like that one. On this occasion,
there is no record of the number of people who died. Perhaps
nobody even tried to count all the dead bodies. Also, King
Saul and three of his sons died in the battle.
In both of those battles, the army that won was from

Philistia. The result of the first battle was that for about 20
years, Philistia’s army controlled Israel. However, that did
not happen after the later battle. Instead, Philistia’s people
merely took temporary possession of a few towns on the
agricultural land of central Israel.
Nor did Philistia become a strong nation after this battle. It

was Israel, under King David, that became the strong nation.
In the battles in the Book of 2 Samuel, Philistia does not even
seem an especially important enemy for David. There are just
a few brief mentions of battles against Philistia (2 Samuel
5:17-25; 2 Samuel 21:15-22; 2 Samuel 23:8-12).
The Bible’s explanation of such events is that, in the end,

God rules the world. He allows nations to rule for a
temporary period, and then he takes away their power. Only
the king whom he has chosen, called the Christ or Messiah,
will rule for ever (1 Samuel 2:6-10; Daniel 4:34).
In 1 Samuel chapter 31, God allowed Philistia’s army to

defeat Israel as an act of judgement. He was removing the
authority from Saul and his wicked government. He was
establishing the rule of David, whom he (God) had chosen to
be Israel’s king.
Philistia’s soldiers find Saul’s

body
(1 Samuel 31:8)
After the battle, Saul was missing. Nobody knew where he
was.
Among Israel’s people, there was great fear that, perhaps,

Saul was dead. Israel’s people had known no other king; Saul
had led their nation and its army for about 40 years.
In the camp of Philistia’s soldiers, there was excitement in

the hope that, perhaps, they had at last killed Saul. For those
40 years, he had been their constant enemy. Saul had led
more battles against Philistia than anyone could count.
After a successful battle, the soldiers from the winning side

would take away all the valuable things from the dead bodies.
You might consider this an awful task but, in fact, soldiers

were pleased to do it. They could keep those objects as a
reward for their efforts during the battle. Every soldier
hoped to take home clothes, a knife, a sword or some other
precious object.
To at least one soldier, Philistia’s rulers would have promised

a special reward. It was for the soldier who found Saul’s
body. It was very important for them to know whether
Saul really was dead.
That soldier found the body on one of the hills at Gilboa. The
body had several injuries. The objects that showed Saul’s
royal rank were missing; a robber had already taken them (2
Samuel 1:10). However, it was still possible to recognise
Saul from his armour (the special clothes that protected his
body). Armour was expensive; an ordinary soldier would be
unable to afford it. Various precious things, for example the
king’s sword, were probably near the body. Saul’s age would
also help them to identify the body; not many old men could
fight in a battle.
Soon the fact became clear: Saul really was dead.

Philistia’s army show their

disgust for Saul
(1 Samuel 31:9-10)
1 Samuel 25:1 describes the kind of funeral that Saul would
have wanted. At Samuel’s funeral the whole nation gathered
to express how sad they were. They placed his body in a
grave in his own town. Everyone acted in a manner that
respected his greatness as a holy man and a former leader of
the nation.
However, it was Saul’s enemies, the army of Philistia, who

found Saul’s body. They wanted to express the complete
disgust that they felt for him.
So first, they cut off his head. They put his head into the
house of their false god called Dagon (1 Chronicles 10:10).
They stripped off his armour (the strong clothes that
protected his body in battle). They put that armour in the
house of another of their false gods, Ashtoreth. Ashtoreth
was a female sex god. They probably wanted to express the
idea that their gods had defeated Saul.
They considered that their success in battle came from their

gods. So, they declared Saul’s death in their temples (the
houses of their false gods), as well as in the towns. They
wanted both their gods and their people to be very happy
when they heard this news.
At the same time, they wanted to upset Israel’s people and

make them ashamed. So they hung Saul’s body in public, on
the wall of Beth Shan. Beth Shan was one of the towns in
central Israel that Philistia’s army took after the battle (1
Samuel 31:7).
That was an awful thing to do, because the wild birds called
vultures would come to eat from the body. As we can see
from 1 Samuel 31:12, Philistia’s army did the same thing to
the bodies of Saul’s sons. They had died, like him, during the
battle (1 Samuel 31:2).
The inhabitants of Jabesh rescue

Saul’s body
(1 Samuel 31:11-13)
The Book of 1 Samuel ends with an account of how the
inhabitants of Jabesh in Gilead rescued Saul’s body. They did
it as an extraordinary act of love.
At the start of his rule, Saul had rescued Jabesh from the
cruelty of King Nahash (1 Samuel 11:1-11). It was one of the
best and most noble acts that Saul ever carried out. The
inhabitants of Jabesh did not forget it; they continued to be
grateful to him.
Across the whole of Israel, news of Saul’s terrible death

made people sad and afraid. Everyone heard how cruelly the
army of Philistia had dealt with Saul’s body. However, only in
Jabesh did the inhabitants decide to act. They could not
allow Saul’s enemies to deal with his body in such a shameful
manner. Instead, they decided to rescue the body and to
bury it in an honourable manner in their own town.
It was a very dangerous thing to do; the men who did it were
very brave. Philistia’s army still controlled Beth Shan, where
the body was. So Jabesh’s men went by night.
They brought back the bodies of Saul and his sons. They
chose a proper place for the graves. Then they buried the
bodies with great honour. Afterwards, they refused food for
7 days to express how deeply sad they were. Saul, whom
they loved, was dead.
Originally, the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel were one

book. So, the author did not end his book here. He continued
with his account of David’s rule as king. If you have studied
the whole of 1 Samuel, I recommend you to read the first few
chapters of 2 Samuel now. However, for the present time, we
will end our studies of 1 Samuel here.
1 Samuel: a study guide

About the Book of 1 Samuel - its
author, date and purpose
Although they are separate books in modern Bibles, the
Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel were originally one book.
Someone separated it into these two parts in order to make
it more convenient to copy. Of course, it was necessary to
copy books by hand at that time.
The Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings continue the history at the

place where 2 Samuel ends. So, these 4 books of the Bible
form a series that records the complete history of the kings
of Israel and Judah.
Various people kept records of the principal events during

each king’s rule. They did this for the purposes either of
government or of religion.
(1) Government officials kept records so that the king and

other important people knew the main events during his rule.
The Bible often mentions those records (for example 1 Kings
15:23), but none of them still exist.
(2) Prophets (holy men) and, perhaps, priests also kept

records. For example, 1 Chronicles 29:29 says that the
prophets Samuel, Nathan and Gad kept such records. They
were the principal prophets in Israel during David’s life.
The most important duty of a prophet is to speak the

messages that God gives to him. So, the usual purpose of a
book by a prophet is to record messages from God. In the
Bible, there are several such books. Each one has the name of
a prophet as its title; the book records the messages which
that prophet received from God.
However, there was another important reason why a prophet

would write a book. Israel is God’s people, and their king was
God’s servant. God might tell a prophet to write a book in
order to record how God had dealt with them. Such a book
would teach people in future centuries about God’s character
and about how his people should behave.
The Bible’s history books are this last kind of record. The
first Christians believed that the authors of every book in
the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible) were
prophets (Hebrews 1:1; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
They taught that these books are God’s word (2 Timothy
3:15-17). They urged Christians to study the whole Bible
carefully so that they can learn its lessons (Romans 15:4).
We have called the books ‘history books’. However, it would

be better to describe them as ‘sacred records of some
events in the lives of Israel’s kings and prophets’. The
authors did not try to write complete accounts of this period
of history. In fact, they did not even try to record all the
main events. Instead, they only wrote about those events
that God directed them to include in their books.
So, for example, the author of 1 Samuel tells us that Saul

fought major wars against Moab, Edom and Zobah (1 Samuel
14:47). However, he gives no other information about any of
those wars. The author’s explanation would be that God had
not guided him to write about those wars.
Another example is Saul’s attack against the people in

Gibeon. That was one of the most cruel and wicked things
that Saul ever did. However, the account of Saul’s life in 1
Samuel does not even mention that terrible incident. The
reader of the Bible only discovers it, long after Saul’s death,
in 2 Samuel chapter 21.
It should be clear, therefore, that the prophets prepared

these books with much prayer. They did not consider the
preparation of these books to be less important than their
duty to speak God’s messages. They considered that these
books were messages from God. They did not just want God
to show them which incidents they should include. They were
asking God to guide them in every word that they wrote. Only
God knew the truth about the inner thoughts and attitudes of
the people in these books. Only God really understood what
was happening during these events. Therefore, only God
could show them how to record these things in the right and
true manner that would please him.
An ancient name for a prophet was a ‘seer’ (1 Samuel 9:9). In

other words, someone who sees things that other people
cannot see. That was especially the prophet’s task when he
wrote these books. Israel’s principal prophets had personal
knowledge of the most important events during their lives;
they were witnesses of those events. However, they did not
depend on their personal knowledge; they depended on God.
The Bible is God’s word, and this is his account of these
events.
We may ask whether the Books of Samuel and Kings are the
work of one prophet, or a series of prophets. A period of
almost 600 years passes between the first incident in 1
Samuel and the last incident in 2 Kings. In each of the books,
the authors frequently write as witnesses would write.
Witnesses include many small details that other people
would not know about.
If a single prophet wrote these books, then clearly he wrote

after the last incident in the last book. That incident was
after Babylon’s army had completely destroyed Jerusalem.
For a period of 70 years, all Israel’s people had to live in
foreign countries. When they began to return to Israel, their
nation was very weak for a long time. It would be extremely
hard to write such books as this in such difficult
circumstances.
A popular idea is that someone wrote these books not as an

author, but as the editor of older books. We do not like this
idea. It does not respect the thoughts that God’s people
expressed about God’s word. The Bible says that God’s
word is perfect (Psalm 19:7-11). Therefore, nobody can
ever change it (Revelation 22:18-19). People considered it
very wicked to change the words that God’s Holy Spirit had
guided a prophet to write.
We guess that these books are the work of a series of

prophets. We cannot be sure, because the Bible does not tell
us. However, we do know that people needed to copy the
books of the earlier prophets. In a period of several
centuries, books wear out. So the nation would lose the
books of earlier prophets unless someone copied them by
hand. Of course, that work would naturally be the duty of
the later prophets. They would consider themselves to be
the students of the earlier prophets.
Among those books was this sacred record of how God had
dealt with their nation.
The Holy Spirit had guided the earlier prophet to begin these
books. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit guided the
later prophets to continue this record until it was
complete. In the end, the Books of Samuel and Kings dealt
with the whole period of history when kings ruled Israel.
We would think therefore that the books’ authors were the

principal prophets in Israel during the rule of its kings.
During the period that the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel
deal with, the prophets were Samuel, Nathan and Gad (1
Chronicles 29:29). They lived about 1000 B.C. (that is, 1000
years before the birth of Christ). They each wrote about the
events that happened during their own lives. That is our
opinion; other people may have different opinions.
Why the Book of 1 Samuel is

important
Many of the most important lessons in 1 Samuel become
clear when we compare Saul’s life with David’s life:
(1) The life of Saul

Saul’s life warns us that we must always remain loyal to
God.
God appointed Saul to rule Israel (1 Samuel 10:1) and the

Holy Spirit came powerfully upon him (1 Samuel 10:9-11). In
his battle against Nahash, he acted in the power of the Holy
Spirit to rescue the inhabitants of Jabesh (1 Samuel 11:1-
11).
However, at Gilgal, Saul did not obey God’s command to him

(1 Samuel 10:8). That happened because Saul was afraid (1
Samuel 13:7-14).
After that event, Saul continued to serve God as Israel’s

king. He defended the nation from its many enemies (1
Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 14:47-48; 1 Samuel 14:52). He made
Israel a safer and richer country (2 Samuel 1:24), although it
never knew peace during his rule.
The good part of Saul’s rule ended with his war against
Amalek. Saul refused to obey God’s instructions for that war;
in fact, he decided on purpose not to obey God (1 Samuel
chapter 15). The result was that God removed Saul’s
authority to rule Israel (1 Samuel 15:26-29). Saul remained
king, but God had chosen another man, David, to become
king (1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Samuel 16:13).
After that, Saul became very evil. He acted with great cruelty
(1 Samuel 16:2; 1 Samuel 22:16; 2 Samuel 21:1). Especially,
he wanted to kill David, against whom he felt jealous and
angry (1 Samuel 18:8-11; 1 Samuel 19:9-15; 1 Samuel 20:30-
31; 1 Samuel 23:7-28).
God was still working in Saul’s life; and Saul had several
opportunities to return to God (1 Samuel 19:23-24; 1 Samuel
24:16-21; 1 Samuel 26:21). However, Saul never did return
to God. Even on the night before his death, Saul chose to use
witchcraft (1 Samuel 28:5-20). Witchcraft is a kind of magic
and it is against God’s law (Deuteronomy 18:10-14).
(2) The life of David (before he became

king)
On the other hand, in the life of David, we see a man who
truly loved God. The Book of 1 Samuel deals only with the
first part of his life, before he became king.
When David was just a boy, Samuel appointed him to be

Israel’s next king (1 Samuel 16:13). David did not then try to
oppose Saul or to start a revolution. Instead, he waited
patiently for God to bring about what he had promised.
David served Saul loyally, firstly as his musician (1 Samuel

16:14-23). After the defeat of Goliath (1 Samuel chapter 17),
David became a commander in Saul’s army (1 Samuel 18:13-
14). He was successful and he even married Saul’s daughter
(1 Samuel 18:20-27). However, Saul was jealous of David;
Saul became afraid and angry.
Saul tried to kill David and David had to escape for his life (1
Samuel 19:9-12). David had to hide in the forests and later in
the deserts of southern Israel. During this time, David led a
group of 400 (and later 600) men. They acted as guards and
they protected the south of Israel from robbers.
Saul was still trying to kill David so, in the end, David went
into Philistia (1 Samuel 27:1). However, during all this time,
David remained loyal to Saul and to Israel. David’s troubles
did not disturb his trust in God. In fact, his trust in God
became stronger, as the Book of Psalms shows.
Near the end of 1 Samuel, David led his men in a great battle
against a very large group of robbers (1 Samuel chapter 30).
The result of that battle was that David became a rich man.
David was generous; he gave gifts to Judah’s leaders and he
shared the rewards of the battle between all his men.
At the same time as that battle, Saul’s death happened

during a different battle, against Philistia’s army. Soon
afterwards, David would become Judah’s and then Israel’s
king, as God had promised (2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:1-5).
1 Samuel – a study guide

Please print this section if you would like to study the
Book of 1 Samuel with a group of people. You will find
these questions on the Internet at www.usefulbible.com
Part 1 - 1 Samuel chapter 1 - Samuel:

the boy whose mother gave him to God.
Read chapter 1, then discuss these questions:
(1) How did God’s people carry out their religion at the time
of Elkanah? Where did they go to worship (give honour to
God), and why? Who were the leaders of religion? Discuss
the importance of sacrifices (the animals that they offered to
God), prayers and vows (promises to God). What does the
passage say about how people carried out each of these
things?
(2) Read some of the rules for people called Nazirites in

Numbers 6:1-8. Compare Hannah’s experience with the
experiences of the other two women who gave their sons to
God as Nazirites. Those women were Samson’s mother in
Judges chapter 13, and Elizabeth in Luke chapter 1.
(3) Discuss how Hannah’s attitudes changed through 1

Samuel chapter 1. Why was she so desperate to have a son?
Why did she promise to give her son to God in verse 11?
What effect did Eli’s words in verse 17 have on her, and why?
How do her words in verses 26-28 show complete trust in
God?
(4) What does this chapter teach about prayer?
Part 2 - 1 Samuel chapter 2 - Two

important messages from God.
(1) The first message from God here is Hannah’s prayer in

verses 1-10. Compare it with Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55.
What do these passages teach about how God rules the
world? What future plan does God have for the world? How
do his present actions show what he will do in the future?
What was God doing at the time of Hannah, and at the time
of Mary?
(2) Compare the behaviour of Eli’s sons with Samuel’s

behaviour. Why does the Bible consider the actions of Eli’s
sons to be so wicked? What was Eli’s opinion about this
matter?
(3) Why did God choose Eli’s family to be priests? Why did
God remove their authority to be Israel’s priests? How
should the people who serve God behave?
Part 3 - 1 Samuel chapter 3 - Samuel

becomes a prophet (a holy man).
(1) Discuss how Samuel’s experience as Eli’s servant helped

him to learn how to serve God. Why was it difficult for
Samuel to realise that God was speaking to him? What advice
did Eli give to Samuel?
(2) How do we hear God’s message today? In what ways

should our attitudes be similar to Samuel’s attitudes? Explain
what Jesus said about the need to obey God’s word in
Matthew 7:24-27. Compare this with Mark 3:31-35 and
James 1:22-27.
(3) Compare the message that God gave to Samuel in verses

11-14 with 1 Samuel 2:27-36. What was Eli’s reaction to that
message? Compare his reaction with Ahab’s reaction to a
similar message in 1 Kings 21:27-29. Was Eli right not to
pray against these troubles?
Part 4 - 1 Samuel chapter 4 -

Philistia’s army defeats Israel’s army
and takes away the sacred object
called the ark.
(1) What are the right attitudes for a person who prays for
God’s help? Compare the actions of Israel’s people in 1
Samuel 7:3-10 with the decision of Israel’s leaders in 1
Samuel 4:3. Why is it wrong if people try to force God to help
them?
(2) Read more about the ark in Exodus 25:10-22. What was
the proper place for the ark? What did God say that he would
do there?
(3) Discuss the words of Philistia’s soldiers in verses 7-9.

What correct facts did they know about Israel’s God? What
wrong ideas did they have?
(4) ‘The glory (greatness) has left Israel’ (verses 21-22).

Discuss how true these words were. Had God left Israel - or
did he still have a plan for Israel? Discuss God’s plan in 1
Samuel 2:1-10.
Part 5 - 1 Samuel chapter 5 - God acts

against Philistia.
(1) What is God’s opinion of images of false gods? Read

Deuteronomy 5:1-10; Isaiah 44:9-20 and John 14:6. What
do those passages teach us about false gods?
(2) Read Hebrews 10:29 and 1 Corinthians 6:19. What things

does God consider holy today? What must we do in order to
show proper respect to them?
(3) Read Psalm 19:1-6; Acts 17:26-31 and Romans 1:20.

What evidence has God provided so that all people can know
about his greatness? How did God show the people in
Philistia that they had offended against the real God? Show
how Philistia’s troubles became worse during the chapter.
Read 1 Samuel 7:3. What should the people in Philistia have
done when they recognised God’s anger against them? What
did they actually do?

Philistia’s rulers return the ark to
Israel.
(1) Read 1 Samuel 5:1-5 and 1 Samuel 31:10. What kind of

religion did people follow in Philistia? What was their opinion
about Israel’s God? Read Deuteronomy 18:9-14. What is
God’s opinion about these kinds of religion? In your opinion,
why did the people in Philistia continue to serve false gods
even after these events?
(2) Read Exodus 7:1-14 and Hebrews 3:7-12. What does the
Bible mean by a ‘hard heart’? What kind of attitude is it
describing? Read Ezekiel 36:26. What does God want to do
for a person with a ‘hard heart’?
(3) Read about some other people who died because of their
unholy actions towards God’s holy things: Leviticus 10:1-2; 2
Samuel 6:6-7; Acts 5:1-11. What is the right reaction when
we read about such events? How should the fact that God is
holy affect our lives? How can we respect God properly?
Part 7 - 1 Samuel chapter 7 - Israel’s

people return to God.
(1) What does 1 Samuel 7:3-4 tell us about the religion of

Israel’s people at this time? What did Samuel advise them to
do, and why? Compare this with Gideon’s actions in Judges
6:25-32.
(2) Discuss how hard it would be for the people to follow

Samuel’s advice. How would it change their religion, their
hopes and their beliefs? Many of these images would have
been expensive. Discuss what Jesus taught about our
attitude towards valuable things in Matthew 13:44-46.
(3) Discuss Samuel’s experience of prayer in this chapter.

Compare it with Moses’ experience in Exodus 17:8-16. What
do Luke 18:1-8 and James 5:16-18 teach about prayer?
(4) How was Samuel’s leadership of Israel similar to the

judges in the Book of Judges? What did Samuel achieve
during his years as Israel’s judge?
Part 8 - 1 Samuel chapter 8 - Israel’s

people demand a king.
(1) Who ruled Israel before the nation had a king? In what
ways did God want Israel to be different from all the other
nations? Read Genesis 12:2-3. Why did God choose Israel to
be his special people?
(2) Read 1 Samuel 12:12 and 1 Samuel 11:11. Why did

Israel’s people demand a king? What did they expect their
king to achieve? Was it wrong for them to want a king?
(3) Read Proverbs chapter 2. What benefits can we gain from

good advice? In what circumstances should we ask for
advice? What should we do if we dislike advice? How can we
check whether advice is correct or not?
(4) Compare Samuel’s words in 1 Samuel 8:10-18 with what

actually happened in Israel. Read 1 Kings 12:1-14.
Part 9 - 1 Samuel chapter 9 - God tells

Samuel to appoint Saul king.
(1) Why did Saul decide to visit Samuel? What did he expect
Samuel to do?
(2) What was the real reason why God had arranged for Saul
to meet Samuel? What had God told Samuel about Saul?
What was God’s plan for Saul’s life?
(3) Prepare a list of Samuel’s words and actions which would

have surprised Saul. Show how the purpose of those words
and actions was to give honour to Saul as Israel’s future
king.
(4) This meal was one of a series of meals in 1 Samuel where

the meat came from a sacrifice (a gift to God). Compare this
meal with the ones in 1 Samuel 1:3-5 and 1 Samuel 16:1-13.
(5) Discuss how much Samuel depended on God in the

selection of Israel’s king. What evidence of that is there in
this chapter? Discuss how greatly we need to depend on God
for help in the decisions of our lives. How can we do that?
Part 10 - 1 Samuel chapter 10 - Saul

becomes Israel’s first king.
(1) Discuss the purpose of the ceremony called the anointing

in verse 1. What can we learn about this from the anointing
of David (1 Samuel 16:13), Aaron the priest (Psalm 133), and
Christ (Acts 10:38)?
(2) Read 1 Samuel 11:6, 1 Samuel 16:13-14 and Psalm 51:11.

How important was it for the Holy Spirit to be active in Saul’s
life?
(3) What does this chapter show about how people praised
God at this time?
(4) Find out about the incident at Gilgal, which Samuel refers
to in verse 8. Read 1 Samuel 13:1-15.
(5) Read Proverbs 16:33. How did God show Israel’s people
that he had selected Saul? Compare this with Acts 1:15-26.
(6) Discuss the rules for Israel’s king in Deuteronomy 17:14-

20. Do any of those rules surprise you?
Part 11 - Samuel chapter 11 - Saul

defeats Ammon’s king and his army.
(1) Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10. How did Hannah say that God
would rescue his people from strong and cruel enemies? How
did he do that in this incident? How does God save (rescue)
his people today, and how will he do it in the future?
(2) Why did nobody expect that Saul would be able to rescue
Jabesh? Why were they wrong? Who gave Saul the power to
rescue Israel?
(3) Prepare a list of each of the references to God in this

chapter. How did God bring success against Ammon? How
had God established Saul’s rule over Israel?
(4) Read about how Israel’s people were afraid of Nahash (1

Samuel 12:12). Were they right to be afraid? Read about how
God protects his people (Psalm 91). How can we trust God
more?

Samuel’s last speech as Israel’s judge
(leader).
(1) Who were Israel’s judges (in the Book of Judges), and
what work did God give them to do? Which judges does this
chapter mention, and what did each of them achieve?
(2) What evidence did Samuel give that Israel’s people had
not been loyal to God in the past? What evidence was there
that they were still not loyal to him? Why were they wrong to
demand a king? What did Samuel tell them that they must do
now?
(3) Discuss Samuel’s qualities as a leader. Why is it especially

important for leaders to behave properly? What did Samuel
promise to do after he had retired from his public work as
Israel’s judge?
Part 13 - 1 Samuel chapter 13 - Saul’s

fear of the vast army from Philistia.
(1) Read the command that God gave to Saul in 1 Samuel

10:8. How did Saul not obey that command, and why? What
caused him to be so afraid?
(2) Compare 1 Samuel 13:9-13 with 1 Samuel 9:6-10. What

evidence is there that Saul was trying to pay God for his
help? Is it ever possible to do that? Read 1 Samuel 15:22 and
Micah 6:6-8. How should we behave when we need God’s
help?
(3) Compare Saul’s attitudes in chapter 13 with his attitudes

in chapter 11. In each chapter, what was he depending on to
give him success? Why had his attitudes changed?
(4) Read again Samuel’s words in verses 13 and 14. What

kind of government did God want to rule his people? What
kind of king did God want? Compare your answer with the
government and the king that Hannah spoke about in 1
Samuel 2:1-10.

Jonathan trusts God and wins the
battle.
(1) Compare the description of Saul’s army in verse 2 with

his enemy’s army in 1 Samuel 13:5. Why do you think that
Saul did not run away? What would have happened if Saul
had run away?
(2) How do Jonathan’s words in verse 6 show faith (active

belief and trust in God)? How did Jonathan test that his faith
was real? Compare Jonathan’s attitudes during this battle
with Saul’s attitudes.
(3) What instruction did Saul give in order to force his men
to fight hard? Why did Jonathan disagree with Saul’s
instruction?
(4) Read Leviticus 17:10. What did Saul do so that his men
would not offend against God’s law?
(5) Read Exodus 20:12. What duties does an adult have

towards his parents? Compare your answer with Mark 7:9-
13. Why, then, did Israel’s men rescue Jonathan from
punishment?

decides that he will not obey God.
(1) Read Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Why may God wait for

several hundred years before he carries out a judgement?
Compare your answer with Genesis 15:16 and 2 Peter 3:7-9.
(2) How did Saul not obey God’s command? What excuses did
Saul give? What did he want to do with the animals?
(3) What do Samuel’s words in verses 22 and 23 mean? Why

is it more important to obey God than to give gifts to him?
Why do many people only want to give God their gifts, and
not their lives?
(4) In verses 26-28, why did God remove Saul’s authority to

rule Israel?
(5) Discuss the description of God’s character in verse 29.

Compare that verse with James 1:17 and Hebrews 13:8.
What is your reaction to the fact that God does not change?
Also, discuss Exodus 34:6-7, which describes God’s perfect
character.
Part 16 - 1 Samuel chapter 16 - God

chooses David to be Israel’s next king.
(1) Read about some other occasions when God chose the
younger members of families and not their more important
brothers. See Genesis 21:1-12; Genesis 25:21-34 and
Genesis 37:1-11. How does this teach the lesson in 1 Samuel
2:7-8? Why does God often choose people who are not
important?
(2) Discuss God’s words in verse 7. What matters most about

a person in God’s opinion? How does that differ from the
opinions that most people have?
(3) Read verses 13-14. How important was the Holy Spirit in
David’s life and in Saul’s life? Read Galatians 3:1-5 and
Romans 8:9-11. Why is the Holy Spirit important for
Christians?
(4) What evidence is there in chapter 16 that David served

God loyally?
Part 17 - 1 Samuel chapter 17 - David

fights Goliath.
(1) Read verse 26. What did David believe about the
relationship between Israel and God? Why, therefore, was
he not afraid of Goliath?
(2) Compare Eliab’s reaction in verse 28 with the reaction of

Joseph’s brothers to his dreams, in Genesis 37:19-20.
(3) Read verses 34-37. What had David learnt from his
experiences when he looked after the sheep? How did he
believe that he could defeat such a strong enemy? Show how
he was trusting God, and not his own strength or skill.
(4) Which verse shows that Goliath was trusting his gods,
and not merely his own strength, for the fight against David?
(5) Read verses 45-47. Prepare a list of the things that David
expected God to do in the battle. What would the events of
that day prove?
(6) Which of the statements in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 did David’s

success against Goliath prove?

becomes jealous and afraid of David.
(1) Show how, in each part of this chapter, Saul’s attitudes

towards David became worse.
(2) Show how, in each part of this chapter, David became

more successful and important. What was God doing in
David’s life?
(3) In each part of the chapter, how did the opinions of

Israel’s people towards David develop? What was Saul’s
reaction to this?
(4) Explain how we should deal with jealous, angry and

fearful feelings. Show how Saul did not deal with these
feelings in a right or proper manner.

tries to kill David.
(1) What reasons did Jonathan give why Saul should not kill
David? Read Proverbs 15:1-9. Discuss how Jonathan’s words
showed true wisdom. Why do people so often choose to
follow their emotions and not to accept wise advice? Why did
Saul do that after he had promised not to kill David?
(2) If a person does not deal with his wrong emotions, they
may soon cause him to make wicked plans. Show how this
happened to Saul in this chapter.
(3) What lies did Michal tell in this chapter? Why did she tell
lies? Is it necessary for someone who trusts God to tell lies in
a desperate situation? Is there another way to deal with
such dangers? Read Luke 21:12-15.
(4) Discuss how often God protected David in this chapter.

What different methods did God use to protect him?
(5) What evidence is there in this chapter that God was still
working in Saul’s life? What should Saul have done in order
to return to God? What must we do if we have offended God
by our behaviour?

Jonathan tells David to escape.
(1) Read 1 Samuel 18:1-4 and 1 Samuel 23:16-18. Discuss

the kind of love that Jonathan showed as David’s friend.
What covenants (serious promises) did they make to each
other?
(2) Who did Saul believe would become king after his death?
What was his reaction to that? Who did Jonathan believe
would become king then? What was Jonathan’s opinion about
that?
(3) Discuss why David and Jonathan considered it necessary

to be loyal to each other, to their king, and to God. What
evidence is there of those loyal attitudes in this chapter?
(4) How important did David and Jonathan consider their

relationship to God to be in this situation?

visits Israel’s chief priest then he goes
into Philistia.
(1) How had Nob become an important town for the purposes
of religion? What sacred objects were there and what
ceremonies did the priests carry out there? Why was Nob
less important than Shiloh had been? Discuss the events in
chapters 2 to 4 which caused these changes.
(2) Read the rules about the sacred bread in Leviticus 24:5-
9. Why did David not have the right to eat it? Why did the
priest give it to him? Compare your answer with Mark 2:23-
28. What lesson did Jesus teach about this incident?
(3) What evidence is there in this chapter that David was not
yet trusting God completely? How would David have behaved
differently if he was trusting God completely? Can you
recognise any evidence in your own life that you are not
trusting God completely?
(4) Read Psalm 34 which David wrote after the incident in

verses 10-15. What lessons had he learnt?

murders the priests because the chief
priest had helped David.
(1) What kind of people supported David at Adullam? What

kind of people were opposing him? Read Psalm 57, which
David probably wrote at this time.
(2) What different methods did Saul use to control people?

Read Mark 10:42-45 then discuss those methods. What
should be a Christian’s attitude to the use of such methods?
Also, read Romans 13:1-10.
(3) Of what crime did Saul accuse David? Whom else did Saul
accuse of that crime? What evidence is there in this chapter
that Saul had no proper reason to hate David?
(4) Explain how Doeg’s actions were even more cruel than
Saul had ordered.
(5) Does it surprise you that David accepted the blame for
the deaths of the priests? What does that fact show about
David’s character?

tries to arrest David.
(1) Discuss why we should pray for God to guide us. How was
God directing David in this chapter? Discuss some of the
occasions when God guided Christians in the Book of Acts
(for example, Acts 8:26-31; Acts 9:10-17 and Acts 13:1-3).
Read Psalm 23:1-3.
(2) How did Jonathan help David? How can we encourage our
friends to be strong in their relationship with God?
(3) Why did Jonathan want David to be Israel’s next king?

Why did Jonathan believe that David would be king?
(4) Why did Saul bless the people called Ziphites in the name
of God? Discuss what Deuteronomy 5:11 says about that.
Read David’s description of the Ziphites in Psalm 54.
(5) In verses 26-29, what evidence is there that God saved

David from Saul?

refuses to kill Saul.
(1) Some people do not consider it wrong to carry out an evil

deed if the result will be something good. What was David’s
opinion about that idea? Read verse 13.
(2) In verses 6 and 10, what reason did David give why he
would not attack Saul? Why did David consider the ceremony
called the anointing to be so important? What kind of
relationship still existed between Saul and God?
(3) Read Matthew 5:38-48. How did Jesus say that

Christians should deal with their enemies? Compare your
answer with how David acted in this chapter.
Part 25 - 1 Samuel chapter 25 - How

Abigail saved David from the
responsibility for a cruel and evil
deed.
(1) Whose responsibility was it to pay David’s men for their

work as guards? Why did David believe that he ought to
attack Nabal and his servants? Whose rights was David
trying to defend?
(2) Read 1 Corinthians 9:7-10. What does the Bible teach

about a worker’s right to receive wages? Why then was David
wrong to act as he did?
(3) Discuss the difference between David’s attitude towards

Saul (1 Samuel chapter 24) and his attitude towards Nabal.
Whom was David trusting to deal with Saul? How did Abigail
urge him to have a similar attitude towards Nabal?
(4) What did Abigail believe that God would do in the future
for David? Read about how other people believed the same
thing: Samuel (1 Samuel 16:1-13), Israel’s women (1 Samuel
18:7), Jonathan (1 Samuel 23:17), David’s men (1 Samuel
24:4) and Saul (1 Samuel 24:20). Show how Abigail
expressed God’s promises to David more clearly than any of
them.

appeals to Saul for the last time.
(1) Explain how Abishai intended to make David king. Why

did David consider that plan to be evil and wrong?
(2) What punishment did David consider that Saul deserved

for his evil deeds? How did David think that Saul might
receive that punishment? Why did David consider that God -
and not David himself - should act against Saul?
(3) Discuss the connection between Israel’s people, their

land, and God. Read how God gave that land to them in
Genesis 15:18-20; Genesis 28:13-15 and Numbers 33:50-54.
Why did David not want to leave Israel?
(4) In verse 21, Saul confessed his evil deeds, but he did not
return to God. Discuss why people do that.

lives in Philistia.
(1) Read some of the previous references to Gath in the Book

of 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Samuel 17:4; 1 Samuel
21:10-15). What religion did people follow in Philistia? Why
did David think that he would be safer there?
(2) Read some of the references to the robbers who lived in

the desert south of Israel and Philistia (1 Samuel 15:2; 1
Samuel 15:33; 1 Samuel 30:1-2). How did the actions of
David’s men against those robbers benefit Israel’s people?
How did Philistia’s people benefit? Why did David not want
King Achish to know about these activities?
(3) Read 2 Samuel 15:18-21. Why do you think that so many

people from Gath became loyal to David?
(4) Why did King Achish want Israel’s people to hate David?
What in fact was the attitude of Israel’s people to David at
this time? Read 1 Samuel 30:26.
(5) Read 1 Chronicles 12:1-22, which describes some of

David’s group of 600 men.

uses witchcraft (magic) to inquire of
Samuel after his death.
(1) Read Deuteronomy 18:9-14; 1 Corinthians 10:20 and

Revelation 22:14-15. Why does the Bible warn so strongly
against witchcraft? What other activities do these verses
warn us against?
(2) Discuss how Saul’s attitude towards witchcraft changed

in verses 3 to 7. What caused that change?
(3) Why did God not answer Saul’s prayers in verse 6? Read
Isaiah 59:1-3.
(4) Where do Hebrews 12:22-24 and Luke 16:22-26 say that

the spirits of God’s people are after death? Where did the
woman say that Samuel’s spirit came from?
(5) Read John 8:44 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. Why does

the devil tell lies? What is the effect of those lies on people
who refuse to serve God? What was the effect of this
experience on Saul?

Philistia’s rulers do not allow David to
fight for them.
(1) Read 1 Samuel 27:8-11. What did David do to support

Israel’s people while he lived in Philistia? Read 1 Samuel
24:6-13. Did David want to fight against Israel or against
Saul? Why, then, did he try to join Philistia’s army? Read
Romans 13:1-7. What is the right attitude for us to have
towards the rulers of the countries where we live?
(2) For what reason did Philistia’s commanders refuse to

allow David to fight? Do you think that, in fact, God was
directing David’s actions? Compare this incident with the
way that God stopped David’s attack on Nabal (1 Samuel
25:30-34).
(3) Discuss Achish’s description of David’s character (verses

6-9). Does it agree with our knowledge about David from
elsewhere in the Book of 1 Samuel? Find some Bible passages
about the kind of character that God’s people should have
(for example, Psalm 15; Ephesians 4:22-32; 2 Peter 1:5-7).

David’s men rescue their families from
a group of robbers and David receives
great wealth.
(1) Explain why so many of David’s men were too tired to

fight the robbers. What had happened to David’s men during
the last few days?
(2) Why were there so many robbers in that region? From

whom were they stealing? Read how Saul (1 Samuel 15:1-9)
and David (1 Samuel 27:8-11) had previously attacked
groups of robbers there.
(3) Discuss why David decided to reward all his men after the
battle. What does that show us about David’s character?
Does God act in a similar manner? Read Matthew 20:1-16.
What lesson was Jesus teaching in that passage? In what
ways were David’s attitudes similar to the father’s attitudes
in Luke 15:11-32?

Israel’s defeat and Saul’s death.
(1) Read about David’s reaction to Saul’s death (2 Samuel

1:11-12). Also, read the sad song that he wrote (2 Samuel
1:17-27). What is the right reaction for us to have when an
enemy suffers? Read Matthew 5:43-48.
(2) How did Philistia’s army express their happiness at the

death of Saul? How did they give honour for their success to
their (false) gods?
(3) Read 1 Samuel 11:1-11. Why did the inhabitants of

Jabesh consider it so important to bury Saul’s body properly?
Read David’s message to them in 2 Samuel 2:4-7.
(4) Saul’s death happened near the place that the Book of
Revelation calls Armageddon. Read Revelation 16:16. Then
read 1 Samuel 2:1-10. The defeat of wicked rulers is
necessary to establish the rule of the king whom God has
chosen. Who was that king at the end of 1 Samuel? Who is
the king whom God has chosen in the Book of Revelation?
Read Revelation 22:16.
© 2014 Keith Simons

This book is in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words),
which was developed by Wycliffe Associates
(UK).
February 2014

1samuel s2019 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1samuel s2019 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1samuel s2019 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1 Samuel - www.usefulbible.com - page 1.

1 Samuel: Bible Study and Commentary

Samuel, Saul and David

The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel describe how God saved Israel

We might imagine that it is only possible to achieve such

God began to do these wonderful things with two events that

At the start of the Book of 1 Samuel, we read how Hannah

Christian readers will notice how similar these events were

Elkanah and his family

Such a man was Elkanah. He lived at a time when even

Each year, Elkanah took an animal to God’s house in Shiloh.

Although Peninnah was cruel to Hannah, Elkanah himself

Hannah’s reaction to her sad

Usually people only became Nazirites for a certain period of

Hannah’s prayer was desperate, but her promise was

Eli gives God’s promise to

In fact, he was weak in many different ways. His eyes were

Eli was unable to recognise the true nature of Hannah’s

Eli had misunderstood, but Hannah explained her situation.

Hannah’s sad feelings left her immediately. She had no

Hannah gives her son to God

She explained her intentions to her husband. The boy would

In ancient Israel, the time when a child no longer needed his

On this day, they took Samuel to God’s house, the sacred

Leviticus 27:1-8 refers to the gift of people to God; Judges

Such was the work that Samuel’s parents probably expected

Poems by women from the ancient world are very rare.

When Hannah spoke these words, she was speaking by the

At the start of her prayer, Hannah expresses the joy that

Hannah is not referring to the cruelty of her husband’s

It was right for Hannah to declare these things as she gave

The one and only God

In 1 Samuel 2:1, Hannah spoke about the good things that

God’s judgements against his

These proud enemies prepare to fight against God’s servants.

However, their words are in vain, because God is on the

God has perfect knowledge; he knows everything. He is

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Hannah declares God’s

People weigh an object to test whether it is the proper

God saves his people from their

Bows were especially frightening because soldiers with them

However, Hannah describes a battle where God is acting to

The people who stumble (fall) would usually be in the

That is because God is acting to save his people. So, the

Because God is on the side of his people, nobody can

Safety, satisfaction and peace

Clearly, Hannah refers to her own experience when she

On the other hand, the proud enemies of God’s people lose

Of course, we do not always see such things happen in this

We can see that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary

However, God’s promise is not just for the people in that

God’s power over life and death

However, it may surprise us to read that God has power

The most astonishing statement here is that God brings

God’s attitude towards humble

God’s opinion about people is very different from ours (1

Even in his world, God can give honour to his humble

We may ask why God approves so strongly of humble

God will separate good people