1Sa 29:1 The entire Philistine army now mobilized at Aphek, and the Israelites camped at the spring in Jezreel.
1Sa 29:2 As the Philistine rulers were leading out their troops in groups of one hundred and one thousand, David and his men marched at the rear with King Achish.
1Sa 29:3 But the Philistine commanders demanded, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish told them, "This is David, the man who ran away from King Saul of Israel. He's been with me for years, and I've never found a single fault in him since he defected to me."
1Sa 29:4 But the Philistine commanders were angry. "Send him back!" they demanded. "He can't go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by turning on us in battle?
1Sa 29:5 Isn't this the same David about whom the women of Israel sing in their dances, 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
1Sa 29:6 So Achish finally summoned David and his men. "I swear by the LORD," he told them, "you are some of the finest men I've ever met. I think you should go with us, but the other Philistine rulers won't hear of it.
1Sa 29:7 Please don't upset them, but go back quietly."
1Sa 29:8 "What have I done to deserve this treatment?" David demanded. "Why can't I fight the enemies of my lord, the king?"
1Sa 29:9 But Achish insisted, "As far as I'm concerned, you're as perfect as an angel of God. But my commanders are afraid to have you with them in the battle.
1Sa 29:10 Now get up early in the morning, and leave with your men as soon as it gets light."
1Sa 29:11 So David headed back into the land of the Philistines, while the Philistine army went on to Jezreel.
1Sa 30:1 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and had burned Ziklag to the ground.
1Sa 30:2 They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
1Sa 30:3 When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families,
1Sa 30:4 they wept until they could weep no more.
1Sa 30:5 David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel, were among those captured.
1Sa 30:6 David was now in serious trouble because his men were very bitter about losing their wives and children, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
1Sa 30:7 Then he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring me the ephod!" So Abiathar brought it.
1Sa 30:8 Then David asked the LORD, "Should I chase them? Will I catch them?" And the LORD told him, "Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!"
1Sa 30:9 So David and his six hundred men set out, and they soon came to Besor Brook.
1Sa 30:10 But two hundred of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with his four hundred remaining troops.
1Sa 30:11 Some of David's troops found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and some water to drink.
1Sa 30:12 They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins because he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. It wasn't long before his strength returned.
1Sa 30:13 "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" David asked him. "I am an Egyptian-- the slave of an Amalekite," he replied. "My master left me behind three days ago because I was sick.
1Sa 30:14 We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag."
1Sa 30:15 "Will you lead me to them?" David asked. The young man replied, "If you swear by God's name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them."
1Sa 30:16 So the Egyptian led them to the Amalekite encampment. When David and his men arrived, the Amalekites were spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah.
1Sa 30:17 David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except four hundred young men who fled on camels.
1Sa 30:18 David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
1Sa 30:19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back.
1Sa 30:20 His troops rounded up all the flocks and herds and drove them on ahead. "These all belong to David as his reward!" they said.
1Sa 30:21 When they reached Besor Brook and met the two hundred men who had been too tired to go with them, David greeted them joyfully.
1Sa 30:22 But some troublemakers among David's men said, "They didn't go with us, so they can't have any of the plunder. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone."
1Sa 30:23 But David said, "No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the enemy.
1Sa 30:24 Do you think anyone will listen to you when you talk like this? We share and share alike-- those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment."
1Sa 30:25 From then on David made this a law for all of Israel, and it is still followed.
1Sa 30:26 When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the leaders of Judah, who were his friends. "Here is a present for you, taken from the LORD's enemies," he said.
1Sa 30:27 The gifts were sent to the leaders of the following towns where David and his men had been: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir,
1Sa 30:28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,
1Sa 30:29 Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites,
1Sa 30:30 Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,
1Sa 30:31 Hebron, and all the other places they had visited.
1Sa 31:1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, forcing the Israelites to flee. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.
1Sa 31:2 The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons-- Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua.
1Sa 31:3 The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely.
1Sa 31:4 Saul groaned to his armor bearer, "Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines run me through and humiliate me." But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
1Sa 31:5 When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king.
1Sa 31:6 So Saul, three of his sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
1Sa 31:7 When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that their army had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.
1Sa 31:8 The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa.
1Sa 31:9 So they cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the news of Saul's death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.
1Sa 31:10 They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan.
1Sa 31:11 But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
1Sa 31:12 their warriors traveled all night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies.
1Sa 31:13 Then they took their remains and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.
2Sa 1:1 After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.
2Sa 1:2 On the third day after David's return, a man arrived from the Israelite battlefront. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.
2Sa 1:3 "Where have you come from?" David asked. "I escaped from the Israelite camp," the man replied.
2Sa 1:4 "What happened?" David demanded. "Tell me how the battle went." The man replied, "Our entire army fled. Many men are dead and wounded on the battlefield, and Saul and his son Jonathan have been killed."
2Sa 1:5 "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?" David demanded.
2Sa 1:6 The young man answered, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. I saw Saul there leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots closing in on him.
2Sa 1:7 When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. 'How can I help?' I asked him.
2Sa 1:8 And he said to me, 'Who are you?' I replied, 'I am an Amalekite.'
2Sa 1:9 Then he begged me, 'Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.'
2Sa 1:10 "So I killed him," the Amalekite told David, "for I knew he couldn't live. Then I took his crown and one of his bracelets so I could bring them to you, my lord."
2Sa 1:11 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news.
2Sa 1:12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD's army and the nation of Israel, because so many had died that day.
2Sa 1:13 Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, "Where are you from?" And he replied, "I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land."
2Sa 1:14 "Were you not afraid to kill the LORD's anointed one?" David asked.
2Sa 1:15 Then David said to one of his men, "Kill him!" So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him.
2Sa 1:16 "You die self-condemned," David said, "for you yourself confessed that you killed the LORD's anointed one."
2Sa 1:17 Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan.
2Sa 1:18 Later he commanded that it be taught to all the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in [The Book of Jashar.]
2Sa 1:19 Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills! How the mighty heroes have fallen!
2Sa 1:20 Don't announce the news in Gath, or the Philistines will rejoice. Don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the pagans will laugh in triumph.
2Sa 1:21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you or your slopes. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled; the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.
2Sa 1:22 Both Saul and Jonathan killed their strongest foes; they did not return from battle empty-handed.
2Sa 1:23 How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
2Sa 1:24 O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in fine clothing and gold ornaments.
2Sa 1:25 How the mighty heroes have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead upon the hills.
2Sa 1:26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!
2Sa 1:27 How the mighty heroes have fallen! Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.