1 Samuel 28


Saul visits a medium (a person who talks to dead people) and talks to Samuel.

The Philistines got ready for another war with Israel.  King Achish talked to David.  Achish wanted David to help them fight against Israel. David said that Achish knew his skills. Achish wanted David to stay near him and protect him like a bodyguard forever.
[1] And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
[2] And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.


After Samuel died, Saul made a rule. The rule was that all mediums and wizards (people who talked to dead people and did magic) must leave and get out of Israel.
[3] Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.


The Philistine army made a camp in the area named Shunem. Saul and the Israelite army made their camp in the area named Gilboa.
[4] And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.


When Saul saw the big Philistine army, he was very afraid.
[5] And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.


Saul tried to ask God what to do. But God did not answer Saul. God did not give an answer in dreams, the Urim (in the priest's robe), or by prophets (people who could talk to God) .
[6] And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets.


Saul told one of his workers to find a woman who could talk to dead people. He wanted to go to the woman and ask her for help.  His workers said there was a woman who could talk to dead people. She lived in the place named Endor.
[7] Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.


Saul didn't want anyone to know who he was. He put on a disguise (different clothes). He took 2 men with him. They went to see the woman at Endor one night. He asked the woman to help him talk to a dead person. He said he would tell her the person's name.
[8] And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.


The woman didn't know that he was really Saul. She reminded him that after Samuel died, Saul made everyone like mediums and wizards leave Israel. The woman said that Saul was trying to trap her so that she would get killed.
[9] And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?


Saul swore a promise to the woman. He said that God lives, and he promises that she will not be punished for helping him.
[10] And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.


The woman decided to help Saul. She asked Saul which dead person he wanted her to talk to. Saul said he wanted to talk to Samuel.
[11] Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.


The woman saw Samuel.  Then she was afraid and cried. She saw that the man was Samuel. She asked Saul why he lied to her.
[12] And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.|


Saul told her not to be afraid. He asked her what she saw. She said she saw spirits coming up out of the earth.
[13] And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

 

Saul at Endor From the book, Patriarchs and Prophets on web site http://karenswhimsy.com/religious-clipart.htm

Saul wanted to know what the spirit looked like. She said it was an old man covered with a robe. Saul thought it was Samuel. He bowed down and put his face on the ground.
[14] And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.


Samuel asked Saul why he was disturbing him. Saul said that he was very worried. He said that the Philistines were fighting a war with the Israelites again.  He said that God would not answer him in dreams or with prophets. Saul wanted Samuel to tell him what to do.
[15] And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.


Samuel asked why Saul was asking him for help.  He said that God is not helping Saul anymore. God is Saul's enemy. Samuel had told Saul the same thing when he was alive. God made David the new king of Israel.
[16] Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
[17] And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
 

God made David the new king because Saul did not obey him.
[18] Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.


Samuel said that the next day, the Philistines will defeat the Israelites. Also, the next day, Saul and his sons will die.
[19] Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


Saul fell down and was very afraid. He was weak because he did not eat all day and night.
[20] Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.


The woman saw that Saul was upset. She said that she did everything Saul asked her to do. She obeyed Saul even though she was afraid she would die. Now she wants Saul to listen to her. She wants him to eat some food.  If he eats, he will be stronger.
[21] And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
[22] Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.


Saul refused to eat. But his workers and the woman encouraged him to eat. Finally, he said he would eat. He got up and sat on the bed.
[23] But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.


The woman brought a fat calf, killed it, and cooked it. She also made some flat bread. Saul and his workers ate the woman's food, and then they left. They left in the dark before the morning.
[24] And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
[25] And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.
 

1 Samuel 29


Achish sends David home from the war.

The Philistines came together for the war. They met together at the place called Aphek. The Israelites camped by a fountain (water) in the place named Jezreel.
[1] Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.


The Philistine leaders and their part of the army marched past. The Philistine princes watched them pass. They saw David and his soldiers marching with Achish in the back.
[2] And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.


The princes asked why the Israelites were there. Achish told them that David had been helping him.  David had been helping him for some years. Achish never saw him do anything wrong.  Achish trusted David.
[3] Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?


The Philistine princes were not happy. They told Achish to make David and his soldiers leave. They wanted Achish to send them home.  They did not want them to go to the war with them.  They were worried that David would change his mind and start helping Saul and the Israelites again. They were afraid David would kill Philistines so that Saul would invite him back.
[4] And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?


They reminded Achish of the song about David. The song told that Saul killed thousands of soldiers, and David killed more than ten thousand soldiers.
[5] Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?


Achish talked to David. He said that David had always been loyal and good to him.  Achish had always been happy with David. But the Philistine princes did not trust David. Achish told David that he should leave. He should not fight in the war with Israel.
[6] Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
[7] Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.


David didn't understand. He asked Achish what he had done wrong. He asked why he couldn't help Achish fight in the war.
[8] And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

Achish said that David has always been good. Achish said he was good like an angel of God. But the Philistine princes said he cannot help them in the war. He told David that he and his soldiers should leave early the next morning.
[9] And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
[10] Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
 

David obeyed Achish. He and his soldiers left the next morning. They went back to the Philistines' land. The Philistines went to the place named Jezreel.
[11] So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
 

1 Samuel 30


The Amalekite people kidnap David's and his soldiers' families.
 

From the book, Patriarchs and Prophets on web site http://karenswhimsy.com/religious-clipart.htm

David and his men traveled 3 days back to their home in Ziklag. When they arrived, they saw that the Amalekite people attacked the southern part of the Philistines' land. They attacked Ziklag.  They burned the city. They kidnapped all of the women and children.  They took the women and children with them.
[1] And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
[2] And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
 

The Amalekites These people were the descendants of Amalek. Amalek was Esau's grandson. The Amalekites lived in the south near Mt. Sinai. The Israelites fought a war with the Amalekites soon after they left Egypt. The Israelites fought wars with the Amalekites after the moved into Canaan. In the book of 1 Samuel, God told King Saul to destroy the Amalekites. Saul did not obey God.  He did not destroy the Amalekites then.  Later, in the book of 1 Chronicles, the Amalekites were destroyed.

David and his soldiers saw their city burned. They saw that their wives, sons, and daughters were gone.
[3] So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
 

David and his soldiers were very upset. They cried loudly until they were weak.
[4] Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.


Both of David's wives were gone. David's wives were Ahinoam (she was from Jezreel) and Abigail (her first husband was Nabal, and she was from Carmel).
[5] And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


David's soldiers were very upset. They blamed David. They discussed throwing many rocks at David and killing him. But David had faith that God would help him.
[6] And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.


David talked to the priest, Abiathar. Abiathar's father's name was Ahimelech. David asked Abiathar to bring the priest's special robe. Abiathar brought the robe. Then David asked God what they should do. He asked if he should try to catch the Amalekites.  God answered David. God told David yes. David should chase the Amalekites. God said that David will catch them. He said that David will get all of the women and children back.
[7] And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
[8] And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.


David and 600 of his soldiers chased the Amalekites. They came to the brook (water, creek) named Besor. 200 of David's men were very weak, so they stayed there. David and the other 400 soldiers continued.
[9] So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
[10] But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.


David's men found an Egyptian man in a field. They took the man to David. They gave him food and water.  They gave him bread, water, some fig cake, and raisins. The man had not eaten for 3 days and nights. After he ate, he felt better and stronger.
[11] And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
[12] And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.


David asked the man who he was and where he came from.  He said he was from Egypt. He worked for one of the Amalekites. Three days ago, he got sick. The man he worked for left him there.
[13] And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.


The Egyptian man told David the names of the places that the Amalekites attacked.  They attacked the area of the Cherethites (a group of Philistine people). They also attacked Israelite land that belonged to Judah's and Caleb's descendants.  He said the Amalekites also burned David's city of Ziklag.
[14] We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.


David asked the Egyptian man to take him to the Amalekites' camp. The Egyptian man said he would do that. But he asked David to swear (promise) in God's name that he wouldn't kill him or send him back to the Amalekites.
[15] And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

The man took David to the Amalekites' camp. The Amalekites were having a big celebration. They had stolen many people and things from the places they attacked.
[16] And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.


David attacked the Amalekite camp in the evening. He continued attacking them until evening the next day. They killed all of the Amalekites except for 400 young men who rode camels and escaped.
[17] And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

David rescued both of his wives. David's army rescued every person and everything that the Amalekites had stolen.
[18] And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
[19] And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
 

David's army also took the animals that the Amalekites had before they attacked other places.  The soldiers said they would let David have all of these animals.
[20] And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

On the way back to Ziklag, David and his soldiers met the other 200 soldiers. These were the soldiers who were weak. They did not go to fight the Amalekites. They were waiting by the water named Besor. They came out to meet David and all of the people with him. David spoke to them and asked them how they were doing.
[21] And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.


Some of David's soldiers were not nice people. Some who went to fight the Amalekites complained. They didn't want the 200 weak soldiers to get any of the things they brought back from the Amalekites. They wanted them to take their wives and children and leave.
[22] Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.


David said no. He said that God saved them, and God  helped them defeat the Amalekites. David said that no one would agree with the bad soldiers. He said that all soldiers would get the same. The 400 soldiers who fought and the 200 soldiers who were weak and guarded the camp would all get equal.
[23] Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.|
[24] For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.

David made that rule. That was still a rule when this book of the Bible was written.
[25] And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.


After David got home to Ziklag, he shared some of the Amalekites' things with people in Israel. He told them he was sending them gifts. He told them the gifts came from God's enemies.
[26] And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;
 

David sent gifts to places in the Israelite area of Judah.  These were the places that received gifts: Bethel, south Ramoth, Jattir, Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, Rachal, cities of the Jerahmeelite people, cities of the Kenite people, Hormah, Chor-ashan, Athach, Hebron, and all other places where David and his men traveled while they hid from Saul.
[27] To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,
[28] And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,
[29] And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,
[30] And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chor-ashan, and to them which were in Athach,
[31] And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
 

 

---

1 Samuel 31


The Philistines kill Saul and his sons.
 

The Philistines fought a war with Israel. The Israelite soldiers ran away from the Philistines. The Israelite soldiers were killed in the area of Mt. Gilboa.
[1] Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

The Philistines chased Saul and his sons. The Philistines killed Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua.
[2] And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.


The Philistines were winning the war. One of the Philistines shot Saul with an arrow. Saul was hurt badly by the arrow.
[3] And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

 

"The Death of Saul" Gustave Doré From the web site:   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8710/8710-h/p4.htm

Saul asked his helper to stab him with his sword. Saul did not want the Philistines to find him hurt and then kill him or torture him. But Saul's helper was afraid. He would not stab Saul. So, Saul got his sword and fell on it to kill himself.
[4] Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

When the helper saw that Saul was dead, he killed himself with his sword, too.
[5] And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Saul, his 3 sons, and Saul's helper all died on the same day.
[6] So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.


The other Israelites saw that the Israelite soldiers were running away. They saw that Saul and his sons died. They were afraid. They ran away from their cities. The Philistines moved into the Israelite cities and lived in them.
[7] And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.


The next day, the Philistines found Saul's body and his sons' bodies. The Philistines cut off Saul's head. They took off his armour (war clothes). They sent the armour back to the Philistine land. They sent messengers to inform the Philistine people that they killed Saul.  The Philistines worshiped their idols because Saul was dead.
[8] And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
[9] And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.


The Philistines put Saul's armour in the place where they worshiped the false god, Ashtaroth. They hung Saul's body on the wall of the city named Beth-shan.
[10] And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.


The Israelites who lived in the area of Jabesh-gilead heard what happened to Saul.  Some of their brave men traveled all night and went to Beth-shan. They got Saul's body and Saul's son's bodies. They took the bodies back to Jabesh. They cremated (burned) the bodies, then buried the bones under a tree in Jabesh.  Then they fasted (did not eat) for 7 days because they were very sad.
[11] And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
[12] All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
[13] And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.