Samuel Rebukes Saul
1Saul was [thirty][35] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel [forty-][36] two years.
Technological Supremacy of the Philistines’ Iron Weapons
1 Samuel 13 Iron weaponry placed the Philistines in a position of distinct advantage over their adversaries. Perhaps more than any other factor, iron weapons proved the decisive element in the Philistines’ early domination of Israel. The Philistines were one of the Sea Peoples who had arrived on the Canaanite shores at the end of the Bronze Age.1 There is evidence of ironwork from the early Iron Age both in Egypt to the south and in the Hittite Empire in Asia Minor to the north. But both empires guarded their technological advancement. Still, during the second half of the second millennium B.C., the Philistines defeated the Hittites and most likely took from them the technology of ironwork.
To protect this valuable commodity and their corresponding advantage, the Philistines guarded the technology from their neighbors, notably the Israelites. Within Palestine, facilities of iron smelting have been discovered in the ancient Philistine settlements at Ekron (“Map 4”) and Tell Qasile. In fact, the Philistines prohibited Israelites from engaging in the trade of ironsmithing, lest the Israelites also gain iron weapons (1Sa 13:19–20). Goliath the Philistine had a spearhead made of iron. The Hebrew text describes this spear as a “weaver’s beam”; it is possible that this term was used because the iron weapon was relatively new to the Israelite culture and no word had as yet been coined to describe it.
It was partially the threat of the Philistines and their superior weapons that motivated the tribes of Israel to demand a king. As the monarchy began under Saul, the Philistines continued to dominate Israel’s armies in open battle, including the battle at Mount Gilboa (“Map 3”) where Saul and his sons died (ch. 31). To combat the weapon superiority of the Philistines, the Israelites relied upon superior knowledge of the landscape and on guerilla warfare. But it was not until David was crowned king that the Israelites began to experience victory over their traditional foe.2 As David’s conquests expanded the borders of Israel, he was able to secure rich iron deposits to the south in Edom (2Sa 8).3 These proved an extremely valuable asset to Israel.
1. See “The Archaeology of Philistia”; see also “Archaeological Periods Chart” in the front of this Bible.
2Saul[37] chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah† in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost† at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become a stench† to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand[38] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand† on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.† 7Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad† and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8He waited seven† days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.[39] ” And Saul offered† up the burnt offering. 10Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel† arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11“What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash,† 12I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.†’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13“You acted foolishly,†” Samuel said. “You have not kept† the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14But now your kingdom† will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart† and appointed† him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”
15Then Samuel left Gilgal[40] and went up to Gibeah† in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
Israel Without Weapons
16Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah[41] in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash. 17Raiding† parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah† in the vicinity of Shual, 18another toward Beth Horon,† and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim† facing the desert.
19Not a blacksmith† could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” 20So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles[42] sharpened. 21The price was two thirds of a shekel[43] for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel[44] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
22So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan† had a sword or spear† in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Jonathan Attacks the Philistines
23Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass† at Micmash.
1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
The Pass at Micmash
1 Samuel 14 Reference to a specific geographic feature is not typical in Scripture, but the geographic details of the pass near Micmash and Geba are carefully described in 1 Samuel 14:5. Most north/south traffic in the hill country follows the watershed ridge, because of the deeply cutting ravines (wadis) on either side. The mile-wide break in the otherwise steep cliffs of the Wadi Suwenit allowed for the existence of a secondary route in the territory of Benjamin, which paralleled the watershed ridge route and came to be known simply as “the pass.”
During the time of King Saul the Philistines guarded this pass, but Jonathan and his armor-bearer surprised the enemy garrison by circumventing it and climbing the steep cliffs of Bozez and Seneh (1Sa 13:23–14:14). Isaiah prophesied of a terrifying army that would travel along this road, leaving baggage at Micmash and spending the night at Geba (Isa 10:28–29). Asa’s earlier fortifications of Geba were also an apparent recognition of the importance of this route (1Ki 15:22).
Scholars routinely identify Micmash with the modern Arab village of Mukhmas, nearly 7 miles (11.2 km) northeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank. However, very few Iron Age1 remains have been found there, and thus some suggest that Micmash may have been at Khirbet el-Hara el-Fawqa, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) farther north—a spot at which researchers have found both Iron I and II Age sherds.2
Micmash cliffs
Photograph: © Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com
1. See “Archaeological Periods Chart” in the front of this Bible.
2. See “The Potsherd: Pottery in the Bible.”
2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah† under a pomegranate tree in Migron.† With him were about six hundred men, 3among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s† brother Ahitub† son of Phinehas, the son of Eli,† the LORD’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4On each side of the pass† that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised† fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing† can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many† or by few.†”
7“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign† that the LORD has given them into our hands.”
11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding† in.” 12The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.†”
So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand† of Israel.”
13Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.[45]
Israel Routs the Philistines
15Then panic† struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding† parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.[46]
16Saul’s lookouts† at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring† the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)[47] 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest,† “Withdraw your hand.”
20Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking† each other with their swords. 21Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went† over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22When all the Israelites who had hidden† in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23So the LORD rescued† Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.†
Jonathan Eats Honey
24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath,† saying, “Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
25The entire army[48] entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb.† He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.[49] 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be any man who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble† for the country. See how my eyes brightened[50] when I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon,† they were exhausted. 32They pounced on the plunder† and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.† 33Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it.”
“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.’ ”
So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35Then Saul built an altar† to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.
36Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”
“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”
37So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer† him that day.
38Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed† today. 39 As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives,† even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of the men said a word.
40Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”
“Do what seems best to you,” the men replied.
41Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give† me the right† answer.”[51] And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”†
So Jonathan told him, “I merely tasted a little honey† with the end of my staff. And now must I die?”
44Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,† if you do not die, Jonathan.†”
45But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair† of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued† Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
47After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites,† Edom, the kings[52] of Zobah,† and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.[53] 48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites,† delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
Saul’s Family
49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua.† The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal.† 50His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51Saul’s father Kish† and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took† him into his service.
The LORD Rejects Saul as King
1Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint† you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. 2This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites† for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally† destroy[54] everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”
Herem, Holy War
1 Samuel 15 The command given to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:3 to “totally destroy everything” that belonged to the Amalekites represents the translation of the Hebrew word haram. This verb, which means to “ban” or “completely destroy,” has a related noun, herem, meaning “absolute destruction.” In keeping with its frequent use within the context of Old Testament Hebrew warfare, the verb is also found in Deuteronomy 20:16–18, where the Israelites were commanded to “completely destroy” all the peoples living within the land God had given them as an inheritance. These verses in Deuteronomy indicate that this total destruction involved killing all the people and domestic animals belonging to a place. The same verb appears in the Moabite language, as attested on the ninth-century B.C. Mesha Stele, an inscribed stone monument on which King Mesha of Moab claimed to have “totally destroyed” the people of Nebo for the god Chemosh.1 Mesha’s use of this verb demonstrates a connection between Israel and her neighbors in the realm of warfare ideology.
While the phrase “holy war” may be somewhat misleading, the Biblical idea of war is rooted in the notion that God led his people into battle and that certain Old Testament battles were executed as religious acts. Although it has been suggested that herem was an element of every Biblical holy war, this is most unlikely, since it was not decreed in every battle.
While it is not mentioned in 1 Samuel 15, the ark of the covenant served as the palladium (a religious image or object thought to provide divine protection to a people or place) that signified Yahweh’s presence among the Israelite army in battle. Yahweh was often portrayed as a warrior God who was victorious over the powers of chaos. This ideology was prevalent throughout the ancient Near East, and, along with associated injunctions to purity among the warriors (Dt 23:9–10), it provided the essential elements of the holy war. In the Bible this offers a powerful metaphor for God’s mighty acts in salvation history that will culminate in the absolute destruction of all who oppose him.
The herem in Israelite warfare strikes many readers as cruel, but it is helpful to keep three factors in mind:
• The Israelites were executing divine judgment on Canaan specifically; they were not called to wage holy war on the nations around them in order to create an empire.
• The herem was intended to remove permanently the pagan influence from the Israelite vicinity.
• The herem was meant to remind the Israelites that their warfare was not for the purpose of acquiring slaves and booty but was meant to secure the land as their inheritance. When the Israelites failed to carry out the herem, the reason was often not mercy on their part but greed (1Sa 15:9).
For other war-related issues, see “Horses and Chariots in Ancient Warfare”, “Battle by Champions”, “Siege Warfare”, “Songs of Warriors” and “Warfare in the Ancient World.”
The “War Scroll” from Qumran
Preserving Bible Times; © Dr. James C. Martin; permission of The Israel Museum/Shrine of the Book
1. See “The Mesha (Moabite) Stone.”
4So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. 6Then he said to the Kenites,† “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7Then Saul attacked the Amalekites† all the way from Havilah to Shur,† to the east of Egypt. 8He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive,† and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9But Saul and the army spared† Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[55] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
10Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11“I am grieved† that I have made Saul king, because he has turned† away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”† Samuel was troubled,† and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
12Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.† There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”
13When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
14But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”
15Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
16“Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”
“Tell me,” Saul replied.
17Samuel said, “Although you were once small† in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ 19Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder† and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”
20“But I did obey† the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”
22But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,†
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23For rebellion is like the sin of divination,†
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected† the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king.”
24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.† I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid† of the people and so I gave in to them. 25Now I beg you, forgive† my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.”
26But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected† the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!”
27As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.† 28Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn† the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. 29He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie† or change† his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
30Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor† me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.” 31So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”
Agag came to him confidently,[56] thinking, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33But Samuel said,
“As your sword has made women childless,
so will your mother be childless among women.Ӡ
And Samuel put Agag to death before the LORD at Gilgal.
34Then Samuel left for Ramah,† but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah† of Saul. 35Until the day Samuel† died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned† for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel Anoints David
1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn† for Saul, since I have rejected† him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil† and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse† of Bethlehem. I have chosen† one of his sons to be king.”
2But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show† you what to do. You are to anoint† for me the one I indicate.”
4Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,† the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?†”
5Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate† yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab† and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance,† but the LORD looks at the heart.”†
8Then Jesse called Abinadab† and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” 10Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11So he asked Jesse, “Are these all† the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down[57] until he arrives.”
12So he† sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome† features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”
13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD† came upon David in power.† Samuel then went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s Service
14Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed† from Saul, and an evil[58] spirit† from the LORD tormented him.
15Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp.† He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”
17So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with† him.”
19Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,† a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21David came to Saul and entered his service.† Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit† would leave him.
David and Goliath
1Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled† at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh† and Azekah. 2Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah† and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
Battle by Champions
1 Samuel 17 The story of David and Goliath stands within the tradition of “battle by champions” in the ancient Near East. Such battles differed from duels in that they had ramifications for entire armies or nations. The strongest member, or champion, of each party fought a similar representative of the opponent to the death, and the victory of one man vindicated the entire host. Similar battles are found in the Egyptian History of Sinuhe, in the encounter of Marduk and Tiamat in the Babylonian epic Enuma Elish1 and in the conflict of Paris and Menelaus in Homer’s Iliad, 3.340–82. Second Samuel 2:12–16 also contains an account of a representative battle waged by 12 selected warriors.
Assyrian slingers attack a city in an Assyrian panel dated approximately 700 B.C.
Preserving Bible Times; © Dr. James C. Martin; permission of The British Museum
Such “single combat” was practiced based upon the belief that the gods of each army actually fought or decided the battle. Therefore, only one “champion” was needed from each side. This concept is clear in 1 Samuel 17:43–45, as both David and the Philistine call upon their respective gods. David’s victory over the Philistine giant indeed proves that, against either pagan armies or false gods, “the battle is the LORD’s” (v. 47). Unlike those who trusted in the stature, strength and skill of their best warriors, Israel sent an untrained, ill-equipped boy into battle as its only willing champion. David himself, however, trusted in God’s might rather than his own.
For other war-related issues, see “Horses and Chariots in Ancient Warfare”, “Technological Supremacy of the Philistines’ Iron Weapons”, “Herem, Holy War”, “Siege Warfare”, “Songs of Warriors” and “Warfare in the Ancient World.”
1. See “The Enuma Elish and the Biblical Concept of Creation.”
4A champion named Goliath,† who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet[59] tall. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels[60]; 6on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin† was slung on his back. 7His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod,† and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.[61] His shield bearer† went ahead of him.
8Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose† a man and have him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy† the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse,† who was from Bethlehem† in Judah. Jesse had eight† sons, and in Saul’s time he was old and well advanced in years. 13Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab;† the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.† 14David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep† at Bethlehem.
16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
17Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah[62] of roasted grain† and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit.[63] See how your brothers† are and bring back some assurance[64] from them. 19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. 23As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual† defiance, and David heard it. 24When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.
25Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter† in marriage and will exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel.”
26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace† from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised† Philistine that he should defy† the armies of the living† God?”
27They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger† at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
29“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.
32David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart† on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
33Saul replied,† “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”
34But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion† or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37The LORD who delivered† me from the paw of the lion† and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with† you.”
38Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome,† and he despised† him. 43He said to David, “Am I a dog,† that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44“Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!†”
45David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name† of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.† 46This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses† of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world† will know that there is a God in Israel.† 47All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword† or spear that the LORD saves;† for the battle† is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling† and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut† off his head with the sword.†
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath[65] and to the gates of Ekron.† Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim† road to Gath and Ekron. 53When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.
55As Saul watched David† going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?”
Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.”
56The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”
57As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.
58“Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him.
David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse† of Bethlehem.”
Saul’s Jealousy of David
1After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved† him as himself.† 2From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. 3And Jonathan made a covenant† with David because he loved him as himself. 4Jonathan took off the robe† he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
5Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully[66] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
6When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing,† with joyful songs and with tambourines† and lutes. 7As they danced, they sang:†
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens† of thousands.”
8Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?†” 9And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
10The next day an evil[67] spirit† from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually† did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11and he hurled it, saying to himself,† “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded† him twice.
12Saul was afraid† of David, because the LORD† was with† David but had left Saul. 13So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led† the troops in their campaigns.† 14In everything he did he had great success,[68] † because the LORD was with† him. 15When Saul saw how successful[69] he was, he was afraid of him. 16But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.†
17Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter† Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles† of the LORD.” For Saul said to himself,† “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18But David said to Saul, “Who am I,† and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?†” 19So[70] when the time came for Merab,† Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.†
20Now Saul’s daughter Michal† was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21“I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare† to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and his attendants all like you; now become his son-in-law.’ ”
23They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price† for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’ ” Saul’s plan† was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal† in marriage.
28When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success[71] † than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
Saul Tries to Kill David
1Saul told his son Jonathan† and all the attendants to kill† David. But Jonathan was very fond of David 2and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak† to him about you and will tell you what I find out.”
4Jonathan spoke† well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong† to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory† for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent† man like David by killing him for no reason?”
6Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
7So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.†
8Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him.
9But an evil[72] spirit† from the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, 10Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded† him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
11Saul sent men to David’s house to watch† it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.” 12So Michal let David down through a window,† and he fled and escaped. 13Then Michal took an idol[73] and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.
14When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said,† “He is ill.”
15Then Saul sent the men back to see David and told them, “Bring him up to me in his bed so that I may kill him.” 16But when the men entered, there was the idol in the bed, and at the head was some goats’ hair.
17Saul said to Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?”
Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’ ”
18When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel at Ramah† and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there. 19Word came to Saul: “David is in Naioth at Ramah”; 20so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets† prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon† Saul’s men and they also prophesied.† 21Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”
“Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.
23So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even upon him, and he walked along prophesying† until he came to Naioth. 24He stripped† off his robes and also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay that way all that day and night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”†
David and Jonathan
1Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged† your father, that he is trying to take my life?”
2“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why would he hide this from me? It’s not so!”
3But David took an oath† and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
4Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”
5So David said, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival,† and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide† in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. 6If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem,† his hometown, because an annual† sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ 7If he says, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper,† you can be sure that he is determined to harm me. 8As for you, show kindness to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant† with you before the LORD. If I am guilty, then kill† me yourself! Why hand me over to your father?”
9“Never!” Jonathan said. “If I had the least inkling that my father was determined to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”
10David asked, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11“Come,” Jonathan said, “let’s go out into the field.” So they went there together.
12Then Jonathan said to David: “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? 13But if my father is inclined to harm you, may the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely,† if I do not let you know and send you away safely. May the LORD be with† you as he has been with my father. 14But show me unfailing kindness like that of the LORD as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, 15and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family†—not even when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16So Jonathan made a covenant† with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD call David’s enemies to account.” 17And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath† out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.
18Then Jonathan said to David: “Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty.† 19The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid† when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. 20I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger. 22But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond† you,’ then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away. 23And about the matter you and I discussed—remember, the LORD is witness† between you and me forever.”
24So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon festival came, the king sat down to eat. 25He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan,[74] and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty.† 26Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.†” 27But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”
28Jonathan answered, “David earnestly asked me for permission† to go to Bethlehem. 29He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”
30Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!”
32“Why† should he be put to death? What† has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. 33But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended† to kill David.
34Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David.
35In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, 36and he said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond† you?” 38Then he shouted, “Hurry! Go quickly! Don’t stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master. 39(The boy knew nothing of all this; only Jonathan and David knew.) 40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said, “Go, carry them back to town.”
41After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side [of the stone] and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.
42Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace,† for we have sworn friendship† with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’ ” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
David at Nob
1David went to Nob,† to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled† when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
The Ekron Inscription of Akhayus
1 Samuel 21 Sometimes evidence from proper names (onomastic evidence) helps us to reconstruct the history and racial identity of a people. In 1996 a dedicatory inscription was discovered in a Philistine temple at Ekron (“Map 4”), reading in part: “The temple that Achish, son of Padi, … ruler of Ekron, built for PTGYH.” Although PTGYH’s identity is debated, Achish and Padi are known from Assyrian records as kings of Ekron. Achish appears by the name Ikausu in Ashurbanipal’s annals from the early seventh century B.C. But both appear to derive from a previous form of the name, Akhayus, which is similar to the Greek term Achaios (Achaean). The Achaeans were one of the archaic Greek peoples. In short, widespread evidence suggests that the Philistines were related to the Greeks.
According to 1 Samuel 21:11–16, 27:1–29:9 and 1 Kings 2:39–40, the ruler(s) of Gath (“Map 4”) were named Achish from the time of Saul to the days of Solomon (eleventh—ninth centuries B.C.). Similarly, an eighth-century Philistine ruler of Ashdod used the nickname Yamani, which seems to be a corruption of the word Ionian (another Greek people). Thus it appears that various Philistine rulers used their Greek ethnic identity as a title for themselves. This conclusion is supported by their material culture in the twelfth century B.C., which is Achaean. This evidence also fits well with the assertions of Jeremiah 47:4, Amos 9:7 and Zephaniah 2:4–6 that the Philistines were Kerethites (hailing from Crete [aka Caphtor])1 who came to Canaan along with the Greek Sea Peoples.2
1. See “Greece: From the Prehistoric Period Through the Mycenaean Empire” and “Crete.”
2. See “The Archaeology of Philistia.”
2David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king charged me with a certain matter and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about your mission and your instructions.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place. 3Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”
4But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread† on hand; however, there is some consecrated† bread here—provided the men have kept† themselves from women.”
5David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever[75] I set out. The men’s things[76] are holy† even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!” 6So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,† since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.
7Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg† the Edomite,† Saul’s head shepherd.
8David asked Ahimelech, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s business was urgent.”
9The priest replied, “The sword† of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah,† is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.”
David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
David at Gath
10That day David fled from Saul and went† to Achish king of Gath. 11But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:
“ ‘Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands’?”†
12David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13So he pretended to be insane† in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
14Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”
David at Adullam and Mizpah
1David left Gath and escaped to the cave† of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered† around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” 4So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
5But the prophet Gad† said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Kills the Priests of Nob
6Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul, spear in hand, was seated† under the tamarisk† tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing around him. 7Saul said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders† of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant† with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned† about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
9But Doeg† the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.† 10Ahimelech inquired† of the LORD for him; he also gave him provisions† and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his father’s whole family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. 12Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
13Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired† against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
14Ahimelech answered the king, “Who† of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
16But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and your father’s whole family.”
17Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king’s officials were not willing† to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
18The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.† 19He also put to the sword† Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
20But Abiathar,† a son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and fled to join David.† 21He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. 22Then David said to Abiathar: “That day, when Doeg† the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father’s whole family. 23Stay with me; don’t be afraid; the man who is seeking your life† is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me.”
David Saves Keilah
1When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah† and are looting the threshing floors,” 2 he inquired† of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”
The LORD answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.†” 5So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 6(Now Abiathar† son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Saul Pursues David
7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar† the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.”
And the LORD said, “He will.”
12Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender† me and my men to Saul?”
And the LORD said, “They will.”
13So David and his men,† about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.† Day after day Saul searched† for him, but God did not† give David into his hands.
15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength† in God. 17“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king† over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18The two of them made a covenant† before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19The Ziphites† went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us† in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,† south of Jeshimon? 20Now, O king, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for handing† him over to the king.”
21Saul replied, “The LORD bless you for your concern† for me. 22Go and make further preparation. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information.[77] Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,† in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26Saul† was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.[78] 29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.†
David Spares Saul’s Life
1After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.†” 2So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look† for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave† was there, and Saul went in to relieve† himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke† of when he said[79] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ”† Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5Afterward, David was conscience-stricken† for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed,† or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
8Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.† 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty† of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting† me down to take my life. 12May the LORD judge† between you and me. And may the LORD avenge† the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,†’ so my hand will not touch you.
14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog?† A flea?† 15May the LORD be our judge† and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold† it; may he vindicate† me by delivering† me from your hand.”
16When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,† David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17“You are more righteous than I,”† he said. “You have treated me well,† but I have treated you badly. 18You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered† me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20I know that you will surely be king† and that the kingdom† of Israel will be established in your hands. 21Now swear† to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.†”
22So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.†
David, Nabal and Abigail
1Now Samuel died,† and all Israel assembled and mourned† for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.†
Bywords and Insults in the Ancient World
1 Samuel 25 Nabal’s answer to David’s agents (1Sa 25:10–11) was a flagrant insult; David had been serving him with honor, but Nabal responded by speaking of David in scurrilous terms as an outlaw. In the ancient world men (and particularly warriors) placed an enormous premium on their personal reputations and thus took insults and perceived slights to their honor very seriously. Examples of this abound in ancient literature; perhaps the most famous is the Greek hero Achilles, who sat in his tent and refused to fight against the Trojans when he felt that his fellow Greeks had failed to show due respect for his prestige (as described in Homer’s Iliad). When the Philistine Goliath defied the ranks of Israel (ch. 17), the young David regarded this as reason enough to go out to fight the giant.1 David was later willing to start a war with the Ammonites to avenge their humiliating treatment of his ambassadors (2Sa 10).
Insults and slights required an appropriate response on behalf of the individual so affronted. Exodus 21:17 prescribes the death penalty for those who cursed (reviled or insulted) their parents, and the 42 young men making fun of Elisha were mauled by two bears (2Ki 2:23–25). The New Testament calls upon Christians to be forbearing toward those who insult them (1Pe 3:9), but in order to understand David and his responses to taunts we need to comprehend the warrior-culture in which he lived.2 In addition, as in the above examples, when Yahweh’s people or his anointed are insulted the reputation of Yahweh himself has been affronted.
1. See “Battle by Champions.”
2. See “Songs of Warriors.”
Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon.[80] 2A certain man in Maon,† who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.† She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite,† was surly and mean in his dealings.
4While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health† to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!†
7“ ‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat† them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. 8Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever† you can find for them.’ ”
9When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.
10Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who† is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11Why should I take my bread† and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
12David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13David said to his men, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went† up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.†
14One of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings,† but he hurled insults at them. 15Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat† us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.† 16Night and day they were a wall† around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. 17Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked† man that no one can talk to him.”
18Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[81] of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins† and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.† 19Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead;† I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid† me back evil for good. 22May God deal with David,[82] be it ever so severely,† if by morning I leave alive one male† of all who belong to him!”
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.† 24She fell at his feet and said: “My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool,† and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent.
26“Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed† and from avenging† yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal.† 27And let this gift,† which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. 28Please forgive† your servant’s offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting† dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD’s battles.† Let no wrongdoing† be found in you as long as you live. 29Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl† away as from the pocket of a sling. 30When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader† over Israel, 31my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember† your servant.”
32David said to Abigail, “Praise† be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed† this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”
35Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted† your request.”
36When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high† spirits and very drunk.† So she told† him nothing until daybreak. 37Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38About ten days later, the LORD struck† Nabal and he died.
39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”
Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”
41She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master’s servants.” 42Abigail† quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43David had also married Ahinoam† of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.† 44But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel[83] † son of Laish, who was from Gallim.†
David Again Spares Saul’s Life
1The Ziphites† went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding† on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”
2So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search† there for David. 3Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.[84]
5Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner† son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.
6David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah,† Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”
“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
7So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.
8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed† and be guiltless?† 10As surely as the LORD lives,” he said, “the LORD himself will strike† him; either his time† will come and he will die,† or he will go into battle and perish. 11But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
12So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.†
13Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
17Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice,† David my son?”
David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong† am I guilty of? 19Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering.† If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD’s inheritance† and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea†—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21Then Saul said, “I have sinned.† Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious† today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly.”
22“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23The LORD rewards† every man for his righteousness† and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed. 24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver† me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
David Among the Philistines
1But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
The Kenites
1 Samuel 27 The Kenites are listed among the nations of the land promised to Abraham (Ge 15:19–21; cf. Jdg 1:16). The root of “Kenite” (“smith”) may indicate a connection to metalworking activities. The Kenites were generally located in the southeastern regions of Israel (Jdg 1:16; 1Sa 27:10; 30:29). However, being pastoral nomads, some Kenites could be found as far north as the Jezreel Valley1 (Jdg 4:11, 17) or as far south as the Sinai region (Ex 3:1; Jdg 1:16). A postexilic source indicates that several Kenite households took on the scribal profession as well (1Ch 2:55).2
The Kenites’ kinship to Moses through his Midianite father-in-law (Jdg 1:16)3 appears to have set a positive tone in Israelite-Kenite relations. During the judges period4 Jael’s loyalty and her “nailing” of Sisera were celebrated in the Song of Deborah (Jdg 5:24–27; cf. 4:17–22). The Kenites apparently avoided direct involvement in the conflicts between Israel and Midian (Nu 31; Jdg 6–7), although Balaam briefly mentioned them in a judgment oracle (Nu 24:21–22). The bond remained strong during the united monarchy, when both Saul and David went out of their way to spare the Kenites when attacking the Amalekites (cf. 1Sa 15:6; 30:26–31)5. Attesting to their fluid connections, some Kenite families were also included in the Recabite family tree (1Ch 2:55; cf. Ne 3:14; Jer 35:1–11).6
1. See “The Valley of Jezreel.”
2. See “The Scribe.”
4. See “The Judges Period.”
5. See “The Amalekites.”
6. See “Genealogies in Ancient Israel.”
2So David and the six hundred men† with him left and went† over to Achish† son of Maoch king of Gath. 3David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives:† Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
5Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”
6So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag,† and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7David lived† in Philistine territory a year and four months.
8Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,† the Girzites and the Amalekites.† (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur† and Egypt.) 9Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive,† but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
10When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel†” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.†” 11He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’ ” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever.”
Saul and the Witch of Endor
1In those days the Philistines gathered† their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.”
Ancient Necromancy
1 Samuel 28 Necromancy, the practice of divination through inquiring of the dead, was forbidden under Biblical law (Lev 19:31; 20:6). Saul himself had banned this activity from the land and yet, in his desperation to receive some instruction regarding the future, he himself turned to a necromancer. Such attempts to communicate with the dead are known throughout the ancient Near East. Mesopotamia provides a few examples of such behavior, the most famous of which is the Sumerian story of “Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld,” in which Nergal summons the ghost of Enkidu to rise from a hole in the ground in order that he might speak to Gilgamesh.1 Other Mesopotamian examples attest to necromancers (both male and female) using skulls to house the spirits while they were being questioned. In Egypt, letters were written to the dead, most likely for purposes of necromancy.
In 1 Samuel 28:13, when the necromancer sees Samuel she asserts that she is seeing a “divine being” or “gods” (elohim in Hebrew). This use of elohim to refer to a ghost is unique in the Bible and has given rise to numerous historical and theological questions. Is this an indication that the dead were deified in ancient Israel and could be sought out in order to provide an oracle? Other surrounding cultures had ceremonies to honor the dead in cultic fashion; in Mesopotamia such a ceremony was called the kispu ritual. The cities of Mari and Ugarit (both “Map 1”) also practiced food offerings and libations for the dead.2 Laws against such activities in the Bible (Dt 26:14) suggest that a similar practice was well known, though forbidden, in Israel. Saul’s willingness to contravene his own decree and engage in the heterodox practice of divining the dead demonstrates the desperation and degradation to which his unfaithfulness had brought him.
For other forms of divination, see “Akkadian Divination.”
1. For more on Gilgamesh, see “The Serpent Motif in Other Ancient Near Eastern Literature” and “Ecclesiastes and the Epic of Gilgamesh.”
2. See “Mari” and “Ugarit/Ras Shamra.”
2David said, “Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.”
Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
3Now Samuel was dead,† and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah.† Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists† from the land.
4The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem,† while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa.† 5When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6He inquired† of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams† or Urim† or prophets. 7Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium,† so I may go and inquire of her.”
“There is one in Endor,†” they said.
8So Saul disguised† himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult† a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”
9But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off† the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”
10Saul swore to her by the LORD, “As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this.”
11Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
“Bring up Samuel,” he said.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
13The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”
The woman said, “I see a spirit[85] coming up out of the ground.”
14“What does he look like?” he asked.
“An old man wearing a robe† is coming up,” she said.
Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.
15Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned† away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? 17The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn† the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18Because you did not obey† the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath† against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. 19The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons† will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines.”
20Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.
21When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life† in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”
23He refused† and said, “I will not eat.”
But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.
24The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.
Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag
1The Philistines gathered† all their forces at Aphek,† and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.† 2As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear† with Achish. 3The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?”