SAUL’S FAILURE

13 Saul was thirty yearsB old when he became king, and he reigned forty-two yearsC over Israel.* 2 He chose three thousand men from Israel for himself: two thousand were with Saul at Michmashg and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeahh of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the troops away, each to his own tent.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison* i in Gibeah,F and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the trumpet throughout the landk saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”G,l 4 And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and Israel is now repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the troops were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel: three thousandH chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore.m They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.I,n

6 The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns.o 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. 8 He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set,p but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.

10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, 11 and Samuel asked, “What have you done?”

Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12 I thought, ‘The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish.q You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.r It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel,s 14 but now your reign will not endure.t The Lord has found a man after his own heart,A,u and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” 15 Then Samuel wentB from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who were with them were staying in Gebav of Benjamin, and the Philistines were camped at Michmash. 17 Raiding partiesw went out from the Philistine camp in three divisions. One division headed toward the Ophrahx road leading to the land of Shual. 18 The next division headed toward the Beth-horony road, and the last division headed down the border road that looks out over the Zeboim Valleyz toward the wilderness.

19 No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israelaa because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” 20 So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles.C 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekelD for plows and mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for putting a point on a cattle prod. 22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hand of any of the troops who were with Saulab and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

JONATHAN’S VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINES

23 Now a Philistine garrisona took control of the pass at Michmash. 14 That same day Saul’s son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” However, he did not tell his father.

2 Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migronb on the outskirts of Gibeah.E,c The troops with him numbered about six hundred.d 3 Ahijah,e who was wearing an ephod,f was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabodg son of Phinehas, son of Eli the Lord’s priest at Shiloh.h But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.

4 There were sharp columnsF of rock on both sides of the passi that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh; 5 one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men.j Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”k

7 His armor-bearer responded, “Do what is in your heart. Go ahead! I’m completely with you.”

8 “All right,” Jonathan replied, “we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us. 9 If they say, ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because the Lord has handed them over to us—that will be our sign.”

11 They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!” 12 The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” they said.

“Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the Lord has handed them over to Israel.”l 13 Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. 14 In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in a half-acre field.

A DEFEAT FOR THE PHILISTINES

15 Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding partiesm were terrified. The earth shook,n and terror spread from God.A,o 16 When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction. 17 So Saul said to the troops with him, “Call the roll and determine who has left us.” They called the roll and saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

18 Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God,” for it was with the IsraelitesB at that time. 19 While Saul spoke to the priest,p the panic in the Philistine camp increased in intensity. So Saul said to the priest, “Stop what you’re doing.”C

20 Saul and all the troops with him assembled and marched to the battle, and there the Philistines were, fighting against each other in great confusion!q 21 There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelitesr who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraims heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day.t

SAUL’S RASH OATH

The battle extended beyond Beth-aven, 24 and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul hadD placed the troops under an oath:u “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

25 EveryoneE went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of itF because they feared the oath. 27 However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb.v When he ate the honey,A he had renewed energy.B,w 28 Then one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”

29 Jonathan replied, “My father has brought trouble to the land.a Just look at how I have renewed energyC because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater.”

31 The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmashb all the way to Aijalon.c Since the Israelites were completely exhausted, 32 they rushed to the plunder,d took sheep, goats, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate meat with the blood still in it. 33 Some reported to Saul, “Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.”e

Saul said, “You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 He then said, “Go among the troops and say to them, ‘Let each man bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.’ ” So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord.f

36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!”

“Do whatever you want,” the troops replied.

But the priestg said, “Let’s approach God here.”h

37 So Saul inquired of God,i “Should I go after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.j

38 Saul said, “All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let’s investigateD how this sin has occurred today. 39 As surely as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!” Not one of the troops answered him.

40 So he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”

And the troops replied, “Do whatever you want.”

41 So Saul said to the Lord, “God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If the unrighteousness is in me or in my son Jonathan, Lord God of Israel, give Urim; but if the fault is in your people Israel, give Thummim.”E,k Jonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared of the charge.

42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. 43 Saul commanded him, “Tell me what you did.”l

Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honeym with the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!”

44 Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severelyn if you do not die, Jonathan!”

45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die? He accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? No, as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground,o for he worked with God’s help today.”p So the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. 46 Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.

SUMMARY OF SAUL’S KINGSHIP

47 When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction: against Moab, the Ammonites,q Edom, the kings of Zobah,r and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he caused havoc.A 48 He fought bravely, defeated the Amalekites,s and rescued Israel from those who plundered them.

49 Saul’s sonst were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab,u his firstborn, and Michal,v the younger. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Saul’s uncle Ner.w 51 Saul’s father was Kish.x Abner’s father was Ner son of Abiel.

52 The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul’s days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or valiant man, he enlisted him.y

SAUL REJECTED AS KING

15 Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel.z Now, listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessedB what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.a 3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have.b Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”c

4 Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. 6 He warned the Kenites,d “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt,e go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.

7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekitesf from Havilahg all the way to Shur,h which is next to Egypt. 8 He captured King Agagi of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.j 9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals,C as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, 11 “I regret that I made Saul king,k for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.”l So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.m

12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmeln where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.”o 13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you.p I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”

15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God,q but the rest we destroyed.”r

16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” he replied.

17 Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant,s haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel 18 and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ 19 So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plundert and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

20 “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered.A “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”u

22 Then Samuel said:

Does the Lordv take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the Lord?

Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,

to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.w

23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,x

and defiance is like wickednessy and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,

he has rejected you as king.z

24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned.aa I have transgressed the Lord’s commandab and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25 Now therefore, please forgive my sinac and return with me so I can worship the Lord.”

26 Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord,ad the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you todayae and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.af 29 Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israelag does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.”ah

30 Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor meai now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.”aj 31 Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.

32 Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.”

Agag came to him trembling,A for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.”B,C

33 Samuel declared:

As your sword has made women childless,

so your mother will be childless among women.a

Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.

34 Samuel went to Ramah,b and Saul went up to his home in Gibeahc of Saul. 35 Even to the day of his death, Samuel never saw Saul again.d Samuel mourned for Saul,e and the Lord regretted he had made Saul king over Israel.

SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul,f since I have rejected him as king over Israel?g Fill your horn with oilh and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehemi because I have selected for myself a king from his sons.”

2 Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!”

The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’j 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do.k You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.”l

4 Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem.m When the elders of the town met him, they trembledD and asked, “DoE you come in peace?”n

5 “In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselveso and come with me to the sacrifice.”F Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliabp and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees,G for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”q

8 Jesse called Abinadabr and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9 Then Jesse presented Shammah,s but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,”t he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy,H handsome appearance.u

Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”v 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed himw in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward.x Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

DAVID IN SAUL’S COURT

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul,y and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15 so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.”z

17 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

18 One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man,aa a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”ab

19 Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a wineskin, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul.ac 21 When David came to Saulad and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor with me.” 23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul,ae David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH

17 The Philistinesaf gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socohag and Azekahah in Ephes-dammim.ai 2 Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah;a then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines.

3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. 4 Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath,b came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inchesA,B tall 5 and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds.C 6 There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelinc was slung between his shoulders. 7 His spear shaftd was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds.D In addition, a shield-bearere was walking in front of him.

8 He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations, “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul?f Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”g 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today.h Send me a man so we can fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

12 Now David was the son of the Ephrathitei from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sonsj and during Saul’s reign was already an old man. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their namesk were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, 14 and David was the youngest.l The three oldest had followed Saul, 15 but David kept going back and forth from Saulm to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.

16 Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. 17 One day Jesse had told his son David, “Take this half-bushelA of roasted grain along with these ten loaves of breadn for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to the field commander.B Check on the well-being of your brotherso and bring a confirmation from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.”

20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him.

He arrived at the perimeter of the campp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. 22 David left his supplies in the care of the quartermasterq and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were. 23 While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words,r which David heard. 24 When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

25 Previously, an Israelite man had declared, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter.s The king will also make the family of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel.”t

26 David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?u Just who is this uncircumcised Philistinev that he should defy the armiesw of the living God?”x

27 The troops told him about the offer, concluding, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”y

28 David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him.z “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!”

29 “What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” 30 Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before.aa

31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. 32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him;ab your servant will goac and fight this Philistine!”

33 But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.”

34 David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth.a If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur,A strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”b

Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”c

38 Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. 39 David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. 40 Instead, he took his staff in his handd and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.

41 The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised hime because he was just a youth, healthyB,f and handsome. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dogg that you come against me with sticks?”C Then he cursed David by his gods.h 44 “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!”i

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him.j 46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpsesD of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,k 47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,l for the battle is the Lord’s.m He will hand you over to us.”

48 When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine.n 49 David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. 50 David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword. 51 David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword,o pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.p 52 The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron.A,q Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim roadr to Gath and Ekron.

53 When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. 54 David took Goliath’sB head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

55 * When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?”s

“Your Majesty, as surely as you live, I don’t know,” Abner replied.

56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is!”

57 When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand.t 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”

“The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,”u David answered.