1 Samuel 11

Saul Defeats the Ammonites 1 About a month later King Nahash of Ammon led his army against the town of Jabesh in the territory of Gilead and besieged it. The men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will accept you as our ruler.” 2 Nahash answered, “I will make […]

1 Samuel 13

War against the Philistines 2 Saul picked three thousand men, keeping two thousand of them with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel and sending one thousand with his son Jonathan to Gibeah, in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. The rest of the men Saul sent home. 3 Jonathan killed […]

1 Samuel 14

Jonathan’s Daring Deed 1 One day Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Let’s go across to the Philistine camp.” But Jonathan did not tell his father Saul, 2 who was camping under a pomegranate tree in Migron, not far from Gibeah; he had about six hundred men with him. 3 (The […]

1 Samuel 15

War against the Amalekites 1 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one whom the Lord sent to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord Almighty says. 2 He is going to punish the people of Amalek because their ancestors opposed the Israelites when they were coming from Egypt. […]

1 Samuel 16

David Is Anointed King 1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you go on grieving over Saul? I have rejected him as king of Israel. But now get some olive oil and go to Bethlehem, to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 “How […]

1 Samuel 17

Goliath Challenges the Israelites 1 The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in Elah Valley, where they got ready to fight the Philistines. 3 The Philistines lined up on one hill […]

1 Samuel 18

1 Saul and David finished their conversation. After that, Saul’s son Jonathan was deeply attracted to David and came to love him as much as he loved himself. 2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him go back home. 3 Jonathan swore eternal friendship with David because of […]

1 Samuel 19

David Is Persecuted by Saul 1 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officials that he planned to killDavid. But Jonathan was very fond of David, 2 and so he told him, “My father is trying to kill you. Please be careful tomorrow morning; hide in some secret place and stay there. 3 I […]

1 Samuel 20

Jonathan Helps David 1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and went to Jonathan. “What have I done?” he asked. “What crime have I committed? What wrong have I done to your father to make him want to kill me?” 2 Jonathan answered, “God forbid that you should die! My father tells me everything […]