They returned and reported to Joshua, “Don’t send the whole army. About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”

The five Amorite kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah.

Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God!

The people said to Joshua, “No! We really will worship the Lord!”

He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!”

Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it.

Jair the Gileadite rose up after him; he led Israel for twenty-two years.

When I saw that you were not going to help, I risked my life and advanced against the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up to fight with me today?”

The Philistines went up and invaded Judah. They arrayed themselves for battle in Lehi.

Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli.

The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!”

He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers.

When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”

Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul,

Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position.

Jonathan made a covenant with David, for he loved him as much as he did his own life.

When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said, “He’s sick.”

David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’ I have told my soldiers to wait at a certain place.

When David heard in the desert that Nabal was shearing his sheep,