Gideon fathered seventy sons through his many wives.

His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech.

The Lord’s messenger said to him, “You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it.”

She nagged him every day and pressured him until he was sick to death of it.

So the Levite agreed to stay with the man; the young man was like a son to Micah.

Micah paid the Levite; the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house.

He told them what Micah had done for him, saying, “He hired me and I became his priest.”

They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.”

They stopped there, went inside the young Levite’s house (which belonged to Micah), and asked him how he was doing.

Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver.

David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, and he became his armor bearer.

The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”

Saul removed David from his presence and made him a commanding officer. David led the army out to battle and back.

When Saul’s servants reported what David had said,

Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.

So David’s servants went on their way. When they had returned, they came and told David all these things.

David had also married Ahinoam from Jezreel; the two of them became his wives.

David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

The king settled into his palace, for the Lord gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides.