When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.

The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time.

When he looked up and saw the traveler in the town square, the old man said, “Where are you heading? Where do you come from?”

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.

So her sons married Moabite women. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) And they continued to live there about ten years.

May the Lord enable each of you to find security in the home of a new husband!” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly.

She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much grain she had gathered. Then Ruth gave her the roasted grain she had saved from mealtime.

Now the residents of Beth Shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley. When they looked up and saw the ark, they were pleased at the sight.

When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly.

His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is on your mind. Do as you’re inclined. I’m with you all the way!”

In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.

So Saul said to the army that was with him, “Muster the troops and see who is no longer with us.” When they mustered the troops, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking before him.

David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock,

Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you and responded favorably.”

Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.

When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.

So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. How then could I show my face in the presence of Joab your brother?”

They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn.

So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too.