Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family,

If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech, “Muster your army and come out for battle!”

But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. You do to us as you see fit, but deliver us today!”

Samson went down to Timnah. When he approached the vineyards of Timnah, he saw a roaring young lion attacking him.

Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest.

They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons. But the city’s name used to be Laish.

But his master said to him, “We should not stop at a foreign city where non-Israelites live. We will travel on to Gibeah.”

The woman arrived back at daybreak and was sprawled out on the doorstep of the house where her master was staying until it became light.

The leaders of the assembly said, “How can we find wives for those who are left? After all, the Benjaminite women have been wiped out.

But we can’t allow our daughters to marry them, for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!’

Then Naomi said, “Stay put, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out. For the man will not rest until he has taken care of the matter today.”

So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.”

The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, “Too bad for us! We’ve never seen anything like this!

Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!”

When Eli heard the outcry, he said, “What is this commotion?” The man quickly came and told Eli.

The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli asked, “How did things go, my son?”

So they sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down here and take it back home with you.”

The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, so Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.”

As they were going up the ascent to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water. They said to them, “Is this where the seer is?”

When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “Here is the man that I told you about! He will rule over my people.”