This ought not to be,<n id="1" /> my sons! For the report that I hear circulating among the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people is not good.

<p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said to the people, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid. You have indeed sinned.<n id="1" /> However, don&#8217;t turn aside from the <sc>Lordsc>. Serve the <sc>Lordsc> with all your heart.

Don&#8217;t consider your servant a wicked woman,<n id="1" /> for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t keep speaking so arrogantly,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">letting proud talk come out of your mouth!p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> is a God who knows;p> <p class="poetry">he<n id="2" /> evaluates what people do.p>

As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid! You have given birth to a son!&#8221; But she did not reply or pay any attention.<n id="1" />p>

The Israelites said to Samuel, &#8220;Keep<n id="1" /> crying out to the <sc>Lordsc> our<n id="2" /> God so that he may save us<n id="3" /> from the hand of the Philistines!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">David said to Saul, &#8220;Don&#8217;t let anyone be discouraged.<n id="1" /> Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!&#8221;

Jonathan called out to the servant, &#8220;Hurry! Go faster! Don&#8217;t delay!&#8221; Jonathan&#8217;s servant retrieved the arrow and came back to his master.

Stay with me. Don&#8217;t be afraid! Whoever<n id="1" /> seeks my life is seeking your life as well. You are secure with me.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But David said to Abishai, &#8220;Don&#8217;t kill him! Who can extend his hand against the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s chosen one<n id="1" /> and remain guiltless?&#8221;

When Achish would ask, &#8220;Where<n id="1" /> did you raid today?&#8221; David would say, &#8220;The Negev of Judah&#8221; or &#8220;The Negev of Jeharmeel&#8221; or &#8220;The Negev of the Kenites.&#8221;

The king said to her, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid! What have you seen?&#8221; The woman replied to Saul, &#8220;I have seen one like a god<n id="1" /> coming up from the ground!&#8221;

Eli<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;What message did he speak to you? Don&#8217;t conceal it from me. God will judge you severely<n id="2" /> if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">They replied, &#8220;If you are going to send the ark of<n id="1" /> the God of Israel back, don&#8217;t send it away empty. Be sure to return it with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and you will understand why his hand is not removed from you.&#8221;

Don&#8217;t be concerned<n id="1" /> about the donkeys that you lost three days ago, for they have been found. Whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you, and all your father&#8217;s family?&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

All the people said to Samuel, &#8220;Pray to the <sc>Lordsc> your God on behalf of us &#8211; your servants &#8211; so we won&#8217;t die, for we have added to all our sins by asking for a king.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

But the <sc>Lordsc> said to Samuel, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be impressed by<n id="1" /> his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do.<n id="2" /> People look on the outward appearance,<n id="3" /> but the <sc>Lordsc> looks at the heart.&#8221;p>

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Then Saul said to David, &#8220;Here&#8217;s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior<n id="2" /> for me and fight the battles of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221; For Saul thought, &#8220;There&#8217;s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">So Jonathan spoke on David&#8217;s behalf<n id="1" /> to his father Saul. He said to him, &#8220;The king should not sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, his actions have been very beneficial<n id="2" /> for you.

<p class="bodytext">Taking an oath, David again<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;Your father is very much aware of the fact<n id="2" /> that I have found favor with you, and he has thought,<n id="3" /> &#8216;Don&#8217;t let Jonathan know about this, or he will be upset.&#8217; But as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives and you live, there is about one step between me and death!&#8221;