<t /><p class="bodytext">Then God&#8217;s anger was kindled<n id="1" /> because he went, and the angel of the <sc>Lordsc> stood in the road to oppose<n id="2" /> him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

The angel of the <sc>Lordsc> said to him, &#8220;Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing<n id="1" /> is perverse before me.<n id="2" />

But David said, &#8220;What do we have in common,<n id="1" /> you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don&#8217;t you realize that today I am king over Israel?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said<n id="1" /> to him, &#8220;Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don&#8217;t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become<n id="2" /> our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?<n id="3" />