<p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Does the <sc>Lordsc> take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrificesp> <p class="poetry">as much as he does in obedience?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Certainly,<n id="2" /> obedience<n id="3" /> is better than sacrifice;p> <p class="poetry">paying attention is better than<n id="4" /> the fat of rams.p>

<p class="poetry">For rebellion is like the sin of divination,p> <p class="poetry">and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.p> <p class="poetry">Because you have rejected the word of the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">he has rejected you as<n id="1" /> king.&#8221;p>

If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.&#8221;

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem<n id="2" /> in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul&#8217;s days he was old and well advanced in years.<n id="3" />

I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it.

<p class="bodytext">Saul sent messengers to David&#8217;s house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David&#8217;s wife Michal told him, &#8220;If you do not save yourself<n id="1" /> tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!&#8221;

David stayed in the strongholds that were in the desert and in the hill country of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him all the time,<n id="1" /> but God did not deliver David<n id="2" /> into his hand.

He said to him, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid! For the hand of my father Saul cannot find you. You will rule over Israel, and I will be your second in command. Even my father Saul realizes this.&#8221;

Saul and his men went to look for him.<n id="1" /> But David was informed and went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.

<p class="bodytext">Afterward David got up and went out of the cave. He called out after Saul, &#8220;My lord, O king!&#8221; When Saul looked behind him, David kneeled down and bowed with his face to the ground.

Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don&#8217;t even know where they came from!&#8221;p>

Now David had been thinking,<n id="1" /> &#8220;In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the desert. I didn&#8217;t take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil.

Falling at his feet, she said, &#8220;My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant!

But may the <sc>Lordsc> prevent me from extending my hand against the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul&#8217;s head and the jug of water, and let&#8217;s get out of here!&#8221;

The <sc>Lordsc> rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty.<n id="1" /> Even though today the <sc>Lordsc> delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to extend my hand against the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s chosen one.

<p class="bodytext">The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them<n id="1" /> down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.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>

<p class="bodytext">The men of Israel said, &#8220;Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so<n id="1" /> to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father&#8217;s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.&#8221;p>

David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them.<n id="1" /> David said to Saul, &#8220;I can&#8217;t walk in these things, for I&#8217;m not used to them.&#8221; So David removed them.

Jonathan said to David, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel is my witness.<n id="1" /> I will feel out my father about this time the day after tomorrow. If he is favorably inclined toward David, will I not then send word to you and let you know?<n id="2" />