<p class="bodytext">Eli replied, &#8220;Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> shatters<n id="1" /> his adversaries;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he thunders against them from<n id="3" /> the heavens.p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> executes judgment to the ends of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">He will strengthen<n id="4" /> his kingp> <p class="poetry">and exalt the power<n id="5" /> of his anointed one.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

<p class="bodytext">But this request displeased Samuel, for<n id="1" /> they said, &#8220;Give us a king to lead us.&#8221; So Samuel prayed to the <sc>Lordsc>.

<p class="bodytext">Then Samuel brought<n id="1" /> Saul and his servant into the room and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty people present.

<p class="bodytext">So Samuel called to the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc> made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the <sc>Lordsc> and Samuel.

But if they say, &#8216;Come up against us,&#8217; we will go up. For in that case the <sc>Lordsc> has given them into our hand &#8211; it will be a sign to us.&#8221;p>

So Saul asked God, &#8220;Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?&#8221; But he did not answer him that day.p>

Samuel said to him, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you!

Then the Philistine said, &#8220;I defy Israel&#8217;s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight<n id="1" /> each other!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him.

The Philistine said to David, &#8220;Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the <sc>Lordsc> saves! For the battle is the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s, and he will deliver you into our hand.&#8221;p>

Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with the rest of his gear, including his sword, his bow, and even his belt.p>

Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant who was with him. He said to him, &#8220;Go, take these things back to the city.&#8221;p>

So David asked the <sc>Lordsc> once again. But again the <sc>Lordsc> replied, &#8220;Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.&#8221;p>

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.

David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down<n id="1" /> the road.p>

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>

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.

So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (For that reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this very day.)