<p class="bodytext">Samuel said to all Israel, &#8220;I have done<n id="1" /> everything you requested.<n id="2" /> I have given you a king.<n id="3" />

The men of Israel realized they had a problem because their army was hard pressed. So the army hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, strongholds,<n id="1" /> and cisterns.

<p class="bodytext">A blacksmith could not be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, &#8220;This will prevent the Hebrews from making swords and spears.&#8221;

So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines in order to get their plowshares, cutting instruments, axes, and sickles<n id="1" /> sharpened.

So Saul said to Ahijah, &#8220;Bring near the ephod,&#8221;<n id="1" /> for he was at that time wearing the ephod.<n id="2" />

When all the Israelites who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they too pursued them in battle.

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>

For as surely as the <sc>Lordsc>, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!&#8221; But no one from the army said anything.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Saul said, &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.&#8221;<n id="1" /> Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said to Saul, &#8220;I was the one the <sc>Lordsc> sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the <sc>Lordsc> says.<n id="1" />

Here is what the <sc>Lordsc> of hosts says: &#8216;I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed<n id="1" /> Israel along the way when Israel<n id="2" /> came up from Egypt.

<p class="bodytext">Samuel said to Saul, &#8220;I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the word of the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc> has rejected you from being king over Israel!&#8221;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!

Saul<n id="1" /> again replied, &#8220;I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8221;

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">David said to Saul, &#8220;Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father<n id="1" /> in Israel that I should become the king&#8217;s son-in-law?&#8221;

Then David said, &#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning<n id="1" /> to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.

Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel, please inform your servant!&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;He will come down.&#8221;

So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find<n id="1" /> David and his men in the region of<n id="2" /> the rocks of the mountain goats.<n id="3" />

Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea?