So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites&#8217; fighting spirit was broken.<n id="1" /> The land had rest for forty years during Gideon&#8217;s time.<n id="2" />

Gaal again said, &#8220;Look, men are coming down from the very center<n id="1" /> of the land. A unit<n id="2" /> is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The Israelites again did evil in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s sight,<n id="1" /> so the <sc>Lordsc> handed them over to the Philistines for forty years.p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. After all this happened Manoah realized that the visitor had been the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">The Israelite army<n id="1" /> took heart<n id="2" /> and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.

<p class="poetry">Wherever you die, I will die &#8211; and there I will be buried.p> <p class="poetry">May the <sc>Lordsc> punish me severely if I do not keep my promise!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Only death will be able to separate me from you!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

So the Philistines were defeated; they did not invade Israel again. The hand of the <sc>Lordsc> was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.p>

Saul became even more afraid of him.<n id="1" /> Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly<n id="1" /> and they ran away from him.

When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied.

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>

God will severely punish David,<n id="1" /> if I leave alive until morning even one male<n id="2" /> from all those who belong to him!&#8221;p>

So Abner spoke again to Asahel, &#8220;Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground.<n id="1" /> How then could I show<n id="2" /> my face in the presence of Joab your brother?&#8221;

Then Joab blew the ram&#8217;s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks.<n id="1" /> They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting.<n id="2" />

God will severely judge Abner<n id="1" /> if I do not do for David exactly what the <sc>Lordsc> has promised him,<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">Your hands<n id="1" /> were not bound,p> <p class="poetry">and your feet were not put into irons.p> <p class="poetry">You fell the way one falls before criminals.&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">All the people<n id="2" /> wept over him again.

I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle<n id="1" /> them there; they will live there and not be disturbed<n id="2" /> any more. Violent men<n id="3" /> will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, &#8220;Go count Israel and Judah.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">King Solomon then swore an oath by the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;May God judge me severely,<n id="1" /> if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!<n id="2" />