Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord.

If the individual said to him, “First let the fat be burned away, and then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say, “No! ¹  Hand it over right now! If you don’t, I will take it forcibly!”

He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin ¹  looked on ²  as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another. ³ 

But David said to Achish, “What have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day that I first came into your presence until the present time, that I shouldn’t go and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”

So Achish summoned David and said to him, “As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you ¹  serving ²  with me in the army. ³  I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion ⁴  of the leaders, you are not reliable. ⁵ 

In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.

Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse ¹  his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this – not in whole or in part!” ² 

On that day I will carry out ¹  against Eli everything that I spoke about his house – from start to finish!

Year after year he used to travel the circuit of Bethel, ¹  Gilgal, and Mizpah; he used to judge Israel in all of these places.

The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba.

Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, ¹  but they ²  gave him the same answer as before.

Just as they have done ¹  from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you.

Jonathan ¹  said to him, “By no means are you going to die! My father does nothing ²  large or small without making me aware of it. ³  Why would my father hide this matter from me? It just won’t happen!”

While they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” So he did. ¹  Samuel then said, ²  “You remain here awhile, so I can inform you of God’s message.”

Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout ¹  them until the break of day. ²  We won’t leave any of them alive!” ³  They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” ⁴  But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”

¹ Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior ²  for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”