Samuel said to all Israel, “I have done ¹  everything you requested. ²  I have given you a king. ³ 

They replied, “You have not wronged us or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. ¹  Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, ²  and I will return it to you!”

He said to David, “You are more innocent ¹  than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!

Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won’t harm you, for you treated my life with value ¹  this day. I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake!” ² 

Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice! You have not obeyed ¹  the commandment that the Lord your God gave ²  you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!

You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.

David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” ¹ 

He went on to say, “Why is my lord chasing his servant? What have I done? What wrong have I done? ¹ 

Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”

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.

Saul replied, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.

But a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”

Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded ¹  and what you said as well. ²  For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. ³ 

The priest replied to David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers ¹  have abstained from sexual relations with women.” ² 

Then they cried out to the Lord and admitted, ¹  ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the images of Ashtoreth. ²  Now deliver us from the hand of our enemies so that we may serve you.’ ³ 

This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, ¹  “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?”

Now what do you have at your disposal? ¹  Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. ¹  For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king.

Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt ¹  for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, ²  please remember your servant.”