The men of Jabesh said, &#8220;Tomorrow we will come out to you<n id="1" /> and you can do with us whatever you wish.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa.

<p class="bodytext">When the men of Israel who were in the valley and across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.p>

The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, &#8220;Who is able to stand before the <sc>Lord,sc> this holy God? To whom will the ark<n id="1" /> go up from here?&#8221;p>

Then the men of Israel left Mizpah and chased the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth Car.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> said to Samuel, &#8220;Do as they say<n id="1" /> and install a king over them.&#8221; Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, &#8220;Each of you go back to his own city.&#8221;p>

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Nahash<n id="2" /> the Ammonite marched<n id="3" /> against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh Gilead said to Nahash, &#8220;Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But David&#8217;s men said to him, &#8220;We are afraid while we are still here in Judah! What will it be like if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?&#8221;

David asked, &#8220;Will the leaders of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul&#8217;s hand?&#8221; The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;They will deliver you over.&#8221;p>

When the people<n id="1" /> of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, &#8220;The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, for he has attacked<n id="2" /> both us and our god Dagon!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But after it had been moved the <sc>Lordsc> attacked<n id="1" /> that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city<n id="2" /> with sores.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Then the people<n id="1" /> of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the <sc>Lord;sc> they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

Now Saul was walking behind the<n id="1" /> oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, &#8220;What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?&#8221; So they told him about<n id="2" /> the men of Jabesh.p>

So all the people went to Gilgal, where<n id="1" /> they established Saul as king in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s presence. They offered up peace offerings there in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s presence. Saul and all the Israelites were very happy.p>

Then the men of the garrison said to Jonathan and his armor bearer, &#8220;Come on up to us so we can teach you a thing or two!&#8221;<n id="1" /> Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, &#8220;Come up behind me, for the <sc>Lordsc> has given<n id="2" /> them into the hand of Israel!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry.<n id="1" /> They chased the Philistines to the valley<n id="2" /> and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

<p class="bodytext">On every mission on which Saul sent him, David achieved success. So Saul appointed him over the men of war. This pleased not only all the army, but also Saul&#8217;s servants.<n id="1" />p>

David&#8217;s men said to him, &#8220;This is the day about which the <sc>Lordsc> said to you, &#8216;I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul&#8217;s robe.