SAMUEL
OTHERWISE CALLED
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS
CHAPTER 8
Samuel - Otherwise called the First book of kings - Why is it called such? Saul will become the first king of Israel
Review of last week.
Why did the people want a King?
Samuel, the Judge, had sons who were dishonest and not trustworthy of
the faith. The leaders of the Israelites feared that it would be disastrous
if his sons were to be judge over them and requested that Samuel give
them a king. This was how the rest of the world in their opinion did it
and thy wanted to be like the rest of the world.
Then what takes place? Samuel takes it to the Lord! God warns that if he appoints a king over them, they will suffer from the dealings of the king.
6 ¶ But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
READ 1 Sam 8:7
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
[ What is the Lord implying here by that comment - that they have rejected him- that he should reign over them? Well they asked the Lords servant, the prophet, he said that they should not have a King, the people insisted - so they have rejected him, he is not their king as they do not want to follow his commands. What logic does Samuel use to get the people to rethink their wishes for a king? A king will take your daughtes, your crops, your fields, your vineyards, a tenth of your seed, he will tax you...]
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 ¶ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. [ What does this example tell us about how the Lord works sometimes? He does not always just say no and that is it, he honors our agency - let's us live with consequences, Joseph Smith and Martin Harris incedent. What does this teach us about how we phrase what we ask the Lord for? ] And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
CHAPTER 9
Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, is a choice
and goodly person—He is sent to seek his father’s asses—The
Lord reveals to Samuel the seer that Saul is to be king—Saul goes
to Samuel and is entertained by him.
1 NOW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, [Sauls father is named Kish] the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
[ What do we learn about Saul in Chapter 9?
He was diligent in his search for his fathers donkeys vs:3-4;
He was a choice young man, goodly vs:2
Willing to take counsel of his father servant vs:5-10
He trusted, had faith in the prophet vs:18-25
He was humble vs:20-21
What happens next in the story? Kish,
his father sent Saul out to find his lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9:3-14).
◦ Saul took a servant with him.
◦ After they had searched without success, Saul was ready to return home to his
father.
◦ They were in the land of Zuph. His servant said that there was a man of God
in the city and that they should inquire of him at to where to look.
◦ so they went in search of the "seer" or "prophet." It was
Samuel they found in the city. ]
2 And he had a son,
whose name was Saul,
a choice young man, and a goodly: [“handsome”
in this context Of what significance might
it be that the writer dwells on Saul’s looks rather than other of his attributes? (Compare
this verse to 1 Samuel 10:23-24.)] and there was not among
the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from
his shoulders and upward he was higher than
any of the people. [ It was probably the reason
that he was chosen as king; for, where kings were elective, in all ancient
times great respect was paid to personal appearance. ]
3 And the asses
of Kish Saul’s father were lost. [
Note how simple the Lord works inour lives to bring about his purpose.
The asses get lost so that Saul can be brought to Samuel the prophet.
] And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants
with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 And he passed through
mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not:
then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not:
and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5 And when
they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with
him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the
asses, and take thought for us.
6 And he said unto
him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an
honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go
thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7 Then said Saul
to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?
for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to
bring to the man of God: what have we?
8 And the servant
answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part
of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell
us our way.
9 (Beforetime in
Israel, when a man went to enquire of
God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: [
First occurance in using the word seer in the bible. ] for he
that is now called a Prophet was
beforetime called a Seer.)
10 Then said Saul
to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city
where the man of God was.
11 ¶ And as
they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to
draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12 And they answered
them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you:
make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice
of the people to day in the high place:
13 As soon as
ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up
to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because
he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden.
Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
READ 1 Sam 8:15-17
15 ¶ Now
the aLORD had told Samuel
in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16 To morrow
about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and
thou shalt anoint him to
be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of
the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because
their cry is come unto
me.
17 And when Samuel
saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold
the man whom I spake to thee of! [ What
does this tell you about how close Samuel was living to the Lord? How
close of a relationship must Samuel have had with God - have a) previously
heard God speak of Saul and b) to hear the witness now that he was
the man previously spoken of. ] this
same shall reign over my people.
18 Then Saul
drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where
the seer’s house is.
19 And Samuel
answered Saul, and said, I am the seer:
go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and
to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in
thine heart.
20 And as
for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; [
Samuel shows Saul that he knew what was in his heart
and what he was thinking, God having previously revealed these things to Samuel. ] for
they are found. And on whom is all the desire
of Israel? [ Saul
understood this as implying that he was chosen to be king. "Adam Clarke"] Is
it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?
21 And Saul
answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of
all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore
then speakest thou so to
me? [ How
does Saul respond to the statement that he is to become the King of Israel? Saul
understood full well what was being conveided, he was to be the King
of Israel, and he could not doubt as Samuel had told the things in Sauls
heart as a witness that he was speaking the truth - Saul is most likely
take back a little - as he esponds in a pretty humble manner.]
22 And Samuel
took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, [
or kitchen, some scholars believe this was a sanctuary building on the
high place. Either way Saul is treated like
the guest on whom everyone else has been waiting. What is the significance
of that for Saul? ] and made
them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about
thirty persons.
23 And Samuel
said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said
unto thee, Set it by
thee.
24 And the cook took
up the shoulder, and that which was upon
it, and set it before Saul. [ What
signifigance was meant when the shoulder was set before Saul? Not
because it was the best part, but because it was an emblem of the
government to which he was now called. See Isa. ix. 6: And the
government shall be upon his SHOULDER. ] And Samuel said,
Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat:
for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I
have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 ¶ And
when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed
with Saul upon the top of
the house.
26 And they arose
early: and it came to pass about the
spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying,
Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of
them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, [ They went just beyond the edge of the city, to the open area. ] Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. [ Do you find that an interesting choice of words - stand still a while - that I may shew thee the word of God? Thoughts? Put yourself in the presence of the Prophet! ]
CHAPTER 10
Samuel anoints Saul to be captain over the Lord’s
inheritance—Samuel manifests gift of seership—Saul prophesies
among the prophets, and the Lord gives him a new heart—He is chosen
king at Mizpeh.
1 THEN Samuel took
a vial of oil, [ What is the signifigance
of anointing Saul with oil? The anointing mentioned
here took place in the open field. See the preceding chapter, chap. ix.
26, 27. The reasons of this rite - It appears, from Isa. lxi. 1, that
anointing with oil, in consecrating a person to any important office,
whether civil or religious, was considered as an emblem of the communication
of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. This
ceremony was used on three occasions, viz., the installation of prophets,
priests, and kings, into their respective offices. But why should
such an anointing be deemed necessary? Because the common sense
of men taught them that all good, whether spiritual or secular, must
come from God, its origin and cause. Hence it was taken for granted] and
poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain
over his inheritance?
2 When thou art
departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s
sepulchre [ Which is
close to Bethlehem Gen 35:19 ] in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto
thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father
hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall
I do for my son?
3 Then shalt thou
go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and
there shall meet thee three men going up to God to
Beth-el, [ What
do we know about Beth-el? This was the
place of Jacob's altar Gen 28:17, where he had met the Lord and
entered into covenants with him there, Jacob considered the site so sacred
that he named the place Bethel, a contraction of Beth-Elohim, which means
literally ‘the House of the Lord.’ (“Temples—The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign,
Mar. 1971, p. 16.). so the men are on their way to
the temple to make sacrifices.] one
carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another
carrying a bottle of wine:
4 And they will salute thee,
and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their
hands.
5 After that thou
shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines:
and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that
thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with
a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe,
and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
6 And the Spirit
of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with
them, and shalt be turned into
another man.[ What
does it mean to say that Saul “shalt be turned into another man”? or
as they would have said in the New Testament "born again"]
7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; [referring to the acts of I Sam 11:5-15] for God is with thee. [the standard statement of divine endorsement, cp. Ex. 3:12, Josh. 1:5]
READ 1 Sam 10:8-12
8 And thou shalt
go down before me to Gilgal; [
What is signifigant about Gilgal? this is
the place were the children of Israel crossed the river Jordan, and after
the crossing Joshua had them build an altar at Gilgal. Hugh Nibly says
this is most likely the place where Jesus was baptised, Elijah was take
to heaven from here as well.] and,
behold, I
will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to
sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till
I come to thee, [ Saul is commanded to go
to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to arrive, then Samuel will offer
a sacrifice and give Saul further instruction.] and shew
thee what thou shalt do. [
see 1 Sam 13:8 for the start of the 7 days later ]
9 ¶ And it
was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God
gave him another heart: [ What
does it mean that “God gave him another heart”? Is
this the same thing spoken of in verse 6 or something else? parallels
the statement in vs 6 - this is what the spirit of God does, it make us
into new, better people] and all those signs
came to pass that day. [ All of the predictions
Samuel made are fulfilled, indicating Saul accepted and did what he was
supposed to, at least up until the substance of v. 8 ]
10 And when
they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met
him; and the Spirit of
God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. [ How
signifigant is this? What formal training did Saul ? What did Saul have
that allowed such a transformation? The Lord
will work with us even if, at first, we can no more than desire but are
willing to give place for a portion of His words. A small foothold is all
He needs. But we must desire and provide it. Neal A. Maxwell, If Thou Endure
It Well, p. 51. D&C 64: 34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and
a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the
land of Zion in these last days.]
11 And it came
to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied
among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is
come unto the son of Kish? [ How
do those who know Saul respond to his change? the
people are suggesting that he is not noteworthy to even be called by his
first name] Is Saul also among the prophets? [the
people do not understand the spiritual conversion of Saul - as a result
they use sarcastism to mock him]
12 And one of
the same place answered and said, But who is their
father? [this phrase most likely turned against
the people who were trying to be cleaver - they were trying to suppose
that he was only the son of kish but the wise person said who is their
father - or the father of the prophets? to which the answer is God] Therefore
it became a proverb, Is Saul also
among the prophets?
14 ¶ And
Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And
he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where,
we came to Samuel.
16 And Saul
said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But
of the matter of the kingdom, [Saul does not
bring up the matter of the kingdom - suggesting humility] whereof
Samuel spake, he told him not.
17 ¶ And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
READ 1 Sam 8:18-19
[What is Samuels speech meant to do just before he chooses a king? He is trying to give them one last chance to nack out - telling them that it is no what the Lord wants for them ]
18 And said
unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered
you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of
them that oppressed you:
19 And ye
have this day rejected your God, [How
had they rejected the Lord? The Lord said not to
have a King but they insisted.] who himself saved
you out of all your adversities and
your tribulations; and
ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over
us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by
your tribes, and by your thousands.
20 And when
Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin
was taken.
21 When he had
caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family
of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought
him, he could not be found.
22 Therefore
they enquired of the
LORD further, [Samuel is looking
for Saul but he is not to be found.] if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered,
Behold, he
hath hid himself among the stuff. [ Saul tries
to avoid the call by hiding in the stuff - but the Lord reveals his where
a bouts to Samuel]
23 And they
ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he
was higher than
any of the people from his shoulders and upward. [He was head and
sholders above anyone in the crowd.]
24 And Samuel
said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen,
that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people
shouted, and said, God save the king.
25 Then
Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom,
and wrote it in
a book, and laid it up
before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away,
every man to his house. [ Samuel still tries
to talk Israel out of having a king. Samuel says that Israel has rejected
the Lord. They insist. Saul is called but is hiding. The people choose
Saul as their king. Why was Saul chosen to be king? The new king was
to embody in the person of the new king the ideal which Israel had had
in view of making their demand for a monarchy. He should reflect their
religious standpoint at its best; but he should also represent their
national failings and the inmost defect of the religious life that of
combining zeal for the religion of Jehovah, and outward conformity to
it, with utter want of real heart submission to the Lord, and of true
devotedness to Him. They got exactly what they wanted. The history of
Saul is a summary and a reflection of that of Israel. They wanted not
only a king, but royalty like that of the nations around and for the
purpose of outward deliverance, thus forgetting God s dealings, disclaiming
simple trust in Him, and disbelieving the sufficiency of His leadership.
Saul was the king after the peoples heart. The people are called to a
solemn assembly in Mizpeh. His hiding: The people saw nothing in his
conduct that seemed to them strange, and so we may take it that it was
just up to the level of their own conceptions, though to us it appears
very different from what a hero of God would have done. Alfred Edersheim,
Bible History: Old Testament 4: Chapter 5. ]
26 ¶ And
Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose
hearts God had touched. [the men who were
spiritual, recognize and accept him]
27 But the children
of Belial [Semitism for "scoundrel" or "riff
raff"] said, How shall this man save us?
And they despised him, [those
whose hearts were not in tune rejected him as the king] and brought
him no presents. But he held his
peace.
CHAPTER 11
Ammonites encamp against Israelites of Jabesh-gilead—Saul rescues them and wreaks havoc upon Ammonites—His kingship is renewed in Gilgal.
READ 1 Sam 11:1-2
[ What is happening in these 2 verses? ] 1 [v1-4
Ammonites take it upon themselves to oppress Israelites along the borders
in Jabesh-gilead and they attempt diplomacy (v.1)] THEN Nahash
the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the
men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will
serve thee. [ At this point in time the tribes of
Israel seem to be acting independant of each other - at least as far
as for government and protection. The tribes on the east side of Jordan
river were under attack - in desperation they ask for help from the tribes
on the west of the river Jordan.]
2 And Nahash the
Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with
you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a
reproach upon all Israel. [Israelites are not very
happy with the terms of servitude required by the hands of the Ammonites
- So they recognize that there is a new King in town and decide to get
military protectin from him v3-4]
3 And the elders
of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may
send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no
man to save us, we will come out to thee.
4 ¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
so what does Saul do about it?
5 And, behold, Saul
came after the herd out of the field; [note
what Saul is doing - he is working in the fields, laboring wiht his own
hands; cp. Mosiah 2:14] and Saul said, What aileth the
people that they weep? [Saul is showing
compassion at this point.] And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6 And
the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his
anger was kindled greatly. [Saul was upset that his fellow brethern
were being oppressed by the Ammonites]
7 And he
took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them
in pieces, and sent them throughout
all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever
cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto
his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people,
and they came out with one consent. [ What
impression do you have of Saul at this point? You
better show up to fight, and if you don't ...so you shal be treated like
Saul did with his oxen - if they don't come out to aid their brothers they
will be cut up like the oxen he has cut up, so the people fear him and
God and come out to battle]
8 And when he
numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand,
and the men of Judah thirty thousand. [330,000 men
in total in the army]
9 And they said
unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,
To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And
the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they
were glad.
10 Therefore
the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall
do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11 And it was so on
the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came
into the midst of the host in the morning watch, [
the morning watch between three and six o clock in the morning. When the
camp was the most secure. ] and slew the Ammonites until the heat
of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered,
so that two of them were not left together.
12 ¶ And
the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that
said, Shall Saul reign over
us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. [
now that you have the power - let's show it with additional force by killing
all those that ridiculed you... ]
13 And Saul
said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: [
Saul is still humble and listening to the Lord - wants only to give praise
to the Lord - not mar it with selfish acts ] for to day the LORD hath
wrought salvation in Israel.
14 Then said
Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, [
the place where after the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River
they built an altar ] and renew the kingdom
there. [ Gigal was the place where there was a altar, through sacrifice
they would renew their covenants with God. Saul is trying to do what is
right.]
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. [ Unlike verse 10 when some accepted and some not - this time he is honored by all for physical delivery; he has now gained the respect and honor of the people. He used to hide in the stuff from the people now he is rejoicing with them ]
CHAPTER 13
Saul offers a burnt offering, and the Lord
rejects him and chooses another captain over his people.
1 SAUL reigned
one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, [
Is this verse out of context? Adame Clark says it is? ]
2 Saul chose
him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand
were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were
with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he
sent every man to his tent.
3 And Jonathan
smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and
the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew
the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. [
Israel has gone on the offensive - they started out under the direction
of Samuel (the Lord) gived by the spirit - Now Saul is taking it upon
himself se 3 Ne.3:21; D&C 98:23-48. Notice how from this point
forward Saul begins to become a inefficient leader.]
4 And all
Israel heard say that Saul [in
the preceding verse we are informed it was in fact Jonathan, Saul's
son, and not Saul, that had "smitten the garrison". A simple
misattribution? A vicarious attribution since Jonathon was his son?
Or did Saul want the credit for his son's actions and deliberately
stretch the truth?] had smitten a garrison
of the Philistines, [a poor translation.
The JPS renders it "a Philistine prefect". Thus, Jonathan
only killed a local Philistine leader and not a whole garrison, or
otehrs suggest that perhaps he destroedy a marker designating the area
as Philistine territory.] and that Israel
also was had in abomination [made the
Philistines hate them] with the Philistines. And the people
were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 ¶ And
the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty
thousand chariots, [30,000 chariots is
almost certainly an exaggeration, probably a multiplication by 10.
But even 3,000 chariots is an enormous number by ancient standards.
Recall that Sisera only had 900 (Judges 4:3.) Whichever
number we take, what is the point? ] and
six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the
sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash,
eastward from Beth-aven.
6 When
the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, [The
people became a little worried at this point - had they strirred
the hornets nest?] (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves
in caves, and in thickets,
and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. [ I assume at this point they were not sure who to be the most afraid of Saul or the Philistines. They begin to see the entire Philistine army gather against them - not just the garrison attacked by Jonathan. They start shaking in their boots so to speak when they see thousands of chariots - it would be comparison to men in the army today going ino battle and seeing several thousand tanks come up over the hill toward you. One is protected the other exposed]
READ 1 Sam 13:8-14
8 ¶ And he
tarried seven days, [Saul, cooling his
heels after getting Israel into a real mess, waits the remainder
of the seven days Samuel told him to (cp. 10:8). ] according
to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but
Samuel came not [Samuel hasn't show
up by day seven] to Gilgal; and the people
were scattered from him. [The crowd
starts to disperse since nothing is happening. so
what does Saul then do? ]
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. [ Why does Saul offer the burnt offering? Previous verse. Saul goes ahead and takes it upon himself to offer sacrifice in an effort to importune to the Lord against the Philistines. After all he has seen it done before - Saul has taken upon himself the duty of a priest. Coveting or encroaching on the Priesthood is not something looked upon favorably in the Law, cp. Num. 16:8-11, Num. 18:7. What does this tell us about Saul?]
10 And it
came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end
of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; [ What
is the significance of the timing of Samuel’s arrival? Catches
Saul in the act.] and
Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 ¶ And
Samuel said, What hast thou done? [
Samuel sees what is going on and asks Saul what he thinks he is doing.] And
Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou
camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines
gathered themselves together at Michmash; [Saul
follows a pretty predictable pattern when you know that you have done
something worng First try to say that you did not want to do it but
that you were forced too; then quickly shift the blame to someone else
- in this case Samuel, as had he been there earlier Saul would not
have had to force himself to offer the sacrifice. After all, time was
of the essence as Israel is in imminent danger from the Philistines,
and Israel was deserting, right? Samuel rejects Saul's attempt to justify
his actions, and condemns him. Samuel tells him he has acted foolishly
in not obeying the commandments of the Lord (presumably what Samuel
told him in 9:25 and 10:25), had he not done so his kingdom would have
continued (v. 13). However, the Lord will now search out another man
to replace him as king (v. 14).]
12 Therefore
said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I
have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself
therefore, and offered a burnt offering. [Saul
is not of the Levite lineage and, therefore, has no priesthood right
to make the offering. What is the issue
here? Saul said he did not want to but
did anyway, he had to force himself to do it. ]
13 And Samuel
said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment
of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now
would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel
for ever.
14 But now
thy kingdom shall
not continue: the LORD hath sought [or
"will seek out" The Lord has not yet had Samuel anoint
a replacement Saul, but will later with David.] him a man after
his own heart, [ What
qualities would the Lord be referring to when he says a man after
his own heart? ] and
the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over
his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded
thee. [Verses 15-18 deal with how the armies
arranged themselves.]
15 And Samuel
arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul
numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred
men. [ Samuel abandons Saul, and Saul is left
with only 600 men. Notice in v. 2 he had 3000, and that was before
he summoned all of Israel to him to fight. Israel has abandoned Saul
too.]
16 And Saul,
and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with
them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in
Michmash.
17 ¶ And
the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies:
one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto
the land of Shual:
18 And another
company turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned to the
way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. [Verses
19-23 tell us about another military advantage the Philistines enjoyed,
they have blacksmiths among them and Israel doesn't.]
19 ¶ Now there
was no smith found
throughout all the land of Israel: [
The Israelites did not possess the skill to work with iron ] for
the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or
spears:
20 But all
the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen
every man his share, [or
ploughshare - the part of the plough that turns the dirt over.] and his coulter, [the
front part of a plough that cuts the weeds, stocks.. up so they don't
gather on the saft of the plough] and his axe, and his mattock. [previous
to the assault recounted in v. 3 the Israelites and Philistines were
on good enough terms to be doing business together. so, the attack
in v. 3 appears to be unwarranted. The Philistines obviously weren't
in any rush to give up their military advantage, but they also weren't
being totally exclusive or oppressive as were the Ammonites.]
21 Yet they
had a file for the mattocks,
and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen
the goads.
22 so it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. [ Farmers vs warriors, steel verse wood... who will win in such a war? Israel was not equipted for war - only Saul and Jonathan had metal weapons and armor - the rest were farmers with farm implements. The Philistines were equipted with armor, chariots, swords, spears...]
CHAPTER 15
Saul commanded to smite and destroy the Amalekites and all that they have—He saves some animals to sacrifice—Saul is rejected from being king, and told that to obey is better than sacrifice—Samuel destroys Agag.
READ 1 Sam 15:1-3
1 SAMUEL also
said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king
over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice
of the words of the LORD.
2 Thus saith the
LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did
to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up
from Egypt. [ Remember that The
Amalekites attacked the children of Israel during the exodus. ]
3 Now go and smite Amalek, [The
Amalekites were descendants of Esau] and utterly destroy all
that they have, [ Samuel approaches Saul
and commissions him to fulfill the prediction of Ex. 17:14, namely to
utterly annihilate the Amalekites. Note the explicit nature of the command.
Let's see how well Saul listens now...] and spare
them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep,
camel and ass.[ Destroy everything - just
so we are clear here, that means man, woman, child, ox, sheep, camel,
and asses - so there is no excuse as to what to destroy. What
is the wisdom in the Lord to destroy everything? 1)
If you leave some corruption spreads, 2) if t here are no spoils or war
then you don't attack to get gain, only for the Lords purpose. Among
the Mitzvot - or 613 commandments of the Law:
Mitzvot (Hebrew: " : Taryag Mitzvot, "613 commandments") are statements and principles of law and ethics contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses. These principles of Biblical law are sometimes called commandments (mitzvot) or collectively as the "Law of Moses" (Torat Moshe, ), "Mosaic Law", or simply "the Law" (though these terms are ambiguous and also applied to the Torah itself).
Here are a few pertaining to war:
To burn a city that has turned to idol worship Deut. 13:17
Not to rebuild it as a city Deut. 13:17
Not to derive benefit from it Deut. 13:18
Destroy the seven Canaanite nations Deut. 20:17
Not to let any of them remain alive Deut. 20:16
Wipe out the descendants of Amalek Deut. 25:19
Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people Deut. 25:17
Not to forget Amalek's atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt
in
Not to offer peace to Ammon and Moab while besieging them Deut. 23:7
Not to destroy fruit trees even during the siege Deut. 20:19
4 And Saul gathered
the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand
footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
6 ¶ And Saul
said unto the Kenites, [
The Kenites were an ancient people. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses,
was a Kenite. Hobab his son (if the same person be not meant) was guide
to the Hebrews through the wilderness. They had a portion of the promised
land, near to the city Arad. ] Go, depart, get you down from among
the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to
all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites
departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
READ 1 Sam 15:8,12-17
8 And he took Agag the
king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with
the edge of the sword.
9 But
Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the
oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good,
and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile
and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. [
While Saul has previously made some rather stupid mistakes we could give
him credit and assume that they are just exactly that just dumb mistakes.
Now he has created an act of deliberate rebellion. interesting to note
that one of the reasons for the Lords command to destroy everything is
so that there are no rewards for the succes, no plunderings, no advances
from the spoils of war. They undertook the act of war as a sense of duty,
without any hope of enriching themselves. If the people do not prosper
then from the battle or wars, if there are no spoils then they will fight
the war for the right reason only, because the Lord commanded. And when
the have completed the command they will not keep going, taking on the
offensive strickly for the spoils of war. Do
we ever justify in our own minds not fully obeying the Lord's command?
What excuses do we use? “It’s just
a little sin,” “I’m obeying the spirit of the law rather than the letter
of the law,” “It won’t hurt anyone,” “I’ll try it just once,” “Other
people are doing it,” or “That commandment doesn’t apply to me.” How
can doing something so simple be so harmful? ]
11 It repenteth me
that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following
me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and
he cried unto the LORD all night.
12 And when
Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying,
Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, [
Saul's pride continues to grow - "he erects a monument for himself".
some say it was a monument; others, a triumphal arch, some say it may have
just been the act of the hand pointing to the place.] and is gone
about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. [
The place where the Children of Israel built the monument when they crossed
the river jordan. ]
13 And Samuel
came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou
of the LORD: [ Why does
Saul greet Samuel this way? He knows he gas done
wrong. and trys to flatter Samuel] I
have performed the commandment of the LORD. [Saul
trys to avoid Samuel asking the question of did you do as you were commanded.
By making a general statement - that he had completed the job, thus avoiding
being put on the spot.]
14 And Samuel
said, What meaneth then this bleating of the
sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? [
How do you think this must have this made Saul feel to know that
he was dealing with the prophet and the prophet knew that he had not kept
the command? Sauls still has not caught on that Samuel
is a prophet and as such is doing the will of God, and as such he will
not buy into the flattery, and as such asks then question to which he knows
the answer. Pointing to the fact that he can hear and see the sheep he
was told to utterly destroy]
15 And Saul
said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for
the people spared [ How does Saul respond? hey
man I had nothing to do with it...it was the people who would not obey] the
best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy
God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
16 Then Samuel
said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the
LORD hath said [ How
does Samuel responf? Samuel is not impressed and
is there on an errand - now Saul is to hear what the Lord wants him to
know ] to me this night. And
he said unto him, Say on.
17 And Samuel
said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou
not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee
king over Israel? [ Saul
who made thee great? It was the Lord, remember
how shy you were? From where did you get your power?]
18 And the LORD sent
thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites,
and fight against them until they be consumed.
19 Wherefore
then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but
didst fly upon the spoil, [Samuel accuses
Saul of wanting the spoils of war more than to fulfill the command of the
Lord] and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? [he
did not obey - he thought he was smarter I guess - do
we ever think that way?]
20 And Saul
said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD,
and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought
Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
READ 1 Sam 15:22-28
22 And Samuel
said, Hath the LORD as great delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of
the LORD? Behold, to obey is better
than sacrifice, [
In otherwords some laws are more important than others! this is the entire
crux of the matter. Do we do want we are commanded, or do we exchange the
rules for ourselves? this simple quote which equates rebellion with idolatry.
Sacrifice to who or what at this point? The Lord had already given a command
to utterly destroy, the sacrifice then would have been to whom - certainly
not the Lord. Broken down "To obey": to follow the Lord - "Better
than Sacrifice": to worship idols...] and to hearken
than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is
as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is
as iniquity and idolatry. [ How
is stbbornness, the unwillingness to follow the Lord's command idolatry? If
we are being stubborn who are we really following? we
have set another master in place of God, that master being either ourselves
because of pride, or some other God or master. How
are we then idolater's when we choose not to obey them commands of God?
How does this relate to the phrase "Man cannot serve two masters"? See
D&C 64:34 the Lord "requireth the heart and a willing mind".] Because
thou hast rejected the
word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee
from being king. [Saul still does
not get it - the Lord has rejected him not Samuel, Samuel is only the
messenger - so he will try to persuade Samuel to change his mond. "And
so I repeat, do not let pride stand in your way. The way of the gospel
is a simple way. some of the requirements may appear to you as elementary
and unnecessary. Do not spurn them. Humble yourself and walk in obedience.
I promise that the results that follow will be marvelous to behold and
satisfying to experience. Gordon B. Hinckley, Be Thou an Example, p.
68. Self-justification is the enemy of repentance. God s Spirit continues
with the honest in heart to strengthen, to help, and to save, but invariably
the Spirit of God ceases to strive with the man who excuses himself in
his wrongdoing. Practically all dishonesty owes its existence and growth
to this inward distortion we call selfjustification. It is the first,
the worst, and the most insidious and damaging form of cheating to cheat
oneself. Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 234"]
24 ¶ And
Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: [notice
how much blame he is taking for his "SINS" when he follows right
after with because the people made me do it. In otherwords my sin is not
in not doing what the Lord asked but in doing what the people wanted.] for
I have transgressed the
commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because
I feared the people,
and obeyed their voice. [ If the first excuse
did not work, they were kept for sacrifice - let's try a different angle.
So his next attempt for an excuse is that he feared the people. So his
excuse now is that he feared the people more than he feared the Lord. Maybe
he should have just kept his mouth shut. Shows that Saul is getting desparate.
] [In fire there are 3 elements: Oxygen, fuel,
heat. In fraud there are three elements: Opportunity, Pressure or motive,
Rationalization. In sin there are three elements. Opportunity, temptation,
rationalization. Remove one or more of these elements and you won't sin]
25 Now therefore,
I pray thee, pardon my sin, [
Literally, "bear my sin; take it away"
- he wants a quick fix now! ] and turn again with me, that I may
worship the LORD.
26 And Samuel
said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the
word of the LORD, and the LORD hath
rejected thee [ Samuel points out that it
is not he that has rejected Saul - but rather the Lords that has rejected
him] from being king over Israel.
27 And as Samuel
turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. [it
would appear as if this was more than just a simple tug but rather a possible
enraged action caused by anger or frustration.]
28 And Samuel
said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of
Israel from thee [Samuel uses this as a type
for the separation of the Kingdom of Israel from Saul] this day,
and hath given it to
a neighbour of thine, that is better
than thou.
29 And
also the Strength
of Israel will not lie [ Notice the implication
that Saul might be a liar - one who changes the story to fit his needs
- and then says that is not how the King of Israel should act! ] nor
repent: [ says something of Sauls attitude
- that even at this point he is really not truely repenatant . Why? because
he is still trying to lie, still making excuses to justify his actions.
] for he is not a man, that he should repent. [the
Lord is not persuded as a man, and he does not change as a man - but
has made his decision. , and that God does not act that way.]
30 Then he said,
I have sinned: yet honour me now, [a
little more humble confession now!] I pray thee, before the elders
of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship
the LORD thy God.
32 ¶ Then
said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And
Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely
the bitterness of death is past. [JPS renders
it "Ah, bitter death is at hand"]
33 And Samuel
said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless
among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces [
Samuel goes on to humiliate Saul by executing Agag on the spot, he completes
that which Saul was commanded to do. Samuel was acting as the Lord's judge
when he executed Agag, and that he had the Lord's approval for doing so.
It may also indicate it occurred before the Ark of the Covenant, as Saul
apparently had the Ark with him cf. 14:18. ] before the LORD in
Gilgal.
35 And Samuel
came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: [Samuel
leaves Saul and never sees him again alive.] nevertheless Samuel
mourned for Saul: [Samuel laments Saul's
fall from grace] and the LORD repented that
he had made Saul king over Israel.
CHAPTER 16
The Lord chooses David of Beth-lehem as king—He
is anointed by Samuel—Saul chooses David as his companion and armourbearer.
1 AND the
LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn
with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the bBeth-lehemite:
for I have provided me a king among
his sons. [ Samuel at this point knows the
family from which the new king is to come from. Saul is obviously willing
to use unscrupulous means to preserve his position as king, and Samuel
is justifiably concerned about being killed by him if it looks like he
is about to anoint another in his stead. Samuel has also got to be concerned
about whoever he anoints as well, as Saul would certainly be out to kill
him and his family.]
2 And
Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. [
This gives us some idea of the state that Saul has progressed to. He
knows that Samuel is the Lords prophet, and yet Samuel is fearful for
his life, that Saul will kill him if he gets wind that Samuel is going
to annoint someone else the king. Saul is afraid of loosing everything
at this point, and is apparently willing to do whatever it takes to
keep it. ] And the LORD said, Take an heifer
with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
3 And call
Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and
thou shalt anoint unto
me him whom I name unto thee.
4 And Samuel
did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem.
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, [The
elders of the city know very well Saul's mind as did Samuel in v. 2 so
they are worried about acts of retribution.] and said, Comest
thou peaceably?
5 And he said,
Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves,
and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons,
and called them to the sacrifice.
6 ¶ And
it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab,
and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before
him.
7 But the LORD said
unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature;
because I have refused him: for the LORD aseeth not
as man seeth; for man
looketh on the outward appearance,
but the LORD looketh
on the heart.
8 Then Jesse
called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither
hath the LORD chosen this.
10 Again,
Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto
Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel
said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There
remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel
said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he
come hither.
12 And he
sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, [
he looked vigorous and healthy ] and withal of a beautiful countenance,
and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint
him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel
took the horn of oil, and anointed him
in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of
the LORD came upon David from
that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 ¶ But
the Spirit of the
LORD departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit [
there are several uses of "evil spirit" in the Scriptures,
one being a literal spirit adversary, the other being figurative - indicating
mental illness or some form of insanity. In this case it appears to be
the latter as it comes and goes without being adjured by the Priesthood
or the name of the Lord. We also see that Saul apparently has some mental
problems in the following chapters, cp. 17:55-58, 18:10. We also see
that David knew well what mental illness looked like, and the people
in general did as well, cp. 21:13-15. ] from the
LORD troubled him.
16 Let our
lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek
out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come
to pass, when the evil spirit from God
is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
18 Then answered
one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the
Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant
man, and a man of war, and prudent in
matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with
him.
19 ¶ Wherefore
Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with
the sheep.
20 And Jesse
took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid,
and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David
came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he
became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul
sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he
hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the aevil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
CHAPTER 17
Israel and the Philistines engage in war—Goliath
of Gath, a giant, defies Israel, and challenges any Israelite to personal
combat—David goes against him in the name of the Lord—David
slays Goliath with a sling and a stone—Israel defeats the Philistines.
1 NOW the
Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered
together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between
Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
2 And Saul
and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley
of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3 And the
Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on
a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between
them.
4 ¶ And
there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named
Goliath, of Gath, whose
height was six cubits and
a span. [Height = 6 cubits/1 span = 9ft
9in]
5 And he
had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed
with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five
thousand shekels of brass. [5000 shekels
of brass = 121 lbs.]
7 And the staff of
his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his
spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: [600
shekels of iron = 14.6 lbs.] and one bearing a shield went before
him.
8 And he
stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why
are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I
a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and
let him come down to me.
9 If he be
able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants:
but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants,
and serve us.
10 And
the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me
a man, that we may fight together.
11 When
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were
dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12 ¶ Now David was the
son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse;
and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old
man in the days of Saul.
13 And
the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the
battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the
firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
17 And
Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of
this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp
to thy brethren;
18 And
carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand,
and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now
Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley
of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 ¶ And
David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper,
and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the
trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the
battle.
22 And
David left his carriage in
the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and
came and saluted his brethren.
23 And
as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine
of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and
spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
25 And
the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely
to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man
who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will
give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free
in Israel. [free from royal levies and
public service]
26 And
David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What
shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away
the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine,
that he should defy the armies of the living God? [
This to David is a very simple question. Do you not know who you are
fighting for? The faith of a child so to speak. Has not let the fear
of man corrupt that faith in the power of God. Now listen to the response
- out of guilt for being chastized by a Child - that they give to David
for asking the simple question. v27-30 ]
27 And
the people answered him after this manner, saying, so shall it be done
to the man that killeth him.
28 ¶ And
Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s
anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down
hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?
I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art
come down that thou mightest see the battle. [
David must have struck a cord of truth that they had some guilt feelings
surface if this is how the respond. By saying what are you doing
here? Where are the sheep - you are only here to see the destruction
of the battle. All designed to mock him, as a younger brother.]
29 And
David said, What have I now done? Is there not
a cause? [ Davids innocent response, geez
guys I only asked a simple question you don't have to jump down my
throat. What is David implying here by
his response? "I declare with all
my soul there is a cause! It is a cause worth giving one s life for.
It is the cause of righteousness. It is a cause that every youth in
this Church should rally to as he declares war on Satan and his legions.
As David said to Goliath, so each youth should declare to Satan, Thou
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but
I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies
of Israel, whom thou hast defied." (Victor L. Brown, Is there
Not a Cause? Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 104.]
30 And
he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner:
and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And
when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before
Saul: and he sent for him.
32 ¶ And
David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy
servant will go
and fight with this
Philistine.
33 And
Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine
to fight with him: for thou art but a youth,
and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And
David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and
there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: [ What
or how was David prepared in advance for this moment? David
was prepared in advance. not only physically but spiritually to have
such faith ]
35 And
I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his
beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant
slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies
of the living God. [ this statement is
almost matter of fact - so it is when one has great faith - God framed
the earth thru faith (Lectures on Faith - when on has enough faith
there is no doubt that it will happen, and so it will be done. ]
37 David said
moreover, The LORD that delivered me
out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
out of the hand of this Philistine. [Are
we overcoming our obstacles so we can defeat our Goliaths? President
Hinckley said:There are Goliaths all around you, hulking giants with
evil intent to destroy you. These are not ninefoot
tall men, but they are men and institutions that control attractive but evil things that may challenge and weaken and destroy you. Included in these are beer and other liquors and tobacco. Those who market these products would like to enslave you into their use. There are drugs of various kinds which, I am told, are relatively easy to obtain in many high schools. For those who peddle them, this is a multimillion-dollar industry, a giant web of evil. There is pornography, seductive and interesting and inviting. It has become a giant industry, producing magazines, films, and other materials designed to take your money and lead you toward activities that would destroy you. The giants who are behind these efforts are formidable and skillful. They have gained vast experience in the war they are carrying on. They would like to ensnare you. It is almost impossible to entirely avoid exposure to their products. You see these materials on all sides. But you need not fear if you have the slingshot of truth in your hands. You have been counseled and taught and advised. You have the stories of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies who would like to conquer you. Insofar as you are concerned, you can hit them between the eyes, to use a figurative expression. You can triumph over them by disciplining yourselves to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied . Victory will be yours . You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to ministering angels about you to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant. (in General Conference Report, April 1983, 66] And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
tall men, but they are men and institutions that control attractive but evil things that may challenge and weaken and destroy you. Included in these are beer and other liquors and tobacco. Those who market these products would like to enslave you into their use. There are drugs of various kinds which, I am told, are relatively easy to obtain in many high schools. For those who peddle them, this is a multimillion-dollar industry, a giant web of evil. There is pornography, seductive and interesting and inviting. It has become a giant industry, producing magazines, films, and other materials designed to take your money and lead you toward activities that would destroy you. The giants who are behind these efforts are formidable and skillful. They have gained vast experience in the war they are carrying on. They would like to ensnare you. It is almost impossible to entirely avoid exposure to their products. You see these materials on all sides. But you need not fear if you have the slingshot of truth in your hands. You have been counseled and taught and advised. You have the stories of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies who would like to conquer you. Insofar as you are concerned, you can hit them between the eyes, to use a figurative expression. You can triumph over them by disciplining yourselves to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied . Victory will be yours . You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to ministering angels about you to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant. (in General Conference Report, April 1983, 66] And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
38 ¶ And
Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon
his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David
girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had
not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these;
for I have not proved them. And David put
them off him. [ In otherwaords I can't
even move in this stuff, so he took it off. What
armor does David have on? What is the signifigance of David not wearing
someone elses armor? He has found comfort
in his our armor, his reliance on the Lord - and recognizes that he
does not need anything else.]
40 And he
took his staff in his hand, and chose him five
smooth stones [ symbolic that even the
stones are smoothed, they have been subject to the influence of a force
at work on them, just as David has. Smooth stones are used as they
will provide a much more accurate flight. Rough edges on rocks traveling
through the air will cause them to rotate and gyrate in more un-controllable
flight. ] out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s
bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his
hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the
Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare
the shield went before him.
42 And when
the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he
was but a youth, and ruddy, [looking
vigorous and healthy ] and of a fair countenance.
43 And the
Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog,
that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods. [ The last mistake
of Goliath - to bring God even further into the equation. Why
is it that when men get a little power, or they think they have a little
power they begin to turn on God - or they become Gods unto themselves? ]
44 And the
Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto
the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said
David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a
spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee
in the name of the
LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom
thou hast defied. [ Now it is no longer
just to guys on the ball field jarring with each other - once again
Goliath has crossed the line, as he has publically curse Davids God
- and now David as others have makes a statement and involves God (makes
it Gods problem to so to speak) in the issue at hand - to preserve
the sanctity of God. Joseph Smith did this numerous times - example "Ye
fienes of the inferno pit - either you stop this instant..." Lesson
here for when we are on the Lords mission, the task is too big so to
speak, God will qualify those who he calls, strengthen those who are
on his mission...I will go and do the things... How often do we involve
God in our missions by making him a partner in the outcome.]
46 This
day will the LORD deliver thee
into mine hand; [ What
is the signifigance if this phrase in giving David power in this
battle? Notice how David has committed
God because of the cause and thru his faith, and then he says exactly
how God is going to make it happen by using David and his sling.
] and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and
I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day
unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that
all the earth may know that
there is a God in Israel.
47 And all
this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with
sword and spear: for the battle is the
LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it
came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to
meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the
Philistine.
49 And David
put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and
smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his
forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. [Speaking
of Goliath s defeat, President Marion G. Romney said: That was a very
new experience for the Philistine. Nothing like that had ever entered
into his head before. CR, Oct 1977.]
50 so
David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, [
One sling, one rock, one throw, one purpose, one with the Lord. What
power!] and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there
was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore
David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew
it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.
And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
52 And the
men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines,
until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded
of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath,
and unto Ekron.
53 And the
children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and
they spoiled their tents.
54 And David
took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he
put his armour in his tent.
55 ¶ And
when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner,
the captain of the host, Abner, whose
son is this youth? [Why
doesn't Saul recognize David he used to play harp for him quite a bit
see 1 Samuel 16:14-23. Is it because he
is just older or is Saul losing his mental capacities, or has he become
so stuck on himself that he forgets others?] And Abner said, As thy
soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
57 And as
David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him,
and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his
hand.
58 And Saul
said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And
David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.