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34 verses. Amalek is the eastern enemy of Israel, and God though Shmuel instructs King Shaoul to make war on them. The war will be won, and Shaoul is to destroy and kill all men, women, chidlren and old, and similarly destroy their cattle. The King leads the people to war and to God's promised victory, but neglects to kill Amalek's king, and the people covet the Amalelite's cattle and they are not destroyed. Shmuel finds out about this disobedience, comes forth with fury, personally cut Agag, the Amalekite's king to death, and tells King Shaoul that his sin not obeying God to the letter has caused God's disappointment. A better king will be chosen by God, and Shmuel does not see Shaul anymore.
Strange exactness by God the merciful...
23 verses. A pivotal chapter. Shmuel reportedly mourned the disfavor of Shaul in the eyes of God, but God encourages him out of it, saying: I have lost favor in Shaoul, and set my eyes on a new king, and God directs him to the village where the replacement is found. The prophet refuses to go not to evoke the ire of Shaul, showing his fear of the king he himself anointed. God, surprisingly does not extend right out defense to Shmuel carrying out his direct orders, but rather suggests a subterfuge, pretending a normal sacrifice ritual. Shmuel follows his orders, and Ishai, the host, parades his impressive gallery of sons before Shmuel. God talks to Shmuel, saying that the toll, and impressive specimen are not the ones, and really the smallest son of Ishai who remained shepherding, not invited to the ritual, is eventually called in, and Shmuel anoints him, saying not what it means. No sooner has this anointment taken place, and King Saul spirit turns sour. His servants suggest a violin player to ease his mood. The anointed young David has a reputation as a musician, and is brought to the king. Saul is instantly fond of David, not realizing that Shmuel has already anointed him as his replacement. David does it, his music elates and comforts the clueless king.
57 verses of an epic drama. David, a young shepherd, serving his older brothers who came to fight for king Shaoul, finds out about Goliath challenge for a Israeli hero to fight him so the loser side will be slave to the winner side. A challenge that sows fear, no response in Israel. David, small, and inexperienced braves the call displaying deep belief in the power of faith in God -- the conviction that no physical might counts, but faith and spirituality. He rejects the king's offer to dress him up with personal armor, and dons his personal attire for comfort. He knocks Goliath with a slingshot, Philistines are horrified, and are subjugated by Israel. Shaoul is puzzled by the events, invites David to his presence and finds out where he is from. Accordingly, the story in the former chapter regarding David playing for Shaoul must have happened afterwards.
30 verses. The glory of killing Goliath and defeating the Philistines catapults David to the court of king Saul. The people love him, adores him, and Saul becomes jealous. He tries to through the spear on him and misses, eventually he gives him his daughter Michal for wife, and hope that he will be killed by the revenging Philistines.
24 verses of a dramatically psychological story. King Saul is stricken with ill spirit. As he ages and loses his magic over the people and over his household, young David rises and captures every-one's imagination. Saul plans to kill David, and shares this intent with his son Jonathan who admires David and alerts him. Jonahathan also managed to talk his father into accommodating David. The King complies and David is again well received until one occasion as David sits around plays his music, perhaps exceedingly well and charming, the ill spirit return, the King throws a spear at David. He misses and David runs to his wife, Saul's daughter, Michal. The enraged king sends guard to fetch David, but Michal hears about it, and alerts her husband who runs away. Michal then contrives delay tactics to slow Saul's people down. David, desperate run to his benefactor, the high priest Shmuel. The two find refuge in a known settlement. The king hears about it, and sends an expedition of soldiers to fetch and kill David. Impressed with the spirituality of the high priest, the soldiers turn prayerful. The king sends more and more expeditions, and they all turn prayerful, until the king comes himself and the same thing happens to him.
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42 verses. David leaves Nayot were he was protected by the holiness of Shmuel, and meets Jonathan, Saul's son who wonders why he ran away, protesting that if his father the king had a plan to harm David, he Jonathan would have heard about it since he is close to his father. David protests that he ran because he came one step close to be killed by the king, and the king who knows how fond Jonathan is of David would not share his malicious plans with him. Jonathan then proposes that David will remain in hiding while Jonathan probes with his father as to what is going on, and then signal to David. Jonathan suspects that David is right. He understands that his father is after David for his son's Jonathan's sake. The king probably knew, or at least suspected, that angry Shmuel has secretly anointed David to replace him, and therefore only killing David will keep the kingdom in Saul's family and secure Jonathan as the future king of Israel. One would expect Jonathan to cooperate with his father and remove David from being the threat that he is, but the friendship between the two is so robust and profound that Jonathan chooses David over his own father and his own kingdom. He only asks David that when the time comes and he is sitting on the thrown, that he would spare the lives of Jonathan and his family. David readily so promises. Jonathan then queries his father about David, and finds his father angry, and disagreeable, declaring death sentence to David to protect the thrown for Joanathan. Jonathan alerts David and bids him to run away with a most emotional so profound hug of friendship.
16 verses: Running away, alone, David stops by a high priest who wonders why exulted David is coming alone. David concocts a story and prevails on the priest to give him the ritual holy bread (having no regular bread), and the old Goliath sword. He keeps running, and reaches Gat the philistine territory. The Philistines recognize him, capture him and bring him before their king. David role plays a mad man, and the king is convinced that he is insane that only looks like David, and lets him go. A great salvation.
23 verses. After escaping from the Philistine king, David gathers some 400 bitter souls and hides away. Meanwhile King Saul hears about the priest who helped David, summons him with anger, does not believe his excuses that he was unaware of the feud, and orders him and his community killed by the sword. His Israeli servants and soldiers refuse the order but an edomites helper butchers the helping - innocent priest, and his people.
29 verses. Saul keeps the pressure on David while David shows exemplary nobility. When an Israeli community, Keila, is attacked and subjugated by the Philistines, David consults God (how, not specified) to find out that she should go to help the battered community. He does so, and indeed defeats the enemy. Word floats up to the king, and he takes his army bent on the chase. David again asks God if Saul is after him, and if the locals whom he just saved will deliver him to the kind. God replies in the affirmative and David and about 600 people, his entourage, flees away. The king hires spies around the land to report to him about David where about. At one point in his chase, he is very near to David, and somehow Jonathan finds David. They strike a covenant as Jonathan assures David that his father will not find him, and that he, David, will soon become the next king with Jonathan to his side. At a later incident once again Saul is close to nail his prey, and God sends an Angel (details not clear) who alerts Saul that the Philistines invades, so the king abandons his chase, and focuses on his monarchical duties.
22 verses. Chasing David in the caves and fountains of Ein_Gedi, King Saul has taken a rest in a water pool at the openning of the cave where David and his people were hiding. Incited by his people David crawls up to the king intent of killing him. His men told him that this opportunity is provided by providence. But instead, in a decision of the moment David simply cuts off a slice of Saul's overcoat, and sneaks out. David then shows up on the mountain opposite Saul's station and calls on the king -waving the slice of his coat as a proof that was in a position to kill Saul, and did not do so -- proof of this intent and character, why then would the king chase him? The king is impressed, cries out, nad admits that it is clear that David has the moral superirity, and that he would rise to the throne. He asks David to spare his family from execution when he rises to power. Davis promises and they go wach his way.
44 verses. The beloved Shmuel passed on, and the people of Israel gathered and mourned for him. The chapter mainly tells of a rich property owner that had his cattle grazing in far away fields. His shephards were protected by David and his people. When David came to collect on his services at the time when the cattle owner harvested the wool, the cattle owner rebuffed him. David set out to exact his justice. The wife of the cattle owner heard about David's plans to kill her husband, and his servants, and she intercepted him, bringing with her the wages David sought from her husband -- begging for peace. David takes her offering, and retreats. When she tells her husband he is really scared and shocked and dies naturally 10 days later. David then proposes to Avigail the wife of Naval, the evil man, and she accepts. One more wife joins David on the go )Achinoam from the Izrael valley. Alas, Michal, his first wife, the duaghter of King Saul is taken away and given to someone else (Palti the son of Laish).
25 verses. In one of the so many chases that king Saul gave, a situation arose where the king and his people all fell asleep, with the king dozing off in the middle. David was close, crawled to the place with his brave aid, Avishai (Yoav's brother, the son of Zruya), and was in a position to kill the king, as Avishai counceled. David held back -- the king is anointed by God! He took his spear and his drinking saucer, then called him from an opposite hill, show-casing his proof for his respectful attitude to the king. The king was taken aback, cried friendship to David, after David said why is the king of Israel chasing a tiny flee? They appeared to have reconciled, but did not meet -- apprehension prevailed and both went out of their way.
12 verses. David reckons that at one point King Saul will be successful in his unending pursuit and that he, David will be killed, so he takes a bold move, goes with his 600 faithful to Achish the King of Gatt, and arranges with him to live in his midst. This has the expected impact on King Saul, who upon hearing of this move, drops his chase. David makes a living by attacking near by tribes, and totally annihilating them mercilessly.
It looks like the spectacular killing of Goliath has been forgotten by the Philistines.
25 verses. The chapter opens with a strange story regarding David and his alliance with Achish, the Philistine king mounting against Israel. It turns abruptly to the sad and big news: Shmuel, the great prophet has died, and is buried. The King in a gesture of faith, condemns and hunts down the witches and the "Yidonim" -- the ones that pretend to talk from profound knowledge, but are false sayers. And the Philistines, once again, gang on Israel. The king gathers his forces but weakness of the heart strikes him. No Shmuel, No word of God in his dreams, no help from lesser prophets. In his great fear and deep despair the King dresses up commonly and sneaks to one surviving witch, not driven out by his former campaign. He beseeches her to raise the
Ghost of Shmuel. She does and recognizes the King, who promises her no discipline. Eventually, surprisingly, Shmuel himself rises in the magic of the witch (how come?) and admonishes the King: God has abandoned you for disobeying him and not exacting the ordered revenge on defeated Amalek, some years ago. David, his better, will inherit his kingdom, and he, the king, and his sons will parish in the coming war. The king is profoundly distraught, refuses to eat, but the witch and his servants prevail on him. She ends up cooking gourmet -- they all eat, and walk away to the bitterness of their expected fate.
These 11 verses present a strange and fascinating story. The philistines rise to face King Shaul and Israel in a big and decisive battle. Their leaders realize that King Achish who is joining the battle against Israel is accompanied by David and his gang. They force Achish to let David go, despite his protestation that David was faithful to him for a long time. David declares his commitment to his benefctor King Achish, but reluctantly leaves the ground with his people. How estranged must have David become, to desire to fight his own people -- the people that is anointed to lead, to be their king.
31 verses. David, leaving Achish, with his 600 compatriots encounters the city of Ziklag where his two wives were waiting for him. The two are taken prisoners along with all other women and children of Ziklag. David consults with God via the gadgets of Eviatar the Priest, and is encouraged to go after the plunderers, defeats them, rescues their prisoners, and collects their spoils of battles.
13 verses. Shaul, fully aware of his doom, positions himself in front of his army, and confronts the Philistines. God's word comes through, the Israelites are thoroughly defeated. Shaul's sons are killed. Shaul himself tries to escape, but when realizing that he is about to get caught, tortured and humiliated, he begs his aid to kill him. The aid refuses. The king falls on his sword, and so does his aid. The Philistines spot the king and lay him on shame display, hung from the wall. Some Israelites from beyond the river sneak in, take the bodies off, burn them, and fast seven days in great sorrow for losing the first king of the kingdom of Israel.