Bible Reading Plan – Day 87

₁Two days later David and his men arrived back at Ziklag. The Amalekites had raided southern Judah and attacked Ziklag. They had burnt down the town ₂and captured all the women; they had not killed anyone, but had taken everyone with them when they left. ₃When David and his men arrived, they found that the town had been burnt down and that their wives, sons, and daughters had been carried away. ₄David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted. ₅Even David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, had been taken away.

₆David was now in great trouble, because his men were all very bitter about losing their children, and they were threatening to stone him; but the LORD his God gave him courage. ₇David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod,” and Abiathar brought it to him. ₈David asked the LORD, “Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?”

He answered, “Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives.”

₉So David and his 600 men started out, and when they arrived at the brook of Besor, some of them stayed there. ₁₀David continued on his way with 400 men; the other 200 men were too tired to cross the brook and so stayed behind. ₁₁The men with David found an Egyptian out in the country and brought him to David. They gave him some food and water, ₁₂some dried figs, and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, his strength returned; he had not had anything to eat or drink for three full days. ₁₃David asked him, “Who is your master, and where are you from?”

“I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” he answered. “My master left me behind three days ago because I was ill. ₁₄We had raided the territory of the Cherethites in the southern part of Judah and the territory of the clan of Caleb, and we burnt down Ziklag.”

₁₅“Will you lead me to those raiders?” David asked him.

He answered, “I will if you promise me in God's name that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master.” ₁₆And he led David to them.

The raiders were scattered all over the place, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the enormous amount of loot they had captured from Philistia and Judah. ₁₇At dawn the next day David attacked them and fought until evening. Except for 400 young men who mounted camels and got away, none of them escaped. ₁₈David rescued everyone and everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives; ₁₉nothing at all was missing. David got back all his men's sons and daughters, and all the loot the Amalekites had taken. ₂₀He also recovered all the flocks and herds; his men drove all the livestock in front of them and said, “This belongs to David!”

₂₁Then David went back to the 200 men who had been too weak to go with him and had stayed behind at the brook of Besor. They came forward to meet David and his men, and David went up to them and greeted them warmly. ₂₂But some mean and worthless men who had gone with David said, “They didn't go with us, and so we won't give them any of the loot. They can take their wives and children and go away.”

₂₃But David answered, “My brothers, you can't do this with what the LORD has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders. ₂₄No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle.” ₂₅David made this a rule, and it has been followed in Israel ever since.

₂₆When David returned to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah, with the message, “Here is a present for you from the loot we took from the LORD's enemies.” ₂₇He sent it to the people in Bethel, to the people in Ramah in the southern part of Judah, and to the people in the towns of Jattir, ₂₈Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, ₂₉and Racal; to the clan of Jerahmeel, to the Kenites, ₃₀and to the people in the towns of Hormah, Borashan, Athach, ₃₁and Hebron. He sent it to all the places where he and his men had roamed.

₁The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled. ₂But the Philistines caught up with them and killed three of Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ₃The fighting was heavy round Saul, and he himself was hit by enemy arrows and badly wounded. ₄He said to the young man carrying his weapons, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that these godless Philistines won't gloat over me and kill me.” But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it. ₅The young man saw that Saul was dead, so he too threw himself on his own sword and died with Saul. ₆And that is how Saul, his three sons, and the young man died; all of Saul's men died that day. ₇When the Israelites on the other side of the Valley of Jezreel and east of the River Jordan heard that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had been killed, they abandoned their towns and fled. Then the Philistines came and occupied them.

₈The day after the battle the Philistines went to plunder the corpses, and they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. ₉They cut off Saul's head, stripped off his armour, and sent messengers with them throughout Philistia to tell the good news to their idols and to their people. ₁₀Then they put his weapons in the temple of the goddess Astarte, and they nailed his body to the wall of the city of Beth Shan.

₁₁When the people of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ₁₂the bravest men started out and marched all night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall, brought them back to Jabesh, and burnt them there. ₁₃Then they took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in the town, and fasted for seven days.

₁The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled. ₂But the Philistines caught up with them and killed three of Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ₃The fighting was heavy round Saul, and he was hit by enemy arrows and badly wounded. ₄He said to the young man carrying his weapons, “Draw your sword and kill me, to keep these godless Philistines from gloating over me.” But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it. ₅The young man saw that Saul was dead, so he too threw himself on his sword and died. ₆So Saul and his three sons all died together and none of his descendants ever ruled. ₇When the Israelites who lived in the Valley of Jezreel heard that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and ran off. Then the Philistines came and occupied them.

₈The day after the battle, the Philistines went to plunder the corpses, and they found the bodies of Saul and his sons lying on Mount Gilboa. ₉They cut off Saul's head, stripped off his armour, and sent messengers with them throughout Philistia to tell the good news to their idols and to their people. ₁₀They put his weapons in one of their temples and hung his head in the temple of their god Dagon. ₁₁When the people of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ₁₂the bravest men went and fetched the bodies of Saul and his sons and took them to Jabesh. They buried them there under an oak and fasted for seven days.

₁₃Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. He disobeyed the LORD's commands; he tried to find guidance by consulting the spirits of the dead ₁₄instead of consulting the LORD. So the LORD killed him and gave control of the kingdom to David son of Jesse.