<t /><p class="bodytext">Then the people said to Samuel, &#8220;Who were the ones asking, &#8216;Will Saul reign over us?&#8217; Hand over those men so we may execute them!&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Saul was [thirty]<n id="1" /> years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty]<n id="2" /> years.

Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.<n id="1" />p>

Saul, his son Jonathan, and the army that remained with them stayed in Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Micmash.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Saul&#8217;s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin<n id="1" /> looked on<n id="2" /> as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another.<n id="3" />

Then Saul built an altar for the <sc>Lordsc>; it was the first time he had built an altar for the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="bodytext">

Then Saul said, &#8220;Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!&#8221;<n id="1" /> Jonathan was indicated by lot.p>

Saul said, &#8220;God will punish me severely if Jonathan doesn&#8217;t die!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to<n id="1" /> Shur, which is next to Egypt.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now the Spirit of the <sc>Lordsc> had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit<n id="1" /> from the <sc>Lordsc> tormented him.

Then Saul&#8217;s servants said to him, &#8220;Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!&#8221;

So Saul said to his servants, &#8220;Find<n id="1" /> me a man who plays well and bring him to me.&#8221;

David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal,<n id="1" /> and he became his armor bearer.

Saul and the Israelite army<n id="1" /> assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against<n id="2" /> the Philistines.

When Saul and all the Israelites<n id="1" /> heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.p>

David was going back and forth<n id="1" /> from Saul in order to care for his father&#8217;s sheep in Bethlehem.p>

They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army<n id="1" /> in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.&#8221;p>

When David&#8217;s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him.<n id="1" />p>

Saul retained David<n id="1" /> on that day and did not allow him to return to his father&#8217;s house.

The women who were playing the music sang,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Saul has struck down his thousands,p> <p class="poetry">but David his tens of thousands!&#8221;p>