I will make the borders of your land extend from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Mediterranean Sea and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give you power over the inhabitants of the land. You will drive them out as you advance. Do not make any agreement with them or with their gods. read more. Do not allow them to live in your land for they will make you sin against me. If you serve their gods it will be a snare to you.

Then Jehovah will drive out all these nations from before you. You will drive out nations greater and mightier than you. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea. read more. No man will be able to stand before you. Jehovah your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you on all the land where you set foot. This is as he promised you.

Eli answered: Go in peace. May the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him. Let your maidservant find favor in your sight, she replied. Then she went away, ate some food, and was no longer sad (self-concerned). read more. The next morning Elkanah and his family got up early. After worshiping Jehovah, they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with his wife Hannah and Jehovah answered her prayer. So it was that she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel. She explained: I asked Jehovah for him. The time came again for Elkanah and his family to go to Shiloh and offer to Jehovah the yearly sacrifice and the special sacrifice he promised. This time Hannah did not go. She told her husband: As soon as the child is weaned, I will take him to the Temple of Jehovah, where he will stay all his life. Elkanah answered: All right, do what seems best to you. Stay at home until you have weaned him. May Jehovah make your promise come true. So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her child. After she weaned him she took him to Shiloh. She also took a three-year-old bull, a bushel of flour, and a leather bag full of wine. She took Samuel, young as he was, to the Temple of Jehovah at Shiloh. First they slaughtered the bull. Then they took the child to Eli the priest. Hannah said to him: My lord. Do you remember me? I am the woman you saw standing here, praying to Jehovah. I asked him for this child. He gave me what I asked of him.

He had a son named Saul. Saul was a handsome young man in the prime of life. Saul was a foot taller than anyone else in Israel and more handsome as well.

Jehovah said to Samuel: How long will you mourn for Saul? After all I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Take oil in your vessel and go. I will send you to Jesse, the Beth-lehemite. I have a king from among his sons. How can I go? Samuel asked. When Saul hears about it he will kill me Jehovah said: Take a heifer with you and say: 'I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.' read more. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do. You will anoint the one I point out to you.

Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do. You will anoint the one I point out to you. Samuel did what Jehovah told him. When he came to Bethlehem the elders of the city trembled at his coming. They greeted him and said: May peace be with you. read more. Greetings, he replied, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice. He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they entered he looked at Eliab and thought: Surely Jehovah's anointed is before Him. But Jehovah said to Samuel: Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature. I have rejected him. God does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance. Jehovah looks at the heart (inner man). Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. Samuel said: Jehovah has not chosen this one either. Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. He said: Jehovah has not chosen this one either. So Jesse brought seven more of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse: Jehovah has not chosen any of these. Are these all the sons you have? Samuel asked. There is still the youngest one, Jesse answered. He is tending sheep. Samuel responded: Send someone to get him. We will not continue until he gets here. Jesse sent for him. He was a handsome, healthy young man, and his eyes sparkled. Jehovah said to Samuel: This is the one. Anoint him! Samuel took the olive oil and anointed David in front of his brothers. Immediately the Spirit of Jehovah took control of David and was with him from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. Jehovah's Spirit left Saul, and a distressing spirit sent by Jehovah tormented him. His servants said to him: We know that a distressing spirit sent by God is tormenting you. So give us the order and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then when the distressing spirit comes on you, the man can play his harp, and you will be all right again. Saul ordered: Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me. One of his attendants said: Jesse of the town of Bethlehem has a son who is a good musician. He is also a brave and handsome man, a good soldier, and an able speaker. Jehovah is with him. Saul sent a message to Jesse: Tell your son David to leave your sheep and come here to me. Jesse loaded a donkey with bread and a goatskin full of wine. He told David to take the donkey and a young goat to Saul. David went to Saul and worked for him. Saul liked him so much that he put David in charge of carrying his weapons. Not long after this, Saul sent another message to Jesse: I really like David. Please let him stay with me. Whenever the distressing spirit from God bothered Saul, David would play his harp. Saul would relax and feel better. The distressing spirit would go away.

David was a son of a man named Jesse from the region of Ephrath and the city of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul's day he was an old man. Jesse's three oldest sons joined Saul's army for the battle. The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. read more. David was the youngest. The three oldest joined Saul's army. David went back and forth from Saul's camp to Bethlehem, where he tended his father's flock. Each morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and made his challenge. Jesse told his son David: Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. Take them to your brothers in the camp right away. Also take these ten slices of cheese to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along. Bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well. King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines. David obeyed his father. He got up early the next morning and left someone else in charge of the sheep. He loaded the supplies and started off. He reached the army camp just as the soldiers were taking their places and shouting the battle cry. The army of Israel and the Philistine army stood there facing each other. David left his things with the man in charge of supplies. He ran up to the battle line to ask his brothers if they were well. David talked to his brothers. Goliath came out from the line of Philistines and boasted as usual. David heard him. When the Israelite soldiers saw Goliath they were afraid and ran off. They said to each other: Look how he keeps coming out to insult us. The king offers a big reward to the man who kills Goliath. That man will even get to marry the king's daughter. No one in his family will ever have to pay taxes again. David asked some soldiers standing nearby: What will a man get for killing this Philistine and stopping him from insulting our people? Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? He makes fun of the army of the living God! The soldiers repeated to David how the man who kills Goliath would be treated. Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. Then Eliab became angry with David. Why did you come here, he asked him, and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how overconfident and headstrong you are. You came here just to see the battle. What have I done now? David snapped at him. Did I just ask a question? He turned to face another man and asked the same question. The other soldiers gave him the same answer. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul. Saul sent for him.

David replied to Saul: I am a shepherd for my father's sheep. When a lion or a bear comes and carries off a sheep from the flock, I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. If the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death.

When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army: Abner, whose son is this young man? Abner said: By your life, O king, I do not know. The king said: Find out whose son the young man is. read more. When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine's head in his hand. Saul said: Whose son are you, young man? David answered: I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

The next day Jehovah let a distressing spirit take control of Saul. He began acting like a crazy man inside his house. David came to play the harp for Saul as usual. This time Saul had a spear in his hand. Saul balanced the spear in his hand and said: I will give David a blow! I will pin him to the wall. David got away from him twice.

When the officers told Saul what David had said, Saul's officials reported to David what Saul had said. David was delighted with the thought of becoming the king's son-in-law. Before the day set for the wedding,

Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan was very fond of David. Jonathan told David: My father Saul is seeking to kill you. Please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself. read more. I will stand beside my father in the field where you will be. I will speak with my father about you. If I find out anything I will tell you. Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. You should not commit a sin against your servant David, he said. He has not sinned against you. He has in fact done some very fine things for you. He risked his life and killed the Philistine Goliath. Jehovah gave all Israel a great victory. You rejoiced when you saw it. Why should you sin by shedding David's innocent blood for no reason? Jonathan convinced Saul, so Saul made a vow in Jehovah's name that he would not kill David. Jonathan called to David and told him what Saul said. Then he brought David to Saul. David served in Saul's army just as he had done before.

Some people from the town of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah. They said: Your Majesty, David has a hideout not far from us! It is near Horesh. It is somewhere on Mount Hachilah south of Jeshimon.

Saul returned from fighting the Philistines. He declared: I have heard that David is in the desert around En-Gedi.

Some people from Ziph went to Gibeah to talk with Saul, they said: David has a hideout on Mount Hachilah near Jeshimon out in the desert.

David sent spies to confirm Saul's arrival.

I valued and saved your life today. I pray that you will value and save my life and that Jehovah will deliver me out of tribulation. Saul said: David, my son, I pray that Jehovah will bless you and make you successful! Saul went back home. David also left.

David lived in Philistine territory for one year and four months.

David answered: What have I done wrong? As you say, you have not found any fault in me since the day I started serving you. Why should I not go with you, my master and king, and fight your enemies?

When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the goods to the elders of Judah, and to his friends. He said: Here is an offering for you from the spoil of those who fought against Jehovah. He sent the offering 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, read more. Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, and Racal; to the clan of Jerahmeel, to the Kenites, and to the people in the towns of Hormah, Borashan, Athach, and Hebron. He sent it to all the places where he and his men had been.

The brave soldiers have fallen. They were killed in battle. Jonathan lies dead in the hills. I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan. You were dear to me! How wonderful was your love for me. It was better than the love of women. read more. The mighty have fallen, their weapons abandoned and useless.

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron. They anointed David as king of Judah. David heard that the people of Jabesh-gilead (Jabesh in Gilead) buried Saul.

There was a long war between the royal families of Saul and David. David's family became stronger and stronger. Saul's family became weaker and weaker.

However, David captured the fortress Zion, that is, the City of David.

King Hiram of Tyre sent some officials to David. Carpenters and stone workers came with them. They brought cedar logs so they could build a palace for David.

The Philistines heard that David was now king of Israel. They mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David found out and went into his fortress. So the Philistines camped in Rephaim Valley. read more. David asked Jehovah: Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me? Jehovah answered David: Attack! I will certainly deliver the Philistines to you. David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. He said: Jehovah has overwhelmed my enemies in front of me like an overwhelming flood. That is why that place is called Baal Perazim (Master of Breaking Through) The Philistines left their idols there. David and his men carried them all away. The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim. Once again David consulted Jehovah. Jehovah answered David: Do not attack them from here. Go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees. Attack when you hear the sound of marching in the treetops. I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army. David did what Jehovah commanded. He drove the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.

Once again David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men.

The king said to the prophet Nathan: I live in a house built of cedar. Yet the Ark of God is kept in a tent!

when I let judges rule my people. I have kept your enemies from attacking you. Now I promise that you and your descendants will be kings.

David went into the tent he set up for the ark. Then he sat there and prayed: Jehovah All-Powerful, my family and I do not deserve what you have already done for us. Yet this was insignificant in your eyes, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah for you have spoken also of your servant's house in the distant future. And this is the law for man, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. read more. What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. For the sake of your Word and according to your will you have done this great thing. You have made it known to your servant! For this reason you are great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. There is none like you. There is no God besides you according to all that we have heard with our ears. There is no other nation on earth like Israel. This is the nation you rescued from slavery in Egypt to be your own. You became famous by using great and wonderful miracles to force other nations and their gods out of your land, so your people could live here. You chose Israel to be your people from generation to generation! You have become their God. And now, Jehovah God, please do what you have promised. You will be famous for a very long time! Everyone will say: Jehovah of Hosts rules Israel. David's descendants are his chosen kings. Now therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant that it may continue a long time before you. You O Lord Jehovah have spoken. May the house of your servant be blessed from generation to generation. Lord Jehovah, you are God. You have promised me some very good things, and you can be trusted to do what you promise. Please bless my descendants and let them be your chosen kings for a very long time. You have already promised, and I am sure that you will bless my family from generation to generation.

He defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him. David defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob. Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River. read more. David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled (hamstrung) all the rest. The Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer. David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men. Then he set up military camps in their territory. They became his subjects and paid taxes to him. Jehovah made David victorious everywhere. David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officials and took them to Jerusalem. King David also took a large quantity of copper from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer's cities. Soon King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer's entire army. He sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi. Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and copper with him. King David dedicated these articles to Jehovah, along with the silver and gold he dedicated from all the nations he conquered. These nation included: Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah's King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. David made a name for himself by killing eighteen thousand Edomites in the Dead Sea region as he returned to Jerusalem. He put troops everywhere in Edom. All the Edomites were David's subjects. Everywhere David went Jehovah gave him victories.

Later the king of Ammon died. His son Hanun became king in his place.

In the spring, at the time of the year when kings usually go to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. David stayed in Jerusalem. Late one afternoon, David got up from his nap and went to the palace roof. He walked around on the roof. He saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful.

He sent a message through the prophet Nathan to name the baby Jedidiah (Jehovah's Beloved). Meanwhile, Joab fought against the Ammonite city of Rabbah and captured its royal fortress. read more. He sent messengers to tell David: I fought against Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding its water supply. Assemble the rest of the troops. Surround the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city. Then it will be named after me. David assembled the rest of the army and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city. He removed the crown of their god Milcom from off the head of their king. The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold. There was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. He also carried off everything else of value. David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls with iron picks and axes. He also put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem. The people of Israel returned to their homes.

Absalom provided a chariot and horses for himself. He had an escort of fifty men to run ahead of him. He would rise early in the morning and stand by the road at the city gate. When someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. After the man told him what tribe he was from, read more. Absalom would say: My friend, the law is on your side. However, there is no representative of the king to hear your case. He added: How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me. I would give him justice. The man would approach Absalom and bow down before him. Then Absalom would reach out and hug and kiss him. Absalom did this with every Israelite who came to the king for judgment. That way he won their loyalty.

Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed. He saddled his donkey and went back to his hometown. He arranged his affairs in order and he hanged himself. He was buried in the family grave.

I would like to run whatever happens, Let me run, replied Ahimaaz. Joab told him: Run! So Ahimaaz ran along the valley road and got ahead of the Sudanese messenger. David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman walked along the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked at the man running alone. read more. The watchman called and alerted the king. If he is alone, the king said, He has good news to tell. The runner came closer. The watchman saw another man running. He called: There is another man running alone. The king said: This one is also bringing good news. The watchman said: It appears the first one runs like Ahimaaz, Zadok's son. He's a good man, the king said. He must be coming with good news. Ahimaaz approached the king, greeted him, and bowed down in front of him. Ahimaaz said: May Jehovah your God be praised. He has handed over the men who rebelled against Your Majesty. Is the young man Absalom all right? The king asked. Ahimaaz answered: I saw a lot of confusion when Joab sent me away. I did not know what it meant. Step aside, and stand here,the king said. He stepped aside and stood there. Then the Sudanese messenger came. Good news for Your Majesty! He said. Today Jehovah freed you from all who turned against you. Is the young man Absalom all right? The king asked. The Sudanese messenger answered: May your enemies and all who turned against you be like that young man! The king was shaken by the news. He went to the room above the gate and cried. My son Absalom! He said. My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!

Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went to fight the Philistines. David became exhausted. A descendant of Haraphah named Benob had a copper spear weighing seven and one half pounds. He wore it on a new belt. He captured David and intended to kill him. read more. Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue. Abishai attacked the giant and killed him. Then David's men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. You are the hope of Israel. We do not want to lose you! They said. After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph a descendant of Rapha. There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan son of Jair from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath. Goliath's spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom. There was another war, this time in Gath. One of the enemy soldiers was a descendant of the Rephaim. He was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David's brother Shimei, killed him. These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath. David and his men killed them.

He was king of Israel for forty years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

And also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, making him king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, to be prophet in your place.

The records tell how he ruled, how powerful he was, and all the things that happened to him, to Israel, and to the surrounding kingdoms.

You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David you improvise on musical instruments.