Now Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree in Migron, on the outskirts of Gibeah. The army that was with him numbered about six hundred men.

When the army entered the forest, they saw ¹  the honey flowing, but no one ate any of it, ²  for the army was afraid of the oath.

Certainly if the army had eaten some of the enemies’ provisions that they came across today, would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

So Saul assembled ¹  the army ²  and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle – the best of what was to be slaughtered – to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, ¹  he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing.

Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. ¹  For he has defied the armies of the living God!”

Now once again there was war. So David went out to fight the Philistines. He defeated them thoroughly ¹  and they ran away from him.

When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied.

So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find ¹  David and his men in the region of ²  the rocks of the mountain goats. ³ 

So Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel, to look for David in the desert of Ziph.

David and four hundred men continued the pursuit, but two hundred men who were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor stayed there.

Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink.

David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”

So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day.

Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. ¹  They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. ² 

When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”

The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall?

He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left.