1 Samuel 7

• 1. So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the LORD. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it.
• 2. The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time--twenty years in all. During that time, all Israel mourned because it seemed that the LORD had abandoned them.
• 3. Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, "If you are really serious about wanting to return to the LORD, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Determine to obey only the LORD; then he will rescue you from the Philistines."
• 4. So the Israelites destroyed their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the LORD.
• 5. Then Samuel told them, "Come to Mizpah, all of you. I will pray to the LORD for you."
• 6. So they gathered there and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the LORD. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the LORD. So it was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel's judge.
• 7. When the Philistine rulers heard that all Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching.
• 8. "Plead with the LORD our God to save us from the Philistines!" they begged Samuel.
• 9. So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the LORD as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the LORD to help Israel, and the LORD answered.
• 10. Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived for battle. But the LORD spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.
• 11. The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
• 12. Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer--"the stone of help"--for he said, "Up to this point the LORD has helped us!"
• 13. So the Philistines were subdued and didn't invade Israel again for a long time. And throughout Samuel's lifetime, the LORD's powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.
• 14. The Israelite towns near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was also peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
• 15. Samuel continued as Israel's judge for the rest of his life.
• 16. Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places.
• 17. Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the LORD at Ramah.

1 Samuel 8

• 1. As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
• 2. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba.
• 3. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
• 4. Finally, the leaders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel.
• 5. "Look," they told him, "you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king like all the other nations have."
• 6. Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the LORD for advice.
• 7. "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer.
• 8. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.
• 9. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about how a king will treat them."
• 10. So Samuel passed on the LORD's warning to the people.
• 11. "This is how a king will treat you," Samuel said. "The king will draft your sons into his army and make them run before his chariots.
• 12. Some will be commanders of his troops, while others will be slave laborers. Some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, while others will make his weapons and chariot equipment.
• 13. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him.
• 14. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own servants.
• 15. He will take a tenth of your harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants.
• 16. He will want your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.
• 17. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
• 18. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but the LORD will not help you."
• 19. But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. "Even so, we still want a king," they said.
• 20. "We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will govern us and lead us into battle."
• 21. So Samuel told the LORD what the people had said,
• 22. and the LORD replied, "Do as they say, and give them a king." Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

1 Samuel 9

• 1. Kish was a rich, influential man from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel and grandson of Zeror, from the family of Becorath and the clan of Aphiah.
• 2. His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel--head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
• 3. One day Kish's donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, "Take a servant with you, and go look for them."
• 4. So Saul took one of his servants and traveled all through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn't find the donkeys anywhere.
• 5. Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, "Let's go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!"
• 6. But the servant said, "I've just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let's go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go."
• 7. "But we don't have anything to offer him," Saul replied. "Even our food is gone, and we don't have a thing to give him."
• 8. "Well," the servant said, "I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to him and see what happens!"
• 9. (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, "Let's go and ask the seer," for prophets used to be called seers.)
• 10. "All right," Saul agreed, "let's try it!" So they started into the town where the man of God was.
• 11. As they were climbing a hill toward the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, "Is the seer here today?"
• 12. "Yes," they replied. "Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up on the hill.
• 13. Hurry and catch him before he goes up the hill to eat. The guests won't start until he arrives to bless the food."
• 14. So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to climb the hill.
• 15. Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day,
• 16. "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry."
• 17. When Samuel noticed Saul, the LORD said, "That's the man I told you about! He will rule my people."
• 18. Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, "Can you please tell me where the seer's house is?"
• 19. "I am the seer!" Samuel replied. "Go on up the hill ahead of me to the place of sacrifice, and we'll eat there together. In the morning I will tell you what you want to know and send you on your way.
• 20. And don't worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel's hopes."
• 21. Saul replied, "But I'm only from Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?"
• 22. Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the great hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests.
• 23. Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor.
• 24. So the cook brought it in and placed it before Saul. "Go ahead and eat it," Samuel said. "I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!" So Saul ate with Samuel.
• 25. After the feast, when they had returned to the town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.
• 26. At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called up to Saul, "Get up! It's time you were on your way." So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together.
• 27. When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, "Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God."

New Living Translation: 84 of 324 days.