1 Samuel 15 - 16

Saul’s Disobedience

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; so now, obey the voice of the words of Yahweh. 2 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” 4 Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. 6 And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; you showed lovingkindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 So Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he seized Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and they were not willing to devote them to destruction; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Yahweh Regrets He Made Saul King

10 Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not established My words.” And Samuel became angry and cried out to Yahweh all night. 12 Then Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told to Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.” 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of Yahweh! I have established the word of Yahweh.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this sound of the sheep in my ears and the sound of the oxen which I am hearing?” 15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; but the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!” 17 And Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed you king over Israel, 18 and Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh?” 20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of Yahweh and went on the way on which Yahweh sent me and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek and have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said,

“Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

As in obeying the voice of Yahweh?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

And to heed than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as wickedness and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh,

He has also rejected you from being king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed trespassed against the command of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 So now, please forgive my sin and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 Then Samuel turned to go, but Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the Eternal One of Israel will not lie or have regret; for He is not a man that He should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship Yahweh your God.” 31 So Samuel returned, following after Saul, and Saul worshiped Yahweh. 32 Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag near to me, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him in chains. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death has departed.” 33 But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 So Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And Yahweh regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

David Anointed King

Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you be grieving over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I see among his sons a king for Me.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and will kill me.” Then Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 3 And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make you know what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I say to you.” 4 So Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” 5 And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Set yourselves apart as holy and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also set apart Jesse and his sons as holy and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.” 7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is shepherding the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not turn around until he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Yahweh said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

David Becomes Saul’s Armor Bearer

14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh terrorized him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. 16 Let our lord now speak to your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall be that when the evil spirit from God is on you, he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one who is understanding in speech, and man of fine form; and Yahweh is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a wineskin of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21 Then David came to Saul and stood before him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. 22 So Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 Thus it happened that whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

Hebrews 8

Jesus, High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,

When I will complete a new covenant

With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers

In the day when I took them by the hand

To lead them out of the land of Egypt;

For they did not continue in My covenant,

And I did not care for them, says the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel

After those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws into their minds,

And upon their hearts I will write them.

And I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.

And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,

And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’

For all will know Me,

From the least to the greatest of them.

For I will be merciful to their iniquities,

And I will remember their sins no more.”

13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Proverbs 16

The plans of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own sight,

But Yahweh weighs the motives.

Commit your works to Yahweh

And your plans will be established.

Yahweh has made everything for its own purpose,

Even the wicked for the day of evil.

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh;

Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,

And by the fear of Yahweh one turns away from evil.

When a man’s ways are pleasing to Yahweh,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Better is a little with righteousness

Than great produce with injustice.

The heart of man plans his way,

But Yahweh directs his steps.

A divine decision is in the lips of the king;

His mouth should not err in judgment.

A just balance and scales belong to Yahweh;

All the weights of the bag are His work.

It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,

For in righteousness a throne is established.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings,

And he who speaks uprightly is loved.

The wrath of a king is like messengers of death,

But a wise man will atone for it.

In the light of a king’s face is life,

And his favor is like a cloud with the late rain.

How much better it is to acquire wisdom than fine gold!

And to acquire understanding is to be chosen above silver.

The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;

He who guards his way keeps his soul.

Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly

Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

He who considers the word will find good,

And how blessed is he who trusts in Yahweh.

The wise in heart will be called understanding,

And sweetness of lips increases learning.

Insight is a fountain of life to one who has it,

But the discipline of ignorant fools is folly.

The heart of the wise gives insight to his mouth

And increases learning to his lips.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

There is a way which seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.

A worker’s appetite works for him,

For his mouth urges him on.

A vile man digs up evil,

And the words on his lips are like scorching fire.

A perverse man spreads strife,

And a whisperer separates close companions.

A man of violence entices his neighbor

And leads him in a way that is not good.

He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;

He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

Gray hair is a crown of beauty;

It is found in the way of righteousness.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his own spirit, than he who captures a city.

The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every judgment is from Yahweh.