July 1, 2007: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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July 1, 2007: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 30, 2007

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A Time for Reflection

Overheard from the Radio

After moving to a small town, a woman goes to the only pharmacy to buy some medicines. While in the pharmacy she introduces herself to the owner but he was just as rude as anyone could be, refusing to help her and appearing to be bothered by her presence.

She leaves the pharmacy disappointed thinking this is not how people should treat each other.

When she gets home, she sees her neighbor, a long time resident of the town, out on her front yard.

Still saddened by her experience at the pharmacy, she tells her neighbor how rude the owner of the pharmacy was to her. After a while she goes to her house.

A few days later, she goes back to the pharmacy to buy some things. With dread she enters the pharmacy whereupon the owner smiles and greets her warmly. Stunned, she finds the owner extremely helpful and considerate – quite the opposite of her first encounter!

When she goes home she immediately goes over to the neighbor’s house and tells her that the there was such a change in the owner’s attitude towards her. She thanks the neighbor for talking to the owner about her experience.

The neighbor then tells her, that she has indeed talked to the owner. Then she said, “I hope you don’t mind, but I told him that you were very pleased and flattered with the service you received in the pharmacy, and that she would be very happy going back there!”

An Insecure Kingship
The Clash Between David and Saul (1 Samuel 16-31)

Introduction

Early in the morning he goes to meet Saul, but is informed that Saul had gone to Carmel to erect a trophy in his own honor.

When Samuel finally meets up with Saul he points out to Saul that he has broken the ban and saved the spoils of Amalek. Saul informs Saul that he saved the best sheep and to sacrifice to the LORD.

Samuel argues that Saul has disobeyed the LORD and thus has displeased Him. Samuel tells Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice and submission than the fat of rams. Samuel tells Saul that since he has rejected the command of the LORD, He, too, has rejected Saul as ruler.

After Saul begs Samuel to go and honor him in front of the elders of Israel. Samuel reluctantly obliges.

Afterwards, Samuel asks to have Agag brought to him.

Then Samuel cuts Agag down before the LORD in Gilgal. Samuel departs while Saul goes to his home. Never again, as long as he lived, does Samuel see Saul. Yet he grieves over Saul, because the LORD regretted having made him king of Israel.

From the Family of Jesse of Bethlehem

The LORD tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil, and leave for Jesse of Bethlehem, for He has chosen His king from among his sons. The LORD tells Samuel to take a heifer with him to sacrifice before the LORD and invite Jesse, and He will point out to Samuel the one whom the LORD has chosen for him to anoint.

When Samuel enters Bethlehem, the elders of the city meet him trembling with fear. Samuel tells them that he has only come to offer sacrifice to the LORD. He tells them to cleanse themselves and join him. He also tells Jesse and his sons to cleanse themselves and invites them to the sacrifice.

When Jesse’s sons arrive to join Samuel, he looks at Eliab, the first-born of Jesse, thinking that he might be the chosen one. But the LORD says to Samuel not

judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because he is not the chosen one.

“Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart,” says the LORD.

Jesse then presents his other sons, each of whom Samuel says is not the chosen one. After Jesse presents his seventh son Samuel asks of they are all the sons that he has. Jesse tells Samuel that their youngest is tending the sheep. Samuel asks for him for he will not start the sacrificial banquet until he arrives.

Jesse sends for the young man to be brought to them. When David, a ruddy and handsome youth arrives, the LORD tells Samuel the he is the one to anoint. Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anoints him in the midst of his brothers. From that day on, the spirit of the LORD comes upon David. Samuel then leaves for Ramah.

The Rise of David
At this time the spirit of the LORD departs from Saul and he is tormented by an evil spirit sent by the LORD. After his servants’ suggested, Saul orders to find a skilled harpist to soothe his torment.

One of the servants tells Saul that he knows that David, one the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem is a skillful harpist. The servant says further that he is also a stalwart soldier, besides being an able speaker, and handsome, and that the LORD is with him.

So Saul dispatches his messengers to Jesse to send for David, whom at that time is tending a flock. Then Jesse sends David to Saul along with five loaves of bread, a skin of wine and a kid.

Thus David comes to the service of Saul who becomes fond of David and makes him his armor-bearer.

And whenever the spirit from God seizes Saul, David plays the harp. This relieves Saul and makes him feels better, for the evil spirit would leave him.

Goliath Challenges Israel
The Philistines gather their forces for battle in Judah. Saul and the Israelites gather and camp in the Valley of the Terebinth, drawing up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines stand on a mountain on the one side, and Israelites stand on a mountain on the other side - a valley is between them.

A champion of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath steps forward and challenges Israel. Goliath is a giant (6 cubits and a span, or over 9 ft tall) and very well armored with heavy brass helmet, brass scale armor to cover his body and greaves of brass on his legs. He carries a huge scimitar and an enormous spear.

He cries out to the Israelites to let one of them step forward to battle with him alone. Goliath roars that if their chosen one kills him, the Philistines will be their servants. However, Goliath continues, if he kills the Israelite they will be servants to the Philistines. This goes on for forty days, striking fear among Saul and the Israelites.

David Goes to the Battle Camp
While Saul is in battle, David goes home to tend his father’s sheep. With the Israelites are his three brothers, Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah who heeded Saul call to war.

In one of the days while Goliath is challenging Israel, Jesse tells David to take some food to his brothers in the battle camp. Early the next morning, David leaves his father’s flock to the camp as father ordered. At the camp, David leaves what he brought for his brothers with the keeper of the baggage and runs to see his brothers.

At this time Goliath comes up from the ranks of the Philistines to challenge Israel again, and David listens. When they see Goliath the Israelites retreat in fear. Upon hearing this David asks what happens if one kills the Philistine. One of the Israelites answers that if anyone kills Goliath the king would give him great wealth and his daughter as well. The king would grant exemption to his father's family in Israel.

When his older brother Eliab hears David speaking to the men, he scolds him. Later David again asks the other soldiers and they all give him the same answer.

When Saul hears about David speaking to the soldiers, he sends for him. Then David tells Saul not to lose courage for he is at his service and will fight the Philistine. But Saul refuses and tells David that he is too young to fight Goliath.

But David assures Saul that he has seized a lion who carried off his father’s sheep in one instance and a bear in another, by hand before. Goliath will be just one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God. David continues that the LORD who delivered him from the claws of the lion and the bear will also keep him safe from the Philistine.

David Battles a Champion
Saul relents and clothes David in his own tunic. He puts on David his brass helmet and his coat of armor and gives his sword. But with all that weight David walks with difficulty. David tells Saul that he cannot wear all that armor so he took them off.

Then, staff in hand, David selects five smooth stones from the brook and puts them in the pocket of his shepherd's bag. With his sling also ready on hand, he approaches the Philistine.

With his shield-bearer marching before him, Goliath also advances closer and closer to David. When he sees the youthful David, he becomes contemptuous and he insults David. David answers that he has come against his spear and scimitar in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel that he has insulted.

David continues that the LORD will deliver Goliath and he will cut off his head. He says that he will leave his corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God and that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves.

Goliath then moves toward David while David runs toward the battle line of the Philistines. Then David takes out one of the stones from his shepherd’s bag, loads his sling and hurls it to Goliath.

The stone strikes Goliath between his eyebrows and he falls on the ground.

David then runs towards the fallen giant, grabs his sword and cuts off the head of Goliath! When the Philistines see their champion dead they take flight with the armies of Israel and Judah in pursuit, and they routed the Philistines. On their return from the pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites loot their camp.

David takes the head of the Philistine and brings it to Jerusalem; but he keeps Goliath's armor in his own tent. Later David identifies himself to Saul as the son of Jesse of Bethlehem.

Saul’s Jealousy
From that moment on Saul loves David as he loves himself. Saul does not allow him to return to his father's house. Jonathan takes off his own mantle and gives it to David, along with his military dress, his sword, his bow and his belt.

After David slays the Philistine he goes with Saul where women would come out from each of the city of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums. The women sing, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." This makes Saul very angry and resentful. Saul begins to be very wary of David thinking he might be after his kingship.

And from that day on, Saul grows jealous of David.

Saul Gets Possessed

The next day an evil spirit from God comes over Saul, and he rages in his house. David, playing the harp as at other times to calm Saul, is present. Saul grabs his spear and throws it at David! David escapes. Saul throws the spear again at David but David again escapes.

Saul then begins to fear David, because the LORD is with him, but has departed from Saul himself. So Saul removes David from his presence by appointing him a field officer.

David leads the people on their military expeditions, and succeeds for the LORD is with him.

David then carries out successfully every mission on which Saul sends him. So Saul puts him in charge of his soldiers, which is agreeable to the whole army, even to Saul's own officers.

Seeing how successful he is, Saul fears David even more. But on the other hand, all Israel and Judah love him, since he leads them on their successful expeditions.

The King’s Son-in-Law
Saul offers to David his older daughter, Merob, in marriage if David becomes the king’s champion and fights the battles of the LORD. But Saul has in mind for David to be killed by the Philistines. David refuses to marry Merod because he feels he is not worthy to become the king's son-in-law.

So Saul plots through his servants to tell David that the king is very fond of him and wants him to be his son-in-law, now offering his other daughter Michal who loves David. Again David refuses, because he feels he is poor and insignificant.

When Saul hears David’s answer he orders that the servants tell David that the king demands a price for the bride no less than the foreskins of one hundred Philistines. At this offer, David is pleased with the prospect of becoming the king's son-in-law. Again, in Saul’s mind the Philistines will surely kill David.

David and with his men do battle and slay two hundred Philistines. He brings back their foreskins and counts them out before the king so that he might thus become the king's son-in-law. Saul gives him his daughter Michal in marriage.

Saul thus comes to recognize that the LORD is with David; besides, his own daughter Michal loves David. Therefore, Saul fears David all the more.

The Philistine chiefs continue to attack, but each time they take the field, David defeats them. He is more successful against them than any other of Saul's officers, and as a result acquires great fame.

Saul Plots to Kill David
Saul discusses his intention of killing David with his son Jonathan and with all his servants. But Saul's son Jonathan, who is very fond of David, warns David to go into hiding and remain there. Jonathan tells David that he will let him know whatever his father is planning about David.

Later, Jonathan speaks well of David to his father. He recounts all that David has done for Israel. Saul changes his mind and orders that David shall not be killed.

Jonathan then repeats this good news to David and brings David back to his father. David serves his father once again as before.

War breaks out again. David goes out to fight against the Philistines and defeats them. The evil spirit from the LORD comes upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with spear in hand while David is playing the harp nearby. Saul throws the spear at David but David escapes. The same night, Saul sends messengers to David's house to guard it, that he might kill him in the morning. David's wife Michal informs him of her fathers plan, and lets David down through a window to safety.

David Escapes
After escaping Saul with the help of Michal David goes to Samuel in Ramah. David informs Samuel of all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel go to hide in the sheds of Ramah. When Saul learns where David is hiding, he sends messengers to arrest him. But when the messengers arrive they see a band of prophets, presided over by Samuel, in a prophetic frenzy, they fall into the prophetic state.

When he learns of their failure to capture David, Saul sends other messengers. But they promptly fall into the prophetic state. For the third time Saul sends messengers, but they again fall into the prophetic state.

Saul then goes to Ramah himself. Arriving at the cistern of the threshing floor on the bare hilltop, he is directed to the sheds near Ramah where Samuel and David are. As he sets out from the hilltop toward the sheds, the spirit of God also comes upon him and he continues on in a prophetic condition. When he reaches the sheds near Ramah he strips himself of his garments and remains in the prophetic state in the presence of Samuel.

David and Jonathan

David flees from the sheds near Ramah, and goes to Jonathan asking why the king is seeking to kill him. To test the king’s real intentions, David and Jonathan devise a test.

David tells Jonathan that on the next day he will hide in the open country until evening. David tells Jonathan that if his father misses David to tell his father that David has gone to his city Bethlehem where his whole clan is holding its seasonal sacrifice. David says that if the king says that that is good then David is safe. However, if the king gets quite angry then the king has a plan to do David harm. Jonathan tells David that he will let him know how the inquiry will go by the next day.

Jonathan then tells David that if Jonathan dies David must not withdraw his kindness from his house. They make a pact before the LORD that when the LORD exterminates all the enemies of David from the surface of the earth, the name of Jonathan must never be allowed by the family of David to die out from among them.

The King's Real Intention
Jonathan tells David to go in hiding. On the appointed day, he will shoot an arrow in the air. If he sends his servant to recover the arrow, then David is safe and he can go home. However, if Jonathan tells his servant that the arrow is beyond him David must leave.

On the day of the new moon the king sits down to dine in his usual place but David is missing, but he says nothing then. On the second day, however, when the king sits down to dine, David again is missing. This time he asks Jonathan.

Jonathan tells as they planned and Saul becomes extremely angry with Jonathan. He accuses Jonathan that to his mother's shame, he is a companion of the son of Jesse. Saul demands that David be brought back so he will die.

Jonathan then asks his father what crime David has done. At this Saul grabs his spear to strike Jonathan and thus Jonathan learns that his father has decided to kill David. Jonathan jumps out from the table and leaves without eating.

David’s Departure

The next morning Jonathan goes out into the field with his servant. Jonathan tells the boy to run and fetch the arrow, and then he shoots an arrow beyond the boy. Then Jonathan tells the boy that it is out farther. Then he says to go quickly without delay. The boy recovered the arrow and goes back to his master not knowing what really happened.

Then Jonathan gives his weapons to the boy and tells him to take them back to the city. When the boy has left, David comes out and bows three times before Jonathan in homage. They weep together and bid goodbye. Jonathan and David renew the pact they have sworn by the name of the LORD.

From there Jonathan goes back into the city. David leaves and goes to Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, who comes trembling to meet him asking why David is alone.

David’s Army

From Gath David escapes to the cave of Adullam, where his brothers and the rest of his family meet him when they learn of it. He is also joined by all those who are in difficulties or in debt, or who are embittered. He becomes the leader of about four hundred men.

From there David goes to Mizpeh of Moab and with the king of Moab’s permission leaves his father and mother with the king while he is in refuge. But the prophet of Gad tells David to leave for the land of Judah. So David leaves.

In the meantime Saul learns from his servant Doeg the Edomite that he saw David speaking to the priest Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, in Nob. So the kings summons Ahimelech and to all his family who are priests in Nob to come to the king.

When Ahimelech arrives the king asks him why he has conspired with David against him. He then commands his soldiers to kill Ahimelech and his whole family of priests, but the soldier refuse. The king then commands Doeg to kill the priests, and he kills eighty five priests of the LORD.

Saul further orders that everyone in the priestly city of Nob be killed, including men and women, children and infants, and oxen, asses and sheep. However, one son of Ahimelech, named Abiathar, escapes and flees to David. Abiathar then tells David that Saul had slain the priests of the LORD. David tells Abiathar that he is now under his protection.

Saul Pursues David

David learns that the Philistines are attacking and plundering Keilah. David consults the LORD who tells David he will defeat the Philistines and rescue Keilah. Although his men are fearful the LORD assures David that the Philistines will fall. Thus David goes with his men to Keilah and defeats the Philistines severely. As the LORD said, David rescues the inhabitants of Keilah.

When Saul learns that David is going down to Keilah he plans to attack and destroy the gated city to kill David. But the LORD warns David of what Saul is planning and that the inhabitants of Keilah will turn him over to Saul.

So David and his six hundred men leave Keilah. They wander from place to place and live in refuges in the desert. When

Saul is informed that David had escaped from Keilah, he abandons his plan to attack.

While in Horesh in the barrens near Ziph, Saul's son, Jonathan, comes down to see David. Jonathan tells David that he shall be king of Israel and that he shall be second to David.

The Informers
However, some Ziphites informs Saul that David is hiding among them and they promise to deliver David to him. Saul then sends the informers back to learn more about where David is hiding, and to come back to Saul with the new information.

The informants then go back to Ziph ahead of Saul to spy on David, who at this time is in the desert below Maon, in the Arabah south of the wasteland. But David learns that Saul is coming after him so he escapes to the gorge in the desert below Maon with Saul behind him.

At this time Saul moves along one side of the gorge while David and his men were on the other side. Saul attempts to outflank David and his men in order to capture them. But just then a messenger arrives and tells Saul that the Philistines have invaded their land.

Temporarily, Saul stops his pursuit of David to meet the Philistines.

David Spares Saul

After fighting the Philistines, Saul picks three thousand men and resumes to his pursuit of David. At that time David is hiding at the sheepfold in one of the caves in the desert. When Saul arrives at the sheepfold he enters a cave he found to relieve nature.

Further inside that cave David sees Saul enter. His servants tell him that this is the day that the LORD will deliver Saul to him. But David knows that he cannot kill the LORD’s anointed so he stealthily approaches Saul and he cuts off a piece of his mantle. Then he orders his men not to attack Saul.

When Saul leaves the cave David calls out to him and tells him that today that the LORD just now delivered him into his grasp in the cave. He then tells Saul that although he had thought of killing him, David spared his life because he cannot kill the LORD'S anointed.

David then asks Saul why he is pursuing him. Saul then says to David that he has indeed done David harm and is thankful for not killing him when he could have. Saul who acknowledges that David will surely be king over Israel, asks David to swear not to blot out Saul’s name and family. David does so.

Samuel Dies
Samuel dies, and all Israel gather to mourn him. They bury him at his home in Ramah. Then David goes down to the desert of Maon.

David and Abigail
There in Maon is a very wealthy man named Nabal, whom at this time is present during the shearing of his flock in Carmel. His wife is named Abigail. Abigail is as intelligent and attractive, as Nabal is harsh and selfish.

While Nabal is shearing his flock, David sends out ten young men to ask Nabal to give to them whatever he can manage. But Nabal refuses to give anything to David’s men. When they tell David this he tells them to prepare to attack.

But one of the servants tells Nabal's wife Abigail of what happened when David’s men asked for provisions from Nabal. The servant tells Abigail that Nabal was enraged by David’s request. The servant also tells Abigail that David and his men had been very good to them and protected them while they tended their sheep.

Sensing danger Abigail quickly gathers together two hundred loaves, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of pressed raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed

figs, and loads them on asses. Without telling Nabal, she goes up to meet David and his men who are at that same time already coming down the same mountain pass to attack Nabal and kill every male in Nabal’s household.

As soon as Abigail sees David, she dismounts quickly from the ass and falls prostrate on the ground before David in homage. She asks for forgiveness for what Nabal had done. She begs David not to shed blood and instead accept the presents she had brought.

David blesses Abigail, accepts her presents and grants her request to spare the life of the men in her household. He then sends her to her home in peace.

When Abigail arrives home she finds Nabal in a drinking party in his house like that of a king. Since Nabal is very drunk she does not tell him anything at all. When Nabal becomes sober, his wife tells him what had happened. At this his courage left him, and he becomes like a stone. About ten days later the LORD strikes him and he dies.

On hearing that Nabal is dead, David sends a proposal of marriage to Abigail, which she accepts. David also marries Ahinoam of Jezreel. In the meantime Saul gives David's wife Michal, Saul's own daughter, again to another man in marriage.

David Spares Saul Again
Men from Ziph come to Saul with information that David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah at the edge of the desert. So Saul goes down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand picked men of Israel, to search for David. Saul sets up camp beside the road on the hill of Hachilah.

David, who at that time is living in the desert, sees that Saul has come into the desert after him. He sends out scouts, who confirm Saul's arrival. David himself then goes to Saul camp and examines the sleeping quarters of Saul and Abner, son of Ner, the general. Saul's is within the barricade, and all his soldiers are camped around him.

That night David with Abishai, who volunteered to go with him go into Saul’s camp. They find Saul asleep within the barricade, with his spear thrust into the ground at his head and Abner and his men sleeping around him.

Abishai whispers to David that God has delivered his enemy into his grasp this day and asks permission to kill Saul. But David tells Abishai not to harm the LORD'S anointed. David tells him that the LORD Himself will be strike Saul.

Instead David takes the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul's head, and they leave without anyone's awakening. All remain asleep, because the LORD has put them into a deep slumber.

David goes across to an opposite slope and stands on a remote hilltop at a great

distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops. He then shouts to Abner. When Abner answers back David rebukes him for not guarding the king since they were able to come and leave without anyone noticing. David then tells Abner to look for the king's spear and the water jug that was at his head.

Saul wakes and recognizes David’s voice. David once again asks him what he has done to be hunted. David points out once again that the LORD delivered Saul to him but he did not harm him for he is the LORD’s anointed.

Once again Saul acknowledges that he has made a serious mistake to David. He tells David that he will succeed in whatever he undertakes. With that Saul then returns to his home.

David Flees to the Land of the Philistines
David then says to himself that he has no choice but to escape to the land of the Philistines so he will be out of his reach, thinking that Saul will then give up his search for David throughout the land of Israel.

From there David and six hundred men and their families leave for Gath where he implores Achish, king of Gath to allow them to live in one of the country towns. There he lives for over a year with his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail.

When Saul learns that David has fled to Gath, he does not pursue him.

David and his men go up to raid the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites-peoples living in the land between Telam, on the approach to Shur, and the land of Egypt. He leaves no man or woman alive from those lands, but he carries off sheep, oxen, asses, camels, and clothes. These he brings to Achish. When Achish asks whom he raided this time David answers, "The Negeb of Judah," or "The Negeb of Jerahmeel," or "The Negeb of the Kenites."

Since there are no survivors to these raids no one betrays David. And Achish begins to trust David, thinking that David must surely be detested by his people, and that he will have David as his vassal forever.

Saul and the Ghost of Samuel
Achish tells David that now he and his men will have to join the military forces in campaigns against Israel to Jezreel. David consents and Achish appoints David as his permanent bodyguard.

When the Philistines advance to Shunem and encamp, Saul also calls all of Israel and they advance to Gilboa. Saul is dismayed when sees the camp of the Philistines, and loses heart completely. He consults the LORD but the LORD remains completely silent.

However after Samuel died Saul drove out the mediums and fortune-tellers from the land of Israel. So he orders his servants to find him a medium so he can seek counsel through her. The servants tell Saul that there is a woman in Endor who is a medium.

Disguising himself, Saul sets out to the witch of Endor with two companions. They come to the woman by night and Saul tells her to conjure the ghost of Samuel. The witch conjures the ghost of Samuel and the medium recognizes the guest as Saul. She decries him for his trickery but Saul assures her that he will hold her blameless for this.

When the ghost of Samuel comes up Saul tells him that he is in great dilemma for the Philistines are waging war against him and the LORD has abandoned him. He tells the ghost of Samuel that he is asking guidance as to what to do.

The ghost of Samuel tells Saul that the LORD has abandoned him for David because Saul disobeyed His orders to exterminate Amalekites. Moreover, Samuel tells Saul that the LORD will deliver Israel to the Philistines and that by the next day both he and his sons will die.

Badly shaken by the dire message, Samuel falls to the ground with no energy left to get up for he has eaten nothing that day. The witch of Endor offers him something food, which he at first refuses but eventually relents. After eating, Saul and his companions leave.

The Rescue

During the advance to Jezreel, David and his men march in the rear guard with Achish. However, when the Philistine lords see David and his men they complain to Achish who initially defends David’s presence in the military. Philistine lords however reasoned that David’s plan must be a trick to defeat them from inside.

Although Achish sees nothing wrong with David and his men doing battle with them he consents to the Philistine lords complains and sends David and his men back to Philistine while they go up to Jezreel.

When David and his men arrive at their city they found that the city had been burned to the ground. Although no one was killed during the raid he finds that their wives, including his own, and their sons and daughters had been taken captive.

David consults the LORD who tells him to pursue and rescue their own. So David starts the pursuit with four hundred men but two hundred are too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor so they stay behind at the edge of the Wadi.

Later they find an Egyptian slave of one of the Amalekite who raided their city. He had been abandoned because he became sick a few days back. After giving him food, water and an assurance that he will not be harmed he guides them to the raiders.

the Egyptian leads them to the camp of the raiders who are feasting on the rich loot from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. From dawn to sundown David attacks them, putting them under the ban so that none escapes except four hundred young men, who mount their camels and flee.

David recovers everything the Amalekites had taken, and rescues his two wives and brings back everything taken by the Amalekites. Moreover, David takes all the sheep and oxen, as spoil.

David orders that all his men will share alike including those who stayed behind at the edge of the Wadi because of exhaustion. When they arrive at their city, David sends out to the elders of Judah, city by city a gift from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.

The Death of Saul
The Philistines attack Israel mercilessly. The Israelites flee before them and die on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines pursue Saul and kill his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

The battle rages around Saul. One of the arrows hits him piercing him through the abdomen. For fear of suffering under the Philistines, Saul orders his armor-bearer to kill him. But the frightened armor-bearer refuses so Saul took his sword and falls on it. When the armor-bearer sees Saul dead, he too falls on his sword and dies with Saul.

Thus Saul, his three sons, and his armor-bearer die together on that same day.

When the Israelites on the slope of the valley and those along the Jordan see that the men of Israel have fled and that Saul and his sons are dead, they too abandon their cities and flee. Then the Philistines overrun those cities.

The day after the battle the Philistines come to strip the slain. They find Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and strip him

of his armor, and then send the good news throughout the land of the Philistines to their idols and to the people. Then they put his armor in the temple of Astarte, and impale his body on the wall of Bethshan.

When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead hear what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their warriors set out, and after marching throughout the night, they remove the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and bring them to Jabesh, where they cremate them.

Then they take their bones and bury them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and they fast for seven days.

To be continued...

For further reading on the heroes of the Old Testament:

I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library)
First sentence in the book:
""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that part of the history of Israel which describes the foundation of the State, running from the close of the period of the Judges to the establishment of the united kingdom."

The Sunday Readings

July 1, 2007: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

	First Reading From the First Book Book of Kings:
	1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21

	The LORD said to Elijah: “You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah, as prophet to succeed you.” Elijah set out and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” Elijah answered, “Go back! Have I done anything to you?” Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.



	Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
	Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

	R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you. O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.” R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body, too, abides in confidence because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption. R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.



	Second Reading from the Letter to the Galatians
	Gal 5:1, 13-18

	Brothers and sisters:
	For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not