News of Saul's Death in David's Camp

By Mary Vee
II Samuel 1

David's Thoughts

Mount Gilboa, site of Saul's last battle

We had returned to our homes with our wives and children. The Amalekites now know the consequences of burning our city and kidnapping our wives and children. 


Death.


My men were exhausted after the battle, they needed a break. A time to heal and be with their families. I must admit, I enjoyed watching the men play with their families and fixing their homes. Such happiness.


Three days after we returned to our homes in Ziklag a messenger arrived. He looked terrible. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head. The men brought him to me, saying he had urgent news.


I invited him into my home. He immediately fell to the ground in respect.


I said, "Where did you come from?"


He answered, "I escaped from the camp of Israel."


"How did the battle go? Please tell me all you know."


"The soldiers fled from the battle, many...injured or dead. Saul, Jonathan, and the other sons,...I'm sorry to say are all dead."


I didn't know if I could trust this stranger's word. He didn't look like an Israelite. Maybe he wanted to trick me into going with him. "How do you know that Saul, Jonathan, and his other sons are dead?"


"I, uh, happened, by chance, to be on Mount Gilboa where the Israelite soldiers camped. I found Saul, leaning on his spear. I looked in every direction and saw Philistine chariots and horsemen chasing after him. 


"Saul turned to me. His frightened face showed he knew the Philistines would soon reach him. He called to me, 'Who are you?' I said, 'I am an Amalekite.' He said to me, 'Please stand over me and kill me. I can't stand the pain any longer, yet my life continues.' He looked back toward the approaching Philistines and shouted, 'Hurry!'


"I stood over him and killed him, because I was sure he could not live after he had fallen. I took his crown and the kingly bracelet and brought them here to you, my lord."


The agony of Saul's death hit me like a fierce wind. I grabbed hold of my clothes and ripped them, and at the same time released a cry from deep in heart. All the men from my army did the same. Our cries of agony filled the air. The king of Israel had died.


We wept all that day, refusing to eat anything. All we did was mourn our loss of Saul, Jonathan, and his other sons, also for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


Late that night I called the man back to speak with me. He had acted a bit suspicious. Maybe he wanted to receive a reward for killing the king. "Where are you from?"


"I am an Amalekite."


My men raised their eyebrows. Did we not just attack a band of Amalekites for burning our city and kidnapping our wives and children? He definitely was not to be trusted.


"How was it you weren't afraid to kill the Lord's anointed?"


The man didn't answer. Fine with me. I turned to the young men in my army and ordered them to execute the Amalekite for killing the king of Israel, the Lord's anointed. 


He had no right.


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Photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com


1. Who had attacked the Ziklag, the city where David, his men, and their families lived?
2.  What did the messenger tell David?
3.  Who killed Saul?
4.  Who all did David and his men morn for?
5. Where was the messenger from?
6. Why did David think that was suspicious?
7. What did David do and why?

David-Hunting The Murderers

Mary Vee
I Samuel 30

David's Thoughts

We escaped the Philistine army, truly by the grace of God. Achish requested we serve with his unit in the Philistine army in the battle against the Israelites. 


We were in a terrible situation. 


Achish believed we wanted to serve the Philistines and seemed truly sad that he had to send us back to his city, Ziklag where we'd made our home.


He didn't know we only hid there, we had no intentions of serving the Philistines. Kill them, yes, help them, no.


We walked for three days back to our city. At the hill overlooking the town we stopped, frozen in our steps. The entire city had been burned.


The men and I ran furiously to the city gate. Did the invaders kill our wives and children? If they did, revenge would be the only solution. We searched through the rubble and found no bodies. That news seemed good, but we didn't know where our families were. Did they escape? Did some invading army capture them?


We lifted our voices and wept as never before. All we loved had been taken. Our homes destroyed. My men turned against me. Their sorrow robbed them of all their senses.They grabbed stones and flung them at me, I'm sure they would have killed me if I hadn't acted right away. 


Oh God my strength, my hope, give me words to say, Your will to be done at this time. Let me, oh blessed Lord, serve you by helping these men in a time of great sadness.


I called for Abiathar the priest. "Please bring the ephod here to me." He returned a few moments later with it. 


With the ephod there, I asked the Lord, "Should I go after the army that attacked our homes and families? Should I overtake them?"


The Lord God answered, "Yes. Go  after the attacking army. You will overtake them and without fail recover all your families."


The six hundred men with me returned to the Brook Besor where we'd left some of our army guarding supplies. Two hundred of them had become too weary to move. I allowed them to stay with the supplies as well. The remaining four hundred went with me to overtake our enemy and rescue our families. 


After we traveled a ways we found an Egyptian man in the field. The poor man had not eaten in three days. We gave him bread, figs, raisins, and drink. I sat by him. "Who do you belong to and where are you from?"


"I am an Egyptian taken as a slave for the Amalekites. When I became sick, my master left me in this field. We invaded the southern area of Judah, and Caleb, and we burned Ziklag to the ground."


I handed him more to drink. "Do you feel well enough to take us to this army?"


"If you promise not to hurt me or to hand me over to my former master, I will take you to them."


I handed him more fruit. "I agree."


I waited for him to gain his strength then prepared for our journey.


Come back next time read what happens.


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1.  What did David and his men discover when they returned to their homes at Ziklag?
2.  What was their greatest concern?
3.  Who blamed David and why?
4.  David left some of his men to rest, how many men did he take with him?
5.  Who did David meet in a field.
6. What did the man's owner do to him?
7.  What did David do for him?
8. What did David need from the man?
9.  What did David promise the man?