The battle between the Hebrew and Philistine armies is fierce and brutal; thousands of Hebrews lose their lives. The news of the Philistine victory travels fast and all Hebrews who live to the west of the river Jordan flee their farms, their towns and villages. The Philistines are ready to take all this land. The news also reaches David; King Saul and his 3 sons have all been killed. David is distraught; his best friend is dead; his wife’s family are all dead; the Hebrew nation is on the verge of total destruction. After seeking a word from heaven, David moves to Hebron. Now that Saul is dead David is free to live with his own people again. The elders of Judah come to David and appoint his king over the tribe of Judah. But Abner, Saul’s top commander, appoints a puppet-king; the youngest of Saul’s sons is now King over the other 11 tribes.

The Hebrew Kingdom, cut back badly by the Philistines, has now been cut into 2 halves. Civil war could be next…