11–12. The narrator passes over formalities, and moves straight to the heart of the dialogue, emphasizing the terse nature of what transpired. Samuel’s question is brief, though it need not imply he was aware of what Saul had done. Saul’s reply is loquacious, with three separate clauses describing his situation. The reply moves from those who had scattered (the people), to the one who had not come (Samuel) to those who had (the Philistines), before moving to the central point. This includes Saul’s