Amplified Bible (AMP)

David Protected from Saul

1 Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David, but Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.

2 So he told David, “Saul my father is seeking to kill you. Now then, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

3 As for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you, and if I learn anything, then I will tell you.”

4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.

5 For he took his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and the Lordbrought about a great victory for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David without a cause?”

6 Saul listened to Jonathan and swore [an oath], “As the Lordlives, he shall not be put to death.”

7 So Jonathan called David and told him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he wasin his presence [serving him] as previously.

8 Then there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him.

9 Then an evil spirit from the Lordcame on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence, so that Saul only stuck the spear into the wall. Then David fled and escaped that night.

11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch for him, so that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.”

12 So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped.

13 And Michal took thehousehold idol and laid it on the bed, put a pillow of goats’hairat its head, and covered it with clothes.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Then Saul sent the messengers [again] to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed [if necessary], so that I may kill him.”

16 When the messengers came in, there was thehousehold idol on the bed with a quilt of goats’hairat its head.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

18 So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him everything that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

19 Saul was told, “David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David; but when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

21 When Saul was informed, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again, the third time, and they prophesied as well.

22 Then Saul went to Ramah himself and came to the great well that is in Secu; and he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And he was told, “They are at Naioth [with the prophets] in Ramah.”

23 So he went on to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him too, and he went along continually prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 He also took off his [royal] robes [and armor] and prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and night. So they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

David and Jonathan’s Covenant

1 David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is myguilt? What is my sin before (against) your father, that he is seeking my life?”

2 Jonathan said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothingimportant or insignificant without telling me. So why would he hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

3 But David vowed again, saying “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be worried.’ But truly as the Lordlives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”

4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon [observance], and I should sit at the table to eat [the sacrificial meal] with the king; but let me go, so that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly askedpermissionfrom me to go to Bethlehem, his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the entire family.’

7 If he says, ‘All right,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, then be certain that he has decided on evil.

8 Therefore show kindness to your servant, because you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lordwith you. But if there is iniquity (guilt) in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father [to be killed]?”

9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from [happening to] you! In fact, if I indeed learn that my father has decided to harm you, would I not tell you about it?”

10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field [to talk].” So they went out to the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel,is my witness!When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he has a goodfeelingtowardyou, shall I not then sendwordto you and make it known to you?

13 But if it pleases my fatherto doyou harm, may the Lorddo so to Jonathan, and more if I do not let you know about it and send you away, so that you may go insafety. Andmay the Lordbe with you as He has been with my father.

14 If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindnessandfaithfulness of the Lord,so that I will not die?

15 You shall never cut off your lovingkindnessandfaithfulness from my house, not even when the Lordcuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

16 So Jonathan made acovenantwith thehouse of David. [He added,] “Maythe Lordrequire it at the hands of David’s enemies. [that is, hold them accountable for any harm they inflict on David].”

17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, for Jonathan loved him as himself.

18 Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon [festival], and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.

19 When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourselfon that eventful day [when my father tried to kill you], and shall stay by the stone Ezel.

20 I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a target.

21 And I will send a boy,saying,‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come [back to my father’s table]; for it issafe for you and there isno danger, as the Lordlives.

22 But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lordhas sent you away.

23 As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lordis between you and me forever [making sure that we each keep our word].”

24 So David hid in the field; and when the New Moon [festival] came, the king sat down to eat food.

25 The king sat on his seat as on previous occasions, on his seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up, and Abner [his commander] sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

26 Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “It is an incident [of some kind] andhe is not [ceremonially] clean–surely he is unclean.”

27 But on the next day, the seconddayof the new moon, David’s place was empty [again]; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”

28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked me for permissionto goto Bethlehem.

29 He said, ‘Please let me go because our family is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me slip away so that I may see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”

Saul Is Angry with Jonathan

30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of awayward, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse [over me] to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you [as heir to the throne] nor your kingdom will be established. So now, send [someone] and bring him to me, for hemust die.”

32 Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why must he be put to death? What has he done?”

33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down, so Jonathan knew [without any doubt] that his father had decided to put David to death.

34 Then Jonathan stood up from the table in the heat of anger, and ate no food on that second day of the new moon (month), for he grievedandworried about David because his father had dishonored him.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for the meeting with David, and a young boy was with him.

36 And he said to his boy, “Run, please find the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the boy ran, he shot an arrow past him.

37 When the boy came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called to him, “Is the arrow not beyond you?”

38 And Jonathan called out after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrow and came back to his master.

39 But the boy was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.

40 Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go, take them to the city.”

41 As soon as the boy was gone, David got up from the south side [beside the mound of stones] and fell on his face to the ground [in submission and respect], and bowed three times. Then they kissed one another and wept together, but Davidweptmore.

42 Jonathan told David, “Goin safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lordshall be between me and you, and between my descendants and yours forever.’”Then he stood and left, while Jonathan went into the city.

David Takes Consecrated Bread

1 Then David went toNob toAhimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came trembling [in fear] to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?”

2 David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has told me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter for which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you. I have directed the young men to a certain place.’

3 Now what [food] do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

4 The priest answered David, “There is no ordinary (unconsecrated) bread on hand, but there isconsecrated bread; [you may have it] if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”

5 David answered the priest, “Be assured thatwomen have been kept from us in these three days since I set out, and thebodies of the young men were consecrated (ceremonially clean), although it was an ordinary (unconsecrated) journey; so how much more will their vessels be holy today?”

6 So the priest gave him the consecratedbread;for there was no bread there except the bread of thePresence which was removed from before the Lordin order to put hot breadin its placewhen it was taken away.

7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

8 David said to Ahimelech, “Do you not have a sword or spear here on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my [other] weapons with me, because the king’s business was urgent.”

9 Then the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, do so. For there is no other here except for it.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.”

10 Then David arose and fled from Saul that day, and went to Achish king ofGath.

11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing in praise of this one as they danced, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

12 David took these words to heart and was greatly afraid of Achish king of Gath.

13 So [fearing for his life] he changed his behavior in their sight, and acted insanely in their hands, and he scribbled on the doors of the gate, and drooled on his beard.

14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see that the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?

15 Do I lack madmen, that you bring this one to behave like a madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”

The Priests Slain at Nob

1 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him.

2 Everyone who was suffering hardship, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. There were about four hundred men with him.

3 And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let myfather and my mother come [out of Judah] and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”

4 Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in thestronghold.

5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; leave, and go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went into the forest of Hereth.

6 But Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the high place with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

7 Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Listen now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and hundreds?

8 For all of you have conspired against me so that no oneinforms me when my son [Jonathan] makesa covenantwith the son of Jesse. None of you cares about me or informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, ashe doesthis day?”

9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s servants, replied, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech [the priest] the son of Ahitub.

10 Ahimelech inquired of the Lordfor him, and gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent someone to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king.

12 Then Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” He replied, “Here I am [at your service], my lord.”

13 Saul said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so he would rebel against me by lying in ambush, ashe doesthis day?”

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “And who among all your servants is as faithfulandtrustworthy as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and who is captain over your guard [and your confidant], and is honored in your house?

15 Did Ijustbegin to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anyguiltto his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all about this entire matter.”

16 But Saul said, “Be assured that you shall die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household (extended family).”

17 And the king said to the guards who stood around him, “Turn around and kill the priests of the Lord, because theirloyalty also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to put out their hands to attack the Lord’spriests.

18 So the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned andattacked the priests, and that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the [priest’s] linen ephod.

19 And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; alsohe struckoxen and donkeys and sheep with the edge of the sword.

20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.

21 Abiathar told David that Saul had murdered the Lord’spriests.

22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would certainly tell Saul. I have brought aboutthe deathof everyone in your father’s household (extended family).

23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, but you are safe with me.”

David Rescues Keilah

1 Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering (robbing) the threshing floors [of the grain].”

2 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Listen, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?”

4 Then David inquired of the Lordagain. And the Lordanswered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will hand over the Philistines to you.”

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines; he drove away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7 Now when Saul was informed that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has handed him over to me, for he shut himself in by entering a city that has double gates and bars.”

8 So Saul summoned all the people (soldiers) for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul intends to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.

11 Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lordsaid, “He will come down.”

12 Then David asked, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” The Lordsaid, “They will surrender you.”

13 Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and left Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.

14 David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.

Saul Pursues David

15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph [in the woods] at Horesh.

16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went [into the woods] to David at Horesh, andencouraged him in God.

17 He said to him, “Do not be afraid; the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel and I will be second in command to you; my father Saul knows this too.”

18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed [in the woods] at Horesh and Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south ofJeshimon?

20 Now then, O king, come down [to Ziph] in accordance with all your heart’s desire to do so [and capture him]; and our part shall be to hand him over to the king.”

21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you have had compassion on me.

22 Go now, be very persistent and investigate, and see where hishaunt is and who has seen him there; for I am told he is very cunning.

23 So look, and take note of all the places where he hides and come back to me with the established facts, then I will go with you. If he is [anywhere] in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 So they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

25 Then Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was toldabout it, he went down to the rock and stayed [there] in the Wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard it, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have attacked the land.”

28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29 David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.

David Spares Saul’s Life

1 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in theWilderness of Engedi.”

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3 On the way he came to thesheepfolds where there was a cave; and Saul went in torelieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the cave’s innermost recesses.

4 David’s men said to him, “Behold,this isthe day of which the Lordsaid to you, ‘Behold, I will hand over your enemy to you, and you shall do to him as seems good to you.’” Then David arose [in the darkness] and stealthily cut off the hem (edge) of Saul’s robe.

5 Afterward, David’sconscience bothered him because he had cut off the hem of Saul’srobe.

6 He said to his men, “The Lordforbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’sanointed, to put out my hand against him, since he is the anointed of the Lord.”

7 So David strongly rebuked his men with these words and did not let them rise up against Saul. Saul got up, left the cave and went on his way.

8 Then David also got up afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and lay himself face down.

9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘David seeks to harm you?’

10 Behold, your eyes have seen today how the Lordhad given you into my hand in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not reach out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’sanointed.’

11 Look, my father! Indeed, see the hem of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the hem of your robe and did not kill you, know and understand [without question] that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait to take my life.

12 May the Lordjudge between me and you; and may the Lordavenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.

14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue [with three thousand men]? A dead dog, a single flea?

15 May the Lordbe the judge and render judgment between me and you; and may He see and plead my cause and vindicate meby saving mefrom your hand.”

16 When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul raised his voice and wept.

17 He said to David, “You are more righteousandupright [in God’s eyes] than I; for you have done good to me, but I have done evil to you.

18 You have declared today the good that you have done to me, for when the Lordput me into your hand, you did not kill me.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go awayunharmed? So may the Lordreward you with good in return for what you have done for me this day.

20 Now, behold, I know that you will certainly be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

21 So now swear to me by the Lordthat you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household (extended family).”

22 David gave Saul his oath; and Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the mountain stronghold.

Samuel’s Death

1 Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

Nabal and Abigail

2 Nowthere wasa man in Maon whose businessandpossessions were in Carmel; and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel

3 (now the man’s name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings; he was aCalebite).

4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal, andgreet him in my name;

6 and this is what you shall say, ‘Have a long life! Peace be to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have.

7 ~‘Now I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us and we have not harmed them, nor were they missing anything all the time they were in Carmel.

8 ~‘Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your sight [and be well-treated], for we have come on agood (festive) day.Please, give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David; then they waited.

10 But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse?There are many servants today, each of whom is breaking away from his master.

11 So should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?”

12 So David’s young men made their way back and returned; and they came and told him everything that was said [to them by Nabal].

13 David said to his men, “Each man put on your sword.” So each man put on his sword. David also put on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David while two hundred stayedbackwith the provisions and supplies.

14 But one ofNabal’syoung men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Listen, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless (greet) our master, and he shouted at them [in contempt].

15 ButDavid’smen were very good to us, and we were not harmedortreated badly, nor did we miss anything as long as we were with them, when we were in the fields.

16 They were a wall [of protection] to us both night and day, all the time that we were with them tending the sheep.

17 Now then, know this and consider what you should do, for evil is [already] planned against our master and against all his household; but he is such aworthlessandwicked man that one cannot speak [reasonably] to him.”

Abigail Intercedes

18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundredloavesof bread, two jugs of wine, five sheep already prepared [for roasting], five measures of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.

19 She said to her young men (servants), “Go on ahead of me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 It happened that as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by [way of] the hidden part of the mountain, that suddenly David and his men were coming down toward her, and she met them.

21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protectedandguarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missing of all that belonged to him; and he has repaid me evil for good.

22 May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave [alive] even onemale of any who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from the donkey, andkneeled face downward before David and bowed down to the ground [in respect].

24 Kneeling at his feet she said, “My lord, let the blameandguilt be on me alone. And please let your maidservant speakto you, and listen to the words of your maidservant.

25 Please do not let my lordpay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal (fool) is hisname and foolishness (stupidity) is with him; but I your maidservant did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

26 So now, my lord, as the Lordlives, and as your soul lives, since the Lordhas prevented you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord, be as [self-destructive as] Nabal.

27 Now this gift, which your maidservant has brought my lord, let it be given to the young men whoaccompanyandfollow my lord.

28 Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the Lordwill certainly make my lord a secureandenduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

29 Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound in the [precious] bundle of the living with the Lordyour God; but the lives of your enemies–those He will hurl out as from the center of a sling.

30 And it will happen when the Lorddoes for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken (promised) concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel,

31 that this [incident] will not cause grief or [bring] a troubled conscience to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the Lorddeals well with my lord, then remember [with favor] your maidservant.”

32 David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day.

33 And blessed be your discretionanddiscernment, and blessed be you, who has kept me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself by my own hand.

34 Nevertheless, as the Lordthe God of Israel lives, who has prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, most certainly by the morning light there would not have been left to Nabal so much as one male.”

35 So Davidaccepted what she had brought to him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and havegranted your request.”

36 Then Abigail came to Nabal, and he was holding a feast in his house [for the shearers], like the feast of a king. And Nabal’smood was joyous because he was very drunk; so she told him nothing at all until the morning light.

37 But in the morning, whenNabal was sober, and his wife told him these things, hisheart died within him and he became [paralyzed and helpless] like a stone.

38 About ten days later, the Lordstruck Nabal and he died.

David Marries Abigail

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach [suffered] at the hand of Nabal and has kept His servant from [retaliating with] evil. For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, proposing to take her as his wife.

40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to you to take you [to him] to be his wife.”

41 And she stood and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is [ready to be] a maid to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”

42 Then Abigail quickly got up, and rode on a donkey, with five of her maidens whoattended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.

44 But Saul had given Michal his [younger] daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

David Again Spares Saul

1 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding on the hill of Hachilah,east ofJeshimon?”

2 So Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, taking with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David [there] in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 Saul camped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road east of Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came into the wilderness after him,

4 David sent out spies, and he learned that Saul was definitely coming.

5 So David arose and went to the place where Saul had camped, and saw the spot where Saul lay, as well as Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying inside the circle of the camp, with the army camped around him.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

7 So David and Abishai went to the army during the night, and there was Saul lying asleep inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.

8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now then, please let me strike him with the speardriving itto the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not kill him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’sanointed [king] and be guiltless (innocent)?”

10 David also said, “As the Lordlives, most certainly the Lordwill strike him [in His own time and way], or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be carried off [dead].

11 The Lordforbid that I would put out my hand against the Lord’sanointed; but now take the spear that is by his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”

12 So David took the spear and the jug of water frombesideSaul’s head, and they left, and no one saw or knew nor did anyone awaken, because they were allsoundasleep, for a deep sleep from the Lordhad fallen on them.

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the mountain at a distance, with a large area between them.

14 David called to the army and to Abner the son of Ner, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Abner replied, “Who are you who calls [and disturbs] the king?”

15 David said to Abner, “Are you not a [brave] man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came [into your camp] to kill the king your lord.

16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lordlives, you surelydeserve to die, because you have not guarded your lord, the Lord’sanointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head.”

17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king!”

18 And David said, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

19 Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lordhas incited you against me, let Him accept an offering [from me]; but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, because they have driven me out this day to keep me from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

20 Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as when one hunts a [defenseless] partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Hear me, I have played the fool and have done a very great wrong [to you].”

22 David answered, “Look, here is the king’s spear! Now let one of the young men come over and get it.

23 The Lordwill repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lordhanded you over to me today, but I refused to put out my hand against the Lord’sanointed.

24 Now behold, just as your life was precious in my sight this day, so let my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may He rescue me from all distress.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David; you will both accomplish much and certainly prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David Flees to the Philistines

1 But David said in his heart, “Now I will die one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me inside the borders of Israel, and I will escape from his hand [once and for all].”

2 So David and the six hundred men who were with him arose and crossed over to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, [who was] Nabal’s widow.

4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your sight, let me be given a place [of my own] in one of the cities in the country, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

6 Then Achish gave David [the town of] Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah tothis day.

7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites [the enemies of Israel that Joshua had failed to annihilate]; for they had inhabited the land from ancient times, as one comes to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

9 David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, but he took the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing, and returned to Achish.

10 When Achish asked, “Where did you raid today?” David replied, “Against the Negev (the South country) of Judah, and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites, and against the Negev of the Kenites.”

11 David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bringnewsto Gath, saying [to himself], “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”

12 Achish believed David, saying, “He has certainly become hated by his people in Israel; so he will always be my servant.”

Saul and the Spirit Medium

1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Understand for certain that you and your men will go out with me to battle.”

2 David said to Achish, “All right, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and the spiritists (soothsayers) from the land.

4 The Philistines assembled and came and camped at Shunem; and Saul gathered all the Israelites and they camped at Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid andbadly shaken.

6 So Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lorddid not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim [used like lots by the priest to determine the will of God] or by prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who is a medium [between the living and the dead], so that I may go to her and ask her advice.” His servants said to him, “There is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

8 So Saul disguised himself by wearing different clothes, and he left with two men, and they came to the woman at night. He saidto her,“Conjure up for me, please, and bring up [from the dead] for me [the spirit] whom I shall name to you.”

9 But the woman said to him, “See here, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off (eliminated) those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. So why are you laying a trap for my life, to cause my death?”

10 Then Saul swore [an oath] to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lordlives, no punishment shall come upon you for this.”

11 So the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed with a loud voice; and she said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but [tell me] what do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see adivine [superhuman] being coming up from the earth.”

14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid respect [to him].

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are making war against me, and God has left me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you to make known to me what I should do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lordhas left you and has become your enemy?

17 The Lordhas done [to you] just as He said through me [when I was with you]; for the Lordhas torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lordand did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the Lordhas done this thing to you this day.

19 Moreover, the Lordwill also put Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me [among the dead]. Indeed, the Lordwill put the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

20 Then Saul immediately fell full length on the earth [floor of the medium’s house], and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words;and he was thoroughly exhausted because he had not eaten all day and all night.

21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled, and she said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to everything you said to me.

22 So now, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you, and eat, so that you may have strength when you go on your way.”

23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants together with the woman urged him, and he [finally] listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house; she quickly killed it, and took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread.

25 She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and went away that night.