David Anointed King
Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “aHow long will you be grieving over Saul? bI have rejected him from being king over Israel. cFill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to dJesse the Bethlehemite, for I esee among his sons a king for Me.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and will kill me.” Then Yahweh said, “aTake a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 3 And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and aI will make you know what you shall do; and byou shall anoint for Me the one whom I say to you.” 4 So Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to aBethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “bDo you come in peace?” 5 And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. aSet yourselves apart as holy and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also set apart Jesse and his sons as holy and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at aEliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.” 7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, abut Yahweh looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called aAbinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made aShammah pass by. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “aThere remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is shepherding the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not turn around until he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with abeautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Yahweh said, “bArise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and aanointed him in the midst of his brothers; and bthe Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
David Becomes Saul’s Armor Bearer
14 aNow the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and ban evil spirit from Yahweh terrorized him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. 16 Let our lord now speak to your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall be that when the evil spirit from God is on you, ahe shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, aa mighty man of valor, a warrior, one who is understanding in speech, and a man of fine form; and bYahweh is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” 20 And Jesse atook a donkey loaded with bread and a wineskin of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21 Then David came to Saul and astood before him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. 22 So Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 Thus it happened that whenever athe evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
Goliath Challenges Israel
Now athe Philistines gathered their camps for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between bSocoh and cAzekah, in dEphes-dammim. 2 But Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in athe valley of Elah and arranged themselves for battle to meet the Philistines. 3 Now the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. 4 Then a champion came out from the camps of the Philistines named aGoliath, from bGath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor, and the weight of that scale-armor was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a abronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 aAnd the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; bhis shield-carrier also walked before him. 8 And he stood and called out to the battle lines of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to arrange yourselves for battle? Am I not the Philistine and you aslaves of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 9 aIf he is able to fight with me and strike me down, then we will become your slaves; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you shall become our slaves and serve us.” 10 Again the Philistine said, “aI openly reproach the battle lines of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
12 Now David was athe son of the bEphrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and che had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. 13 And the three older sons of Jesse had gone. They had gone after Saul to the battle. And athe names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 aBut David was the youngest. Now the three oldest had gone after Saul, 15 abut David went back and forth from Saul bto shepherd his father’s flock at Bethlehem.
16 Then the Philistine approached, morning and evening, for forty days and took his stand.
17 Then Jesse said to David his son, “aTake now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. 18 aYou shall also bring these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, band look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back a token from them. 19 And Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and carried the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the acircle of the camp while the military force was going out in battle lines shouting the war cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines arranged themselves in battle lines, battle line against battle line. 22 Then David left his abaggage in the care of the baggage keeper and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. 23 As he was speaking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines, and he spoke athese same words; and David heard them.
24 Now all the men of Israel saw the man, and they fled from him and were greatly afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to reproach Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who strikes him down with great riches and awill give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.”
26 Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and takes away athe reproach from Israel? For who is this buncircumcised Philistine, that he should creproach the battle lines of dthe living God?” 27 And the people spoke to him in accord with this word, saying, “aThus it will be done for the man who strikes him down.”
28 Then Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and aEliab’s anger burned against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I myself know your arrogance and the wickedness of your heart, for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 29 But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a word?” 30 Then he turned away from him to another and asaid the same word; and the people responded to him with the same word as before.
David Puts Goliath to Death
31 Then the words which David spoke were heard. And they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, “aLet no man’s heart fail on account of him; byour servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 Then Saul said to David, “aYou are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant was shepherding his father’s sheep. And a lion and a bear would come and take a lamb from the flock, 35 and I would go out after it and strike it and arescue the lamb from its mouth. Then it rose up against me, and I would seize it by its beard and strike it down and put it to death. 36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has reproached the battle lines of the living God.” 37 And David said, “aYahweh, who delivered me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “bGo, and may Yahweh be with you.” 38 Then Saul clothed David with his robes and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. 39 And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off. 40 Then he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and ahis sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
41 Then the Philistine came on and drew near to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And the Philistine looked and saw David. And ahe despised him; for he was but a youth and bruddy, with a handsome appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “aAm I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And bthe Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh ato the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, abut I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the battle lines of Israel, whom you have reproached. 46 This day Yahweh will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the adead bodies of the camp of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth, bthat all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that aYahweh does not save by sword or by spear; bfor the battle is Yahweh’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that aDavid ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David sent his hand down into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and put him to death; but there was no sword in David’s hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and atook his sword and drew it out of its sheath and put him to death and cut off his head with it. bThen the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, so they fled. 52 But the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley and to the gates of aEkron. And the slain Philistines lay fallen along the way to bShaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. 53 Then the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines and plundered their camps. 54 And David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.
55 Now when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is athis young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O king, I do not know.” 56 And the king said, “You inquire whose son the youth is.” 57 So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and abrought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “aI am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
Jonathan Cuts a Covenant with David
Now it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, that athe soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and bJonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and adid not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then aJonathan cut a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 4 aAnd Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him and prospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of Saul’s servants.
Saul Looks at David with Suspicion
6 And it happened as they were coming, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, that athe women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with gladness, and with musical instruments. 7 And the women asang as they were merry and said,
“bSaul has struck his thousands,
cAnd David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying was displeasing in his eyes; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now awhat more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.
10 Now it happened on the next day that aan evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and bhe raved in the midst of the house. Now David was playing the harp with his hand, cas usual; and da spear was in Saul’s hand. 11 aThen Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.
12 And aSaul was afraid of David, bfor Yahweh was with him but chad turned away from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul turned him away from his presence and appointed him as his commander of one thousand; and ahe went out and came in before the people. 14 And David was prospering in all his ways, and aYahweh was with him. 15 Then Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, so he dreaded him. 16 But aall Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
17 Then Saul said to David, “aHere is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be a man of valor for me and fight bYahweh’s battles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but clet the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 But David said to Saul, “aWho am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to aAdriel bthe Meholathite as a wife.
Saul’s Daughter Given to David
20 And aMichal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. So they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes. 21 And Saul said, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and athat the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “bFor a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; so now, become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words in David’s hearing. But David said, “Is it trivial in your eyes to become the king’s son-in-law, asince I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” 24 And the servants of Saul told to him according to these words which David spoke. 25 Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any adowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, bto take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now cSaul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 Then his servants told David these words, and it was right in the eyes of David to become the king’s son-in-law. aSo before the days had expired, 27 David rose up and went, ahe and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then bDavid brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife. 28 Then Saul saw and knew that Yahweh was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 so Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Then the commanders of the Philistines awent out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David bbehaved himself more insightfully than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.
David Escapes from Saul
Then Saul spoke with Jonathan his son and all his servants ato put David to death. But bJonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. 2 So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. So now, please be careful in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; awhat I perceive, I will tell you.” 4 Then Jonathan aspoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “bDo not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his works have been very good for you. 5 For ahe took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and bYahweh brought about a great salvation for all Israel; you saw it and were glad. cWhy then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as aformerly.
8 Then there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great slaughter, so that they fled before him. 9 Now there was aan evil spirit from Yahweh on Saul as he was sitting in his house bwith his spear in his hand, cand David was playing the harp with his hand. 10 aAnd Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
11 Then aSaul sent messengers to David’s house to keep watch over him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not make an escape for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.” 12 aSo Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took athe household idol and laid it on the bed and put a quilt of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with clothes. 14 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but she said, “aHe is sick.” 15 So Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death.” 16 The messengers came, and behold, the household idol was on the bed with the quilt of goats’ hair at its head. 17 So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! aWhy should I put you to death?’”
18 Now David fled and escaped and came ato Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in bNaioth. 19 And it was told to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then aSaul sent messengers to take David, but they saw bthe company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them. And the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and cthey also prophesied. 21 This was told to Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went there, to Naioth in Ramah; and athe Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down anaked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “bIs Saul also among the prophets?”
David and Jonathan’s Covenant
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and asaid before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without revealing it in my ear. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” 3 Yet David aswore again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly bas Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul says, I will do for you.” 5 So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is athe new moon, and I ought bto sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, cthat I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to aBethlehem his city because it is bthe yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ 7 If he says, ‘It is good,’ your servant will have peace; but if he is very angry, aknow that he has decided on evil. 8 Therefore show lovingkindness to your servant, for ayou have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But bif there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed come to know that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have examined my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and reveal it in your ear? 13 If it please my father to do you harm, amay Yahweh do so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not reveal it in your ear and send you away, that you may go in peace. And bmay Yahweh be with you as He has been with my father. 14 And if I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of Yahweh, that I may not die? 15 aYou shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when Yahweh cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan cut a covenant with the house of David, saying, “aMay Yahweh require it at the hands of David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David swear again because of his love for him, because ahe loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Then Jonathan said to him, “aTomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be missing. 19 When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I sent them towards a target. 21 And behold, I will send the young man, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the young man, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come, for there is peace for you and no harm, as Yahweh lives. 22 But if I say to the youth, ‘aBehold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for Yahweh has sent you away. 23 aAs for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, bYahweh is between you and me forever.”
24 So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25 And the king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up, and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but aDavid’s place was missing. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he said, “It is an accident; ahe is not clean; surely he is not clean.” 27 Now it happened the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was missing; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 Jonathan then answered Saul, “aDavid earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem, 29 and he said, ‘Please send me on my way, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. So now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason 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 a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse 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 nor your kingdom will be established. So now, send and bring him to me, for ahe must surely die.” 32 But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “aWhy should he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 Then aSaul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; bso Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34 Then Jonathan arose from the table in burning anger and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.
35 Now it happened in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a very young man was with him. 36 And he said to his young man, “aRun, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the young man was running, he shot an arrow past him. 37 When the young man reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “aIs not the arrow beyond you?” 38 And Jonathan called after the young man, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s young man gathered up the arrow and came to his master. 39 But the young man did not know of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his young man and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.” 41 When the young man was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground and abowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but bDavid wept more. 42 And Jonathan said to David, “aGo in peace, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of Yahweh, saying, ‘bYahweh will be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed forever.’” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.
David Takes Consecrated Bread
Then David came to aNob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech bcame trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?” 2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commanded me with a matter and has said to me, ‘aLet no one know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commanded you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’ 3 So now, what do you have on hand? Give five loaves of bread into my hand, or whatever can be found.” 4 And the priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is aconsecrated bread; if only the young men have bkept themselves from women.” 5 And David answered the priest and said to him, “aSurely women have been kept from us as previously when I set out and the bvessels of the young men were holy, though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then today will their vessels be holy?” 6 So athe priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bbread of the Presence which was removed from before Yahweh, in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away.
7 Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was aDoeg the Edomite, the bchief of Saul’s shepherds.
8 And David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons in my hand because the king’s matter was urgent.” 9 Then the priest said, “aThe sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down bin the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
David Flees to Gath
10 Then David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to aAchish king of Gath. 11 But the aservants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? bDid they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,
‘Saul has struck his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
12 And David atook these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. 13 So he adisguised his sanity in their sight and acted insanely in their hands and scribbled on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down into his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman before me? Shall this one come into my house?”
David at the Cave of Adullam
So David departed from there and aescaped to bthe cave of Adullam; and his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it and went down there to him. 2 Then everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter of soul, gathered to him; and he became a commander over them. Now there were aabout 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 my father and my mother come 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 the fortress. 5 aAnd the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the fortress; go, and enter into the land of Judah.” So David went and entered into the forest of Hereth.
Saul Puts the Priests at Nob to Death
6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now aSaul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. 7 And Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? aWill he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? 8 For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who reveals in my ear awhen my son cuts a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you bwho is sorry for me or reveals in my ear that my son has caused my servant to rise up against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day.” 9 Then aDoeg the Edomite, who was standing by the servants of Saul, said, “bI saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to cAhimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 aAnd he asked of Yahweh for him, bgave him provisions, and cgave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul then 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 asked of God on his behalf, so that he would rise up against me aby lying in ambush as it is this day?”
14 aThen Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house? 15 Did I just begin ato ask of God on his behalf today? Far be it from me! bDo not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing small or great of this whole affair.” 16 But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!” 17 And athe king said to the guards who were standing by him, “Turn around and put the priests of Yahweh to death because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it in my ears.” But the bservants of the king were not willing to send forth their hands to fall upon the priests of Yahweh. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and ahe put to death that day eighty-five men bwho wore the linen ephod. 19 So ahe struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, infants and nursing babies; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.
20 But aone son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, bescaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh. 22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when aDoeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. It is I who have turned against every person in your father’s household. 23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for ahe who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are safe with me.”
David Saves Keilah
Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against aKeilah and are pillaging the threshing floors.” 2 So David aasked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and strike the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, 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 asked of Yahweh once more. And Yahweh answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for aI will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 Now it happened when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech afled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Then it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah, so Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” 8 Then Saul summoned all the people for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to aAbiathar the priest, “bBring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your slave has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to make the city a ruin on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your slave has heard? O Yahweh, the God of Israel, I pray, tell Your slave.” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “aThey will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, aabout six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went bwherever they could go. Now it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, so he ceased going out in pursuit. 14 And David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of aZiph. And Saul sought him every day, but bGod did not give him into his hand.
Saul Pursues David
15 Then David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. Now David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 So Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh and astrengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “aDo not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you; and bSaul my father knows that also.” 18 So athe two of them cut a covenant before Yahweh; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then aZiphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on bthe hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 So now, O king, according to all the desire of your soul to come down, come down here; and aour part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.” 21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed of Yahweh, afor you have had compassion on me. 22 Go now, make more sure, and know and see his place—where his very foot is—and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very crafty. 23 So see and know about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of aMaon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 25 So Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard it and pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And 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, but Saul and his men awere surrounding David and his men to seize them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on 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 Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of aEngedi.
David Does Not Kill Saul
Now awhen Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, bhe was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then aSaul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul awent in to relieve himself. Now bDavid and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. 4 Then the men of David said to him, “Behold, athis is the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, bI am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good in your eyes.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. 5 And it happened afterward that aDavid’s heart struck him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “aFar be it from me because of Yahweh that I should do this thing to my lord, the anointed of Yahweh, to send forth my hand against him, since he is the anointed of Yahweh.” 7 And David tore his men to pieces with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.
8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, aDavid bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to do you evil’? 10 aBehold, this day your eyes have seen that Yahweh had given you today into my hand in the cave, and bsome said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not send forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Yahweh.’ 11 Now, amy father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and see that there is no evil or transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you bare lying in wait for my life to take it. 12 aMay Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘aOut of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? aAfter a dead dog, after ba single flea? 15 aTherefore Yahweh be judge and execute justice between you and me; and may He see and bplead my cause and execute justice for me to escape from your hand.”
16 Now it happened that when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “aIs this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 aAnd he said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for byou have dealt well with me, while I have dealt evil with you. 18 And you have declared today that you have done good to me, that aYahweh surrendered me into your hand, and yet you did not kill me. 19 For if a man afinds his enemy, will he let him go away safely? May Yahweh therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. 20 So now, behold, aI know that you will surely be king, and that bthe kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. 21 So now aswear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my seed after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.” 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to athe fortress.
The Death of Samuel
aThen Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and blamented for him and cburied him at his house in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the dwilderness of Paran.
David and Abigail
2 Now there was a man in aMaon whose work was in bCarmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. And it happened, while che was shearing his sheep in Carmel 3 (now the man’s name was Nabal, and his awife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was good in insight and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was ba Calebite), 4 that 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, come to Nabal, and greet him in my name; 6 and thus you shall say, ‘Have a long life; apeace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 So now I have heard athat you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us; and we have not dishonored them, bnor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on aa festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son, to David.’”
9 Then David’s young men came and spoke to Nabal according to all these words in David’s name. Then they waited. 10 But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “aWho is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. 11 Shall I then atake my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?” 12 So David’s young men went back on their way and returned; and they came and told him according to all these words. 13 Then David said to his men, “Each of you gird on his sword.” So each man girded on his sword. And David also girded on his sword, and about afour hundred men went up behind David, and two hundred bstayed with the baggage.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to agreet our master, and he rushed at them angrily. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not adishonored, nor did we miss anything as long as we went about with them, while we were in the field. 16 aThey were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them shepherding the sheep. 17 So now, know and see what you should do, for evil is decided against our master and against all his household; and he is such a vile man that no one can speak to him.”
Abigail’s Discernment
18 Then Abigail hurried and atook two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of roasted grain and one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she said to her young men, “aGo on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 So it was happening, as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely for a lie I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has areturned me evil for good. 22 aMay God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, bif by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.”
23 Then Abigail saw David; so she hurried and dismounted from her donkey and fell on her face before David aand bowed herself to the ground. 24 And she fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and listen to the words of your maidservant. 25 Please do not let my lord pay attention to this vile man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and wicked foolishness is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
26 “So now, my lord, as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, since Yahweh has restrained you from shedding blood, and afrom saving yourself by your own hand, so now, blet your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be as Nabal. 27 So now let athis gift which your servant-woman has brought to my lord be given to the young men who went about with my lord. 28 Please forgive athe transgression of your maidservant; for bYahweh will certainly make for my lord an enduring house because my lord is cfighting the battles of Yahweh, and devil will not be found in you all your days. 29 And should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with Yahweh your God; but the lives of your enemies aHe will sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And it will be that when Yahweh does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and aappoints you ruler over Israel, 31 then this will not cause stumbling or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having saved himself. aWhen Yahweh deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”
32 Then David said to Abigail, “aBlessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, 33 and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, awho have kept me this day from bloodshed and from saving myself by my own hand. 34 Nevertheless, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, awho has restrained me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male.” 35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “aGo up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to your voice and bgranted your request.”
36 Then Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding aa feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, bfor he was very drunk; so cshe did not tell him anything small or great until the morning light. 37 But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone. 38 Now it happened that about ten days later, aYahweh smote Nabal, and he died.
Abigail Becomes David’s Wife
39 Then David heard that Nabal was dead, so he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has apleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and bhas kept back His servant from evil. Yahweh has also returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent ca proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 Then the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel and spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you to take you as his wife.” 41 And she arose aand bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is a servant-woman bto wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Then aAbigail hurried and arose, and she rode on a donkey, with her five young women who went about with her; and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife.
43 David had also taken Ahinoam of aJezreel, and bthey both became his wives.
44 Now Saul had given aMichal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from bGallim.
David Takes Saul’s Spear
Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “aIs not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him athree thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, abeside the road. Now David was staying in the wilderness, and bhe saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 So David sent out spies and knew that Saul was certainly coming. 5 David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, as well as aAbner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.
6 Then David answered and said to Ahimelech athe Hittite and to bAbishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who cwill go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has surrendered your enemy into your hand; so now, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for awho can send forth his hand against the anointed of Yahweh and be without guilt?” 10 David also said, “As Yahweh lives, asurely Yahweh will smite him, or bhis day will come that he dies, or che will go down into battle and be swept away. 11 aYahweh forbid that I should send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because aa sound sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.
13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance with a large area between them. 14 And David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives, all of you amust surely die because you did not keep watch over your lord, the anointed of Yahweh. So now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”
17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “aIs this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” 18 He also said, “aWhy then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? 19 So now, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If aYahweh has incited you up against me, blet Him accept an offering; but cif it is men, cursed are they before Yahweh, for dthey have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 So now, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of Yahweh; for the king of Israel has come out to search for aa single flea, just as one pursues a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Then Saul said, “aI have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.” 22 And David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 aNow Yahweh will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Yahweh gave you into my hand today, but bI was not willing to send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh. 24 Now behold, as your life was ahighly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of Yahweh, and may He bdeliver me from all distress.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “aBlessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So bDavid went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
David Escapes to the Philistines
Then David said in his heart, “Now I will be swept away one day by the hand of Saul. aThere is nothing better for me than that I should utterly escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.” 2 So David arose and crossed over, he and athe six hundred men who were with him, to bAchish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, aeach with his household, even David with bhis two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” 6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore aZiklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was aa year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and raided athe Geshurites and the Girzites and bthe Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to cShur even as far as the land of Egypt. 9 And David struck the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he atook away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, “Where have you amade a raid today?” And David said, “Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of bthe Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of cthe Kenites.” 11 And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Lest they tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and so has been his custom all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’” 12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”
Saul and the Woman of En‑dor
Now it happened in those days that athe Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” 2 And David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard afor life.”
3 Now aSamuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him bin Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who cwere mediums and spiritists. 4 So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped ain Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in bGilboa. 5 Saul saw the camp of the Philistines and was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6 aSo Saul asked of Yahweh, but bYahweh did not answer him, either by cdreams or by dUrim or by prophets. 7 So Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, athere is a woman who is a medium at bEn-dor.”
8 Then Saul adisguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “bDivine for me, please, and cbring up for me whom I shall say to you.” 9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know awhat Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” 10 Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, “As Yahweh lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 And the woman saw Samuel and cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” 13 And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.” 14 And he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and ahe is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and bhe bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and aGod has turned away from me and bno longer answers me, either by the hand of the prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since Yahweh has turned away from you and has become your adversary? 17 So Yahweh has done accordingly aas He spoke by my hand, for Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 As ayou did not listen to the voice of Yahweh and did not execute His burning anger on Amalek, so Yahweh has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover Yahweh will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow ayou and your sons will be with me. Indeed Yahweh will give over the camp of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”
20 Then Saul quickly fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Behold, your servant-woman has listened to your voice, and aI have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22 So now also, please listen to the voice of your servant-woman, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.” 23 But he refused and said, “aI will not eat.” bHowever, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on cthe bed. 24 And the woman had a afattened calf in the house, and she quickly sacrificed it; and she btook flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. 25 And she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
Achish Makes David Leave the Battle
Then athe Philistines gathered together all their camps to bAphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in cJezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and aDavid and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish. 3 Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, awho has been with me these days, or rather these years, and bI have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?” 4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may return ato his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, bor in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men? 5 Is this not David, aof whom they sing in the dances, saying,
‘Saul has struck his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and ayour going out and your coming in with me in the camp are pleasing in my sight; bfor I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords. 7 So now, return and go in peace, that you may not do evil in the sight of the lords of the Philistines.” 8 And David said to Achish, “aBut what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?” 9 But Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, alike an angel of God; nevertheless bthe commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 So now, arise early in the morning awith the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, go.” 11 So David arose early, he and his men, to go in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
David Strikes Down the Amalekites
Then it happened when David and his men came to aZiklag on the third day, that bthe Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on cZiklag and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great—athey did not put anyone to death—and carried them off and went their way. 3 Then David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 So David and the people who were with him alifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. 5 Now aDavid’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because athe people said to stone him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But bDavid strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
7 Then aDavid said to bAbiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring the ephod near to me.” So Abiathar brought the ephod near to David. 8 aAnd David asked of Yahweh, saying, “bShall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, cand you will surely deliver all.” 9 So David went, ahe and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for atwo hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.
11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. 12 And they gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; athen his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a slave of an Amalekite; and my master forsook me when I fell sick three days ago. 14 We made a raid on athe Negev of the Cherethites and on that which belongs to Judah and on bthe Negev of Caleb, and cwe burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not put me to death or surrender me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”
16 So he brought him down, and behold, they were spread over all the land, aeating and drinking and celebrating because of ball the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 Then David struck them adown from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on bcamels and fled. 18 So David adelivered all that the Amalekites had taken and delivered his two wives. 19 Indeed nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; aDavid brought it all back. 20 And David took all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “aThis is David’s spoil.”
David Apportions the Spoils
21 Then aDavid came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also remained at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, and David approached the people and greeted them. 22 Then all the evil and vile men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have delivered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given us, who has kept us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 And who will listen to you in this matter? For aas is the portion of the one who goes down to the battle, so shall the portion be of the one who remains by the baggage; they shall be apportioned together.” 25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and a judgment for Israel to this day.
26 Then David came to Ziklag and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, aa gift for you from the spoil of bthe enemies of Yahweh: 27 to those who were in aBethel, and to those who were in bRamoth of the Negev, and to those who were in cJattir, 28 and to those who were in aAroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in bEshtemoa, 29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of athe Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of bthe Kenites, 30 and to those who were in aHormah, and to those who were in bBor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31 and to those who were in aHebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men bwent about.”
The Death of Saul and His Sons
aNow the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain bon Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines closely pursued Saul and his sons; and the Philistines struck down aJonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 aAnd the battle became heavy against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 aThen Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest bthese uncircumcised come and pierce me through and abuse me.” But his armor bearer was not willing, for he was greatly afraid. cSo Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 Then his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, so he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.
7 Then the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 Now it happened on the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 Then they cut off his head and stripped off his weapons and sent them all around the land of the Philistines, ato proclaim the good news bto the house of their idols and to the people. 10 And they placed his weapons in the house of aAshtaroth and bfastened his body to the wall of cBeth-shan. 11 Then athe inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 aso all the valiant men arose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and bburned them there. 13 And they took their bones and aburied them under bthe tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and cfasted seven days.