1 Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel 3

Christian Standard Bible

Samuel Anoints David

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul,^(A) since I have rejected him as king over Israel?^(B) Fill your horn with oil^(C) and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem^(D) because I have selected for myself a king from his sons.”

² Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!”

The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’^{(E) 3} Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do.^(F) You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.”^(G)

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem.^(H) When the elders of the town met him, they trembled^[a] and asked, “Do^[b] you come in peace?” ^(I)

⁵ “In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves^(J) and come with me to the sacrifice.”^[c] Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. ⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab^(K) and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees,^[d] for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”^(L)

⁸ Jesse called Abinadab^(M) and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. ⁹ Then Jesse presented Shammah,^(N) but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” ¹⁰ After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” ¹¹ Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,”^(O) he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” ¹² So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy,^[e] handsome appearance.^(P)

Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”^{(Q) 13} So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him^(R) in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward.^(S) Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Court

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul,^(T) and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, ¹⁵ so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶ Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.”^(U)

¹⁷ Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man,^(V) a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”^(W)

¹⁹ Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” ²⁰ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a wineskin, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul.^{(X) 21} When David came to Saul^(Y) and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. ²² Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor with me.” ²³ Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul,^(Z) David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

David versus Goliath

17 The Philistines^(AA) gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh^(AB) and Azekah^(AC) in Ephes-dammim.^{(AD) 2} Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah;^(AE) then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines.

³ The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. ⁴ Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath,^(AF) came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches^[f][g] tall ⁵ and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds.^{[h] 6} There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin^(AG) was slung between his shoulders. ⁷ His spear shaft^(AH) was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds.^[i] In addition, a shield-bearer^(AI) was walking in front of him.

⁸ He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations, “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul?^(AJ) Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. ⁹ If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”^{(AK) 10} Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today.^(AL) Send me a man so we can fight each other!” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

¹² Now David was the son of the Ephrathite^(AM) from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons^(AN) and during Saul’s reign was already an old man. ¹³ Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names^(AO) were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, ¹⁴ and David was the youngest.^(AP) The three oldest had followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David kept going back and forth from Saul^(AQ) to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.

¹⁶ Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. ¹⁷ One day Jesse had told his son David, “Take this half-bushel^[j] of roasted grain along with these ten loaves of bread^(AR) for your brothers and hurry to their camp. ¹⁸ Also take these ten portions of cheese to the field commander.^[k] Check on the well-being of your brothers^(AS) and bring a confirmation from them. ¹⁹ They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.”

²⁰ So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him.

He arrived at the perimeter of the camp^(AT) as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. ²² David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster^(AU) and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were. ²³ While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words,^(AV) which David heard. ²⁴ When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

²⁵ Previously, an Israelite man had declared, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter.^(AW) The king will also make the family of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel.”^(AX)

²⁶ David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?^(AY) Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine^(AZ) that he should defy the armies^(BA) of the living God?” ^(BB)

²⁷ The troops told him about the offer, concluding, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”^(BC)

²⁸ David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him.^(BD) “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!”

²⁹ “What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” ³⁰ Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before.^(BE)

³¹ What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. ³² David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him;^(BF) your servant will go^(BG) and fight this Philistine!”

³³ But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.”

³⁴ David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth.^(BH) If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur,^[l] strike it down, and kill it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” ³⁷ Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”^(BI)

Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”^(BJ)

³⁸ Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. ³⁹ David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. ⁴⁰ Instead, he took his staff in his hand^(BK) and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.

⁴¹ The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him^(BL) because he was just a youth, healthy^[m](BM) and handsome. ⁴³ He said to David, “Am I a dog^(BN) that you come against me with sticks?” ^[n] Then he cursed David by his gods.^{(BO) 44} “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!” ^(BP)

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him.^{(BQ) 46} Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses^[o] of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,^{(BR) 47} and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,^(BS) for the battle is the Lord’s.^(BT) He will hand you over to us.”

⁴⁸ When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine.^{(BU) 49} David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. ⁵⁰ David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword. ⁵¹ David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword,^(BV) pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.^{(BW) 52} The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron.^[p](BX) Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road^(BY) to Gath and Ekron.

⁵³ When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. ⁵⁴ David took Goliath’s^[q] head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

^55 [r] When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?” ^(BZ)

“Your Majesty, as surely as you live, I don’t know,” Abner replied.

⁵⁶ The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is!”

⁵⁷ When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand.^{(CA) 58} Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”

“The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,”^(CB) David answered.

David’s Success

18 When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship,^[s] and loved him as much as he loved himself.^{(CC) 2} Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father’s house.

³ Jonathan made a covenant with David^(CD) because he loved him as much as himself. ⁴ Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David,^(CE) along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

⁵ David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well.

⁶ As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,^(CF) singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. ⁷ As they danced, the women sang:

⁸ Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” ^{(CH) 9} So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward.

Saul Attempts to Kill David

¹⁰ The next day an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul,^(CI) and he began to rave^[t] inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual,^(CJ) but Saul was holding a spear,^{(CK) 11} and he threw it, thinking, “I’ll pin David to the wall.”^(CL) But David got away from him twice.

¹² Saul was afraid of David,^(CM) because the Lord was with David^(CN) but had left Saul.^{(CO) 13} Therefore, Saul sent David away from him and made him commander over a thousand men. David led the troops^{(CP) 14} and continued to be successful in all his activities because the Lord was with him.^{(CQ) 15} When Saul observed that David was very successful, he dreaded him. ¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David^(CR) because he was leading their troops. ¹⁷ Saul told David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife^(CS) if you will be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.”^(CT) But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”^(CU)

¹⁸ Then David responded, “Who am I,^(CV) and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” ¹⁹ When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.^(CW)

David’s Marriage to Michal

²⁰ Now Saul’s daughter Michal^(CX) loved David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him. ²¹ “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.”^(CY) So Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”^(CZ)

²² Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.’”

²³ Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”^(DA)

²⁴ The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”

²⁵ Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price^(DB) except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’”^(DC) Actually, Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.^(DD)

²⁶ When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, ²⁷ David and his men went out and killed two hundred^[u] Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.^{(DE) 28} Saul realized^[v] that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹ and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.

³⁰ Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight,^(DF) David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers.^(DG) So his name became well known.

David Delivered from Saul

19 Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David.^(DH) But Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much,^{(DI) 2} so he told him, “My father, Saul, intends to kill you. Be on your guard in the morning and hide in a secret place and stay there. ³ I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and talk to him about you. When I see what he says, I’ll tell you.”^(DJ)

⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to his father, Saul. He said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David.^(DK) He hasn’t sinned against you; in fact, his actions have been a great advantage to you. ⁵ He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine,^(DL) and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel.^(DM) You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?” ^(DN)

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” ⁷ So Jonathan summoned David and told him all these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served him as he did before.^(DO)

⁸ When war broke out again, David went out and fought against the Philistines. He defeated them with such great force that they fled from him.

⁹ Now an evil spirit sent from the Lord^(DP) came on Saul as he was sitting in his palace holding a spear.^(DQ) David was playing the lyre,^{(DR) 10} and Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear.^(DS) As the spear struck the wall, David eluded Saul, ran away, and escaped that night. ¹¹ Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning.^(DT) But his wife Michal^(DU) warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!” ¹² So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped.^{(DV) 13} Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. ¹⁴ When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, “He’s sick.”^(DW)

¹⁵ Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, “Bring him on his bed so I can kill him.” ¹⁶ When the agents arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head.

¹⁷ Saul asked Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!”

She answered him, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

¹⁸ So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah^(DX) and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth.^(DY)

¹⁹ When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, ²⁰ he sent agents to seize David.^(DZ) However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying^(EA) with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. ²¹ When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying.^(EB) So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. ²² Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu and asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“At Naioth in Ramah,” someone said.

²³ So he went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God also came on him,^(EC) and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴ Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked^(ED) all that day and all that night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ^(EE)

Jonathan Protects David

20 David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done?^(EF) What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?”

² Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true.”

³ But David said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor with you. He has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.’” David also swore, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”^(EG)

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

⁵ So David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon,^(EH) and I’m supposed to sit down and eat with the king.^(EI) Instead, let me go, and I’ll hide in the countryside for the next two nights.^{[w](EJ) 6} If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urgently requested my permission to go quickly to his hometown, Bethlehem,^(EK) for an annual sacrifice^(EL) there involving the whole clan.’ ⁷ If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he becomes angry, you will know he has evil intentions. ⁸ Deal kindly with^[x] your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord.^(EM) If I have done anything wrong,^(EN) then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?”

⁹ “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

¹⁰ So David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

¹¹ He answered David, “Come on, let’s go out to the countryside.” So both of them went out to the countryside. ¹² “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If I find out that he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you? ¹³ If my father intends to bring evil on you, may the Lord punish Jonathan and do so severely^(EO) if I do not tell you and send you away so you may leave safely. May the Lord be with you,^(EP) just as he was with my father. ¹⁴ If I continue to live, show me kindness^[y] from the Lord, but if I die, ¹⁵ don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household—not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”^{(EQ) 16} Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,^(ER) saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.”^{[z](ES) 17} Jonathan once again swore to David^[aa] in his love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.^(ET)

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the New Moon;^(EU) you’ll be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ The following day hurry down and go to the place where you hid on the day this incident began and stay beside the rock Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows beside it as if I’m aiming at a target. ²¹ Then I will send a servant and say, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ Now, if I expressly say to the servant, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you—get them,’ then come, because as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no problem. ²² But if I say this to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you!’ ^(EV) then go, for the Lord is sending you away. ²³ As for the matter you and I have spoken about,^(EW) the Lord will be a witness^[ab] between you and me forever.”^{(EX) 24} So David hid in the countryside.

At the New Moon, the king sat down to eat the meal. ²⁵ He sat at his usual place on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat facing him^[ac] and Abner took his place beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.^{(EY) 26} Saul did not say anything that day because he thought, “Something unexpected has happened; he must be ceremonially unclean—yes, that’s it, he is unclean.”^(EZ)

²⁷ However, the day after the New Moon, the second day, David’s place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal either yesterday or today?”

²⁸ Jonathan answered, “David asked for my permission to go to Bethlehem.^{(FA) 29} He said, ‘Please let me go because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the town, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor with you, let me go so I can see my brothers.’ That’s why he didn’t come to the king’s table.”

³⁰ Then Saul became angry with Jonathan and shouted, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you are siding with Jesse’s son to your own shame and to the disgrace of your mother?^{[ad] 31} Every day Jesse’s son lives on earth you and your kingship are not secure. Now send for him and bring him to me—he must die!” ^(FB)

³² Jonathan answered his father back, “Why is he to be killed? What has he done?” ^(FC)

³³ Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan to kill him,^(FD) so he knew that his father was determined to kill David.^{(FE) 34} He got up from the table fiercely angry and did not eat any food that second day of the New Moon, for he was grieved because of his father’s shameful behavior toward David.

³⁵ In the morning Jonathan went out to the countryside for the appointed meeting with David. A young servant was with him. ³⁶ He said to the servant, “Run and find the arrows I’m shooting.”^(FF) As the servant ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷ He came to the location of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, but Jonathan called to him and said, “The arrow is beyond you, isn’t it?” ^{(FG) 38} Then Jonathan called to him, “Hurry up and don’t stop!” Jonathan’s servant picked up the arrow and returned to his master. ³⁹ He did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. ⁴⁰ Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the servant who was with him and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”

⁴¹ When the servant had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times.^(FH) Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more.^(FI)

⁴² Jonathan then said to David, “Go in the assurance the two of us pledged in the name of the Lord when we said, ‘The Lord will be a witness between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever.’”^(FJ) Then David left, and Jonathan went into the city.

David Flees to Nob

21 David went to the priest Ahimelech^(FK) at Nob.^(FL) Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?”

² David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. ³ Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”

⁴ The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread,^(FM) but the young men may eat it^[ae] only if they have kept themselves from women.”^(FN)

⁵ David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out to battle.^(FO) The young men’s bodies^[af] are consecrated^(FP) even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” ⁶ So the priest gave him the consecrated bread,^(FQ) for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence^(FR) that had been removed from the presence of the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.

⁷ One of Saul’s servants, detained before the Lord, was there that day. His name was Doeg the Edomite,^(FS) chief of Saul’s shepherds.

⁸ David said to Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword on hand? I didn’t even bring my sword or my weapons since the king’s mission was urgent.”

⁹ The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine,^(FT) whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, then take it, for there isn’t another one here.”

“There’s none like it!” David said. “Give it to me.”

David Flees to Gath

¹⁰ David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath.^{(FU) 11} But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:

¹² David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, ¹³ so he pretended to be insane in their presence.^(FW) He acted like a madman around them,^[ag] scribbling^[ah] on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴ “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? ¹⁵ Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?” ^(FX)

Saul’s Increasing Paranoia

22 So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam.^(FY) When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. ² In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.^(FZ)

³ From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

⁵ Then the prophet Gad^(GA) said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.

⁶ Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree^(GB) at the high place. His spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. ⁷ Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin: Is Jesse’s son going to give all of you fields and vineyards? Do you think he’ll make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?^{(GC) 8} That’s why all of you have conspired against me! Nobody tells me when my own son makes a covenant with Jesse’s son.^(GD) None of you cares about me^(GE) or tells me that my son has stirred up my own servant to wait in ambush for me, as is the case today.”

⁹ Then Doeg the Edomite,^(GF) who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.^{(GG) 10} Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him^(GH) and gave him provisions.^(GI) He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”^(GJ)

Slaughter of the Priests

¹¹ The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. ¹² Then Saul said, “Listen, son of Ahitub!”

“I’m at your service,^(GK) my lord,” he said.

¹³ Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son conspire against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him, so he could rise up against me and wait in ambush, as is the case today.”^(GL)

¹⁴ Ahimelech replied to the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?^(GM) He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house. ¹⁵ Was today the first time I inquired of God for him?^(GN) Of course not! Please don’t let the king make an accusation against your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant didn’t have any idea^[ai] about all this.”

¹⁶ But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

¹⁷ Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord^(GO) because they sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they didn’t tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to execute the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ So the king said to Doeg, “Go and execute the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite went and executed the priests himself. On that day, he killed eighty-five men^(GP) who wore linen ephods.^{(GQ) 19} He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.^(GR)

²⁰ However, one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar,^(GS) and he fled to David.^{(GT) 21} Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. ²² Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite^(GU) was there that day and that he was sure to report to Saul. I myself am responsible for^[aj] the lives of everyone in your father’s family. ²³ Stay with me. Don’t be afraid, for the one who wants to take my life wants to take your life.^(GV) You will be safe with me.”

Deliverance at Keilah

23 It was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah^(GW) and raiding the threshing floors.”

² So David inquired of the Lord:^(GX) “Should I launch an attack against these Philistines?”

The Lord answered David, “Launch an attack against the Philistines and rescue Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Look, we’re afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again, David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go at once to Keilah, for I will hand the Philistines over to you.”^{(GY) 5} Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, drove their livestock away, and inflicted heavy losses on them. So David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶ Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, and he brought an ephod with him.

⁷ When it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with barred gates.” ⁸ Then Saul summoned all the troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.

⁹ When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar,^(GZ) “Bring the ephod.”^(HA)

¹⁰ Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, your servant has reliable information that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me. ¹¹ Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell your servant.”

The Lord answered, “He will come down.”

¹² Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”

“They will,”^(HB) the Lord responded.

¹³ So David and his men, numbering about six hundred,^(HC) left Keilah at once and moved from place to place.^(HD) When it was reported to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he called off the expedition. ¹⁴ David then stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph.^(HE) Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.^(HF)

A Renewed Covenant

¹⁵ David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh when he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. ¹⁶ Then Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith^[ak] in God,^{(HG) 17} saying, “Don’t be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. You yourself will be king over Israel,^(HH) and I’ll be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows it is true.”^{(HI) 18} Then the two of them made a covenant in the Lord’s presence.^(HJ) Afterward, David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.

David’s Narrow Escape

¹⁹ Some Ziphites^(HK) came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t it true that David is hiding among us in the strongholds in Horesh on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ So now, whenever the king wants to come down, let him come down. As for us, we will be glad to hand him over to the king.”^(HL)

²¹ “May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have shown concern for me.^{(HM) 22} Go and check again. Investigate^[al] where he goes^[am] and who has seen him there; they tell me he is extremely cunning. ²³ Investigate^[an] all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans^[ao] of Judah.” ²⁴ So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness near Maon^(HN) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, ²⁵ and Saul and his men went to look for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. Saul heard of this and pursued David there.

²⁶ Saul went along one side of the mountain and David and his men went along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away from Saul, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.^{(HO) 27} Then a messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, because the Philistines have raided the land!” ²⁸ So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to engage the Philistines. Therefore, that place was named the Rock of Separation. ²⁹ From there David went up and stayed in the strongholds of En-gedi.^(HP)

David Spares Saul

24 When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines,^(HQ) he was told, “David is in the wilderness near En-gedi.”^{(HR) 2} So Saul took three thousand of Israel’s fit young men^(HS) and went to look for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ When Saul came to the sheep pens along the road, a cave was there, and he went in to relieve himself.^[ap](HT) David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave,^{(HU) 4} so they said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about: ‘I will hand your enemy over to you so you can do to him whatever you desire.’” Then David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵ Afterward, David’s conscience bothered^[aq](HV) him because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.^{[ar] 6} He said to his men, “As the Lord is my witness, I would never do such a thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.^(HW) I will never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”^{(HX) 7} With these words David persuaded^[as] his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul.

Then Saul left the cave and went on his way. ⁸ After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.^{(HY) 9} David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’? ¹⁰ You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave.^(HZ) Someone advised me to kill you,^(IA) but I^[at][au] took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed. ¹¹ Look, my father!^(IB) Look at the corner of your robe in my hand, for I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. Recognize^[av] that I’ve committed no crime or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you even though you are hunting me down to take my life.^(IC)

¹² “May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.^{(ID) 13} As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’^(IE) My hand will never be against you. ¹⁴ Who has the king of Israel come after? What are you chasing after? A dead dog? A single flea?^{(IF) 15} May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May he take notice and plead my case and deliver^[aw] me from you.”^(IG)

¹⁶ When David finished saying these things to him, Saul replied, “Is that your voice, David my son?” ^(IH) Then Saul wept aloud ¹⁷ and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have done what is good to me though I have done what is evil to you.^{(II) 18} You yourself have told me today what good you did for me: when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me.^{(IJ) 19} When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed?^[ax](IK) May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.

²⁰ “Now I know for certain you will be king, and the kingdom of Israel will be established^[ay] in your hand.^{(IL) 21} Therefore swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”^{(IM) 22} So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went back home, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.^(IN)

David, Nabal, and Abigail

25 Samuel died,^(IO) and all Israel assembled to mourn for him,^(IP) and they buried him by his home in Ramah.^(IQ) David then went down to the Wilderness of Paran.^[az](IR)

² A man in Maon^(IS) had a business in Carmel;^(IT) he was a very rich man with three thousand sheep and one thousand goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³ The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite,^(IU) was harsh and evil in his dealings.

⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep, ⁵ so David sent ten young men instructing them, “Go up to Carmel, and when you come to Nabal, greet him^[ba] in my name. ⁶ Then say this: ‘Long life to you,^[bb] and peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that is yours.^{(IV) 7} I hear that you are shearing.^[bc] When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.^{(IW) 8} Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a feast^[bd] day.^(IX) Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

⁹ David’s young men went and said all these things to Nabal on David’s behalf,^[be] and they waited.^{[bf] 10} Nabal asked them, “Who is David?^(IY) Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. ¹¹ Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”

¹² David’s young men retraced their steps. When they returned to him, they reported all these words. ¹³ He said to his men, “All of you, put on your swords!” So each man put on his sword, and David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David while two hundred stayed with the supplies.^(IZ)

¹⁴ One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,^(JA) but he screamed at them. ¹⁵ The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed^(JB) and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them. ¹⁶ They were a wall around us, both day and night,^(JC) the entire time we were with them herding the sheep. ¹⁷ Now consider carefully^[bg] what you should do, because there is certain to be trouble for our master and his entire family. He is such a worthless fool nobody can talk to him!”

¹⁸ Abigail hurried, taking two hundred loaves of bread, two clay jars of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel^[bh] of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.^{(JD) 19} Then she said to her male servants, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.”^(JE) But she did not tell her husband, Nabal.

²⁰ As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them. ²¹ David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. ²² May God punish me^[bi] and do so severely^(JF) if I let any of his males^[bj] survive until morning.”^(JG)

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David.^{(JH) 24} She knelt at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. ²⁵ My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name:^[bk] His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows.^[bl] I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. ²⁶ Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live—it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself^(JI) by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.^{(JJ) 27} Let this gift^(JK) your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense,^(JL) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord^(JM) because he fights the Lord’s battles.^(JN) Throughout your life, may evil^[bm] not be found in you.^(JO)

²⁹ “Someone is pursuing you and intends to take your life. My lord’s life is tucked safely in the place^[bn] where the Lord your God protects the living, but he is flinging away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.^{(JP) 30} When the Lord does for my lord all the good he promised you and appoints you ruler over Israel,^{(JQ) 31} there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”^(JR)

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,^(JS) who sent you to meet me today! ³³ May your discernment be blessed, and may you be blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.^{(JT) 34} Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any males^[bo] left by morning light.” ³⁵ Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.^(JU) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”^(JV)

³⁶ Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king.^(JW) Nabal’s heart was cheerful,^[bp] and he was very drunk, so she didn’t say anything^[bq] to him^(JX) until morning light.

³⁷ In the morning when Nabal sobered up,^[br] his wife told him about these events. His heart died^[bs] and he became a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.^(JY)

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults^(JZ) and restrained his servant from doing evil.^(KA) The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”^(KB)

Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”

⁴¹ She stood up, paid homage with her face to the ground,^(KC) and said, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”^{(KD) 42} Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.^(KE) And so she became his wife.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel,^(KF) and the two of them became his wives. ⁴⁴ But Saul gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti^(KG) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.^(KH)

David Again Spares Saul

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon.”^{(KI) 2} So Saul, accompanied by three thousand of the fit young men of Israel,^(KJ) went immediately to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. ³ Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah^(KK) opposite Jeshimon. David was living in the wilderness and discovered Saul had come there after him.^{(KL) 4} So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come. ⁵ Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner,^(KM) the commander of his army, were lying down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. ⁶ Then David asked Ahimelech the Hethite^(KN) and Joab’s brother Abishai^(KO) son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp^(KP) to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.

⁷ That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. ⁸ Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”

⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?” ^{(KQ) 10} David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down:^(KR) either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ However, as the Lord is my witness, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.^(KS) Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”

¹² So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord^(KT) came over them. ¹³ David crossed to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance; there was a considerable space between them. ¹⁴ Then David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?”

“Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner asked.

¹⁵ David called to Abner, “You’re a man, aren’t you? Who in Israel is your equal? So why didn’t you protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you deserve to die^[bt] since you didn’t protect your lord, the Lord’s anointed.^(KU) Now look around; where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” ^(KV)

“It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said. ¹⁸ Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?^{(KW) 19} Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me,^(KX) then may he accept an offering.^(KY) But if it is people,^(KZ) may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have banished me from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying,^(LA) ‘Go and worship other gods.’ ²⁰ So don’t let my blood fall to the ground far from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea,^(LB) like one who pursues a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Saul responded, “I have sinned.^(LC) Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”

²² David answered, “Here is the king’s spear; have one of the young men come over and get it. ²³ The Lord will repay every man for his righteousness^(LD) and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.^{(LE) 24} Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable^(LF) and rescue me from all trouble.”^(LG)

²⁵ Saul said to him, “You are blessed, my son David. You will certainly do great things and will also prevail.”^(LH) Then David went on his way, and Saul returned home.^(LI)

David Flees to Ziklag

27 David said to himself, “One of these days I’ll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines.^(LJ) Then Saul will give up searching for me everywhere in Israel, and I’ll escape from him.” ² So David set out with his six hundred men^(LK) and went over to Achish son of Maoch,^(LL) the king of Gath. ³ David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each man had his family with him,^(LM) and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel,^(LN) Nabal’s widow. ⁴ When it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

⁵ Now David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” ⁶ That day Achish gave Ziklag^(LO) to him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today. ⁷ The length of time that David stayed in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.^(LP)

⁸ David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,^(LQ) the Girzites,^[bu] and the Amalekites.^(LR) From ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur^(LS) as far as the land of Egypt. ⁹ Whenever David attacked the land, he did not leave a single person alive, either man or woman, but he took flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, and clothing.^(LT) Then he came back to Achish, ¹⁰ who inquired, “Where did you raid today?” ^[bv](LU)

David replied, “The south country of Judah,” “The south country of the Jerahmeelites,”^(LV) or “The south country of the Kenites.”^(LW)

¹¹ David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” This was David’s custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory. ¹² So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself repulsive to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

Saul and the Medium

28 At that time, the Philistines^(LX) gathered their military units into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army^[bw] with me.”

² David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.”

So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”^(LY)

³ By this time Samuel had died,^(LZ) all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city,^(MA) and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.^{(MB) 4} The Philistines gathered and camped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid and his heart pounded. ⁶ He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.^{(MC) 7} Saul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.”

His servants replied, “There is a woman at En-dor^(MD) who is a medium.”^(ME)

⁸ Saul disguised himself^(MF) by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me.^(MG) Bring up for me the one I tell you.”^(MH)

⁹ But the woman said to him, “You surely know what Saul has done,^(MI) how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?”

¹⁰ Then Saul swore to her by the Lord: “As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come to you^[bx] from this.”

¹¹ “Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked.

“Bring up Samuel for me,” he answered.

¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!”

¹³ But the king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

“I see a spirit form^[by] coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.

¹⁴ Then Saul asked her, “What does he look like?”

“An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He’s wearing a robe.”^(MJ) Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.^(MK)

¹⁵ “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Samuel asked Saul.

“I’m in serious trouble,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me.^(ML) He doesn’t answer me anymore,^(MM) either through the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what I should do.”

¹⁶ Samuel answered, “Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me? ¹⁷ The Lord has done^[bz] exactly what he said through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.^{(MN) 18} You did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his burning anger against Amalek;^(MO) therefore the Lord has done this to you today. ¹⁹ The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me,^[ca](MP) and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”

²⁰ Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words and was also weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night. ²¹ The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands^(MQ) and did what you told me to do. ²² Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way.”

²³ He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them.^(MR) He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.^(MS)

²⁴ The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it.^(MT) She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. ²⁵ She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Afterward, they got up and left that night.

Philistines Reject David

29 The Philistines^(MU) brought all their military units together at Aphek^(MV) while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel.^{(MW) 2} As the Philistine leaders were passing in review with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men^(MX) were passing in review behind them with Achish. ³ Then the Philistine commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”

Achish answered the Philistine commanders, “That is David, servant of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me a considerable period of time.^[cb] From the day he defected until today, I’ve found no fault with him.”^(MY)

⁴ The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him.^(MZ) He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle.^(NA) What better way could he ingratiate himself with his master than with the heads of our men? ⁵ Isn’t this the David they sing about during their dances:

⁶ So Achish summoned David and told him, “As the Lord lives, you are an honorable man. I think it is good^[cc] to have you fighting^[cd] in this unit with me, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today.^(NC) But the leaders don’t think you are reliable. ⁷ Now go back quietly and you won’t be doing anything the Philistine leaders think is wrong.”

⁸ “But what have I done?” ^(ND) David replied to Achish. “From the first day I entered your service until today, what have you found against your servant to keep me from going to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

⁹ Achish answered David, “I’m convinced that you are as reliable as an angel of God.^(NE) But the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’^{(NF) 10} So get up early in the morning, you and your masters’ servants who came with you.^[ce](NG) When you’ve all gotten up early, go as soon as it’s light.” ¹¹ So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

David’s Defeat of the Amalekites

30 David and his men^(NH) arrived in Ziklag^(NI) on the third day. The Amalekites^(NJ) had raided the Negev and attacked and burned Ziklag. ² They also had kidnapped the women and everyone^[cf] in it from youngest to oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off^(NK) as they went on their way.

³ When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped. ⁴ David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives,^(NL) Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped. ⁶ David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him,^(NM) for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.^(NN)

⁷ David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.”^(NO) So Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸ and David asked the Lord,^(NP) “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” ^(NQ)

The Lord replied to him, “Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people.”^(NR)

⁹ So David and the six hundred men with him^(NS) went. They came to the Wadi Besor, where some stayed behind.^{(NT) 10} David and four hundred of the men continued the pursuit, while two hundred stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

¹¹ David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived,^(NU) for he hadn’t eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

¹³ Then David said to him, “Who do you belong to? Where are you from?”

“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite man,” he said. “My master abandoned me when I got sick three days ago. ¹⁴ We raided the south country of the Cherethites,^(NV) the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb,^(NW) and we burned Ziklag.”^(NX)

¹⁵ David then asked him, “Will you lead me to these raiders?”

He said, “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or turn me over to my master, and I will lead you to them.”

¹⁶ So he led him, and there were the Amalekites, spread out over the entire area, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder^(NY) they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day.^(NZ) None of them escaped, except four hundred young men who got on camels and fled.^(OA)

¹⁸ David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, and all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back.^{(OB) 20} He took all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, “This is David’s plunder!” ^(OC)

²¹ When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor,^(OD) they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, he greeted them, ²² but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”

²³ But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the Lord has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us. ²⁴ Who can agree to your proposal? The share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies. They will share equally.”^{(OE) 25} And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy^[cg] as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it still continues today.

²⁶ When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you^(OF) from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”^{(OG) 27} He sent gifts^[ch] to those in Bethel,^(OH) in Ramoth of the Negev,^(OI) and in Jattir;^{(OJ) 28} to those in Aroer,^(OK) in Siphmoth,^(OL) and in Eshtemoa;^{(OM) 29} to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites,^(ON) and in the towns of the Kenites;^{(OO) 30} to those in Hormah,^(OP) in Bor-ashan,^(OQ) and in Athach; ³¹ to those in Hebron,^(OR) and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.^(OS)

The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,^(OT) and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.^{(OU) 2} The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul,^(OV) the archers found him and severely wounded him.^{[ci] 4} Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,^(OW) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men^(OX) will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.^{(OY) 5} When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. ⁶ So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

⁷ When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news^(OZ) in the temples of their idols^(PA) and among the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths^(PB) and hung his body^(PC) on the wall of Beth-shan.^(PD)

¹¹ When the residents of Jabesh-gilead^(PE) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men^(PF) set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.^{(PG) 13} Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree^(PH) in Jabesh^(PI) and fasted seven days.

Responses to Saul’s Death

1 After the death of Saul,^(PJ) David returned from defeating the Amalekites^(PK) and stayed at Ziklag two days. ² On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head^(PL) came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. ³ David asked him, “Where have you come from?”

He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.”

⁴ “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him.

“The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”^(PM)

⁵ David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

⁶ “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,”^(PN) he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. ⁷ When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. ⁸ He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite.^{(PO) 9} Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded,^[cj] but my life still lingers.’^{(PP) 10} So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.”

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them,^(PQ) and all the men with him did the same. ¹² They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening^(PR) for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.

¹³ David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?”

“I’m the son of a resident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”

¹⁴ David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” ^{(PS) 15} Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died.^{(PT) 16} For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head^(PU) because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

¹⁷ David sang the following lament^(PV) for Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:^[ck](PW)

David, King of Judah

2 Some time later, David inquired of the Lord:^(QC) “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?”

The Lord answered him, “Go.”

Then David asked, “Where should I go?”

“To Hebron,”^(QD) the Lord replied.

² So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.^{(QE) 3} In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.^{(QF) 4} Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.^(QG) They told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”^(QH)

⁵ David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. ⁶ Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. ⁷ Therefore, be strong^[co] and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

⁸ Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army,^(QI) took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth^[cp][cq] and moved him to Mahanaim. ⁹ He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin—over all Israel. ¹⁰ Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. ¹¹ The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.^(QJ)

¹² Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³ So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.^(QK) The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”

“Let them get up,” Joab replied.

¹⁵ So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. ¹⁶ Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.^[cr]

¹⁷ The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers. ¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.^(QL) Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.^{(QM) 19} He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. ²⁰ Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“Yes it is,” Asahel replied.

²¹ Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. ²² Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?” ^(QN)

²³ But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,^{(QO) 24} but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

²⁵ The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. ²⁶ Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

²⁷ “As God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning.”^{(QP) 28} Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. ²⁹ So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning,^[cs] and arrived at Mahanaim.^(QQ)

³⁰ When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, ³¹ but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men. ³² Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.

Civil War

3 During the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David,^(QR) David was growing stronger^(QS) and the house of Saul was becoming weaker.

² Sons were born to David in Hebron:

These were born to David in Hebron.^(QZ)

⁶ During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul.^{(RA) 7} Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah^(RB) daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

⁸ Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head^[ct](RC) who belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t betrayed you to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! ⁹ May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the Lord swore to him: ¹⁰ to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah^(RD) from Dan to Beer-sheba.” ¹¹ Ish-bosheth did not dare respond to Abner because he was afraid of him.

¹² Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to turn all Israel over to you.”

¹³ David replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there’s one thing I require of you: You will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal^(RE) when you come to see me.”

¹⁴ Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”^(RF)