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David’s Successes Arouse Saul’s Suspicions
5 David went out whenever[a] Saul sent him, and he succeeded. So Saul appointed him over the men of the war, and it pleased[b] all the people and even pleased[c] the servants of Saul. 6 When they were coming back[d] after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7 And the women sang as they danced, and they said,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
but David his ten thousands!”
8 Saul became very angry,[e] and this saying displeased him,[f] and he thought, “They have attributed to David ten thousands, but to me they have attributed thousands! What more can he have but the kingdom?”[g] 9 So Saul was watching[h] David with suspicion from that day onward.
10 On[i] the next day, the evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day as usual,[j] and the spear was in Saul’s hand. 11 Then Saul hurled the spear and thought, “I will pin David to the wall.”[k] But David eluded him twice. 12 Now Saul was threatened by the presence of David[l] because Yahweh was with him, but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence,[m] and made him commander of a thousand, so he[n] marched in and out at the front of the army.[o] 14 And David was achieving success in all his ways and Yahweh was with him, 15 but when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was severely threatened by him.[p] 16 However, all of Israel and Judah were loving David, for he was going forth and marching ahead of them.
David Marries Saul’s Daughter Michal
17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife. Only be a brave warrior[q] for me and fight the battles of Yahweh.” For Saul thought, “My hand will not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, the clan of my father in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?” 19 But[r] at the time Saul’s daughter Merab was to be given to David, she was given instead to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, so they told Saul, and the matter pleased him.[s] 21 And Saul thought, “I will give her to him, so that she may be a snare for him and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time you can become my son-in-law today.” 22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in secret, saying, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. So then, become a son-in-law of the king.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke these words to David privately.[t] But David said, “Is it insignificant in your sight[u] to become the son-in-law of the king, as I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” 24 So the servants of Saul informed him, saying, “This is what David said.”[v] 25 Then Saul said, “This is what you must say to David: ‘The king desires no bride price[w] except for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the enemies of the king.’” (Now Saul had planned to allow David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.) 26 So his servants told David these words, and the matter pleased David[x] to become the son-in-law of the king as the specified time had not expired.[y]
27 And David got up, and he and his men went and struck down two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they presented the full number[z] to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife. 28 When Saul realized[aa] that Yahweh was with David and his own daughter Michal[ab] loved him, 29 Saul was threatened by David still more,[ac] so Saul became a perpetual enemy of David.[ad] 30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went out for battle, and as often as they went out, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul, and his name became very esteemed.
Jonathan Intercedes for David
19 Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants about killing David, but Saul’s son Jonathan liked David very much.[ae] 2 So Jonathan informed David, saying, “My father Saul is trying to kill you; now please take care! In the morning you should stay in the hiding place and conceal yourself. 3 I will go out and stand at my father’s side[af] in the field where you are, and I will speak about you to my father; if I find out anything[ag] I will tell it to you.” 4 So Jonathan spoke well about David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his service for you has been very good. 5 He put his life in his hand and attacked the Philistine, and Yahweh brought about a great victory for all of Israel, and you saw it and rejoiced! Now why should you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore, “As Yahweh lives,[ah] he will not be put to death!” 7 Jonathan called to David and told him all of these words. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul and he was before him as formerly.[ai]
David Has to Flee Again
8 War came again, so David went out and fought against the Philistines and defeated them thoroughly[aj] so that they fled before him. 9 Then the evil spirit from Yahweh came upon Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing a stringed instrument in his hand. 10 So Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear,[ak] but he eluded Saul,[al] so that he struck the spear into the wall, and David fled and escaped that same night.
11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard him and to kill him in the morning, but Michal his wife told David, saying, “If you do not save your life[am] tonight, then tomorrow you will be killed!” 12 So Michal lowered David through the window, and he went and fled and escaped. 13 Then Michal took the household god[an] and put it on the bed and put a quilt of goat’s hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 And Saul sent messengers to arrest David, but she said, “He is ill.” 15 So Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, so that I can kill him.” 16 When the messengers came, to their surprise[ao] the idol was on the bed with the quilt of goat’s hair at the head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and sent away my enemy, so that he escaped?” Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go, why should I kill you?’”
18 So David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 And it was told to Saul, “David is in Naioth in Ramah.” 20 So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as chief over them, then the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied. 21 So they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Again Saul sent messengers a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Then he also went to Ramah. When he came to the great cistern which was in Secu, he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” Someone said, “Look they are in Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he walked along prophesying[ap] until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They replied to him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have not been enslaved to anyone at any time. How do you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus replied to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And the slave does not remain in the household forever;[a] the son remains forever.[b] 36 So if the son sets you free, you will be truly free. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word makes no progress among you. 38 I speak the things that I have seen with the Father; so also you do the things that you have heard from the Father.”
The Priority of Jesus Over Abraham
39 They answered and said to him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus said to them, “If you are children of Abraham, do the deeds of Abraham! 40 But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who spoke to you the truth which I heard from God. This Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of your father!”
They said[c] to him, “We were not born from sexual immorality! We have one father, God!” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me. 43 Why[d] do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father! That one was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand firm in the truth, because truth is not in him. Whenever he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own nature,[e] because he is a liar and the father of lies.[f] 45 But because I am telling the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who among you convicts me concerning sin? If I am telling the truth, why[g] do you not believe me? 47 The one who is from God listens to the words of God. Because of this you do not listen—because you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered and said to him, “Do we not correctly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus replied, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me! 50 But I do not seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges! 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death forever.”[h]
52 The Jews[i] said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham and the prophets died, and you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death forever.’[j] 53 You are not greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?[k] And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself to be?” 54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 And you have not known him, but I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you! But I know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced that he would see my day, and he saw it[l] and was glad.”
57 So the Jews said to him, “You are[m] not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am!” 59 Then they picked up stones in order to throw them[n] at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple courts.[o]
The Path of the Righteous and the Path of the Wicked
112 Praise Yah![a]
Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh;
he takes great delight in his commands.
2 His descendants[b] will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 His light rises in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 It goes well for a man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his business properly.[c]
6 For he will not be shaken forever;
the righteous will be remembered forever.[d]
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, secure[e] in Yahweh.
8 His heart is sustained; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his enemies.
9 He gives lavishly[f] to the needy;
his righteousness endures forever.
His horn rises high in honor.
10 The wicked[g] sees it and is vexed.
He gnashes his teeth and becomes weak.[h]
The desire of the wicked[i] perishes.
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