Historical
21 1 David fleeth to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest. 6 He getteth of him the showbread to satisfy his hunger. 7 Doeg Saul’s servant was present. 10 David fleeth to King Achish, 13 and there feigneth himself mad.
1 Then came David to [a]Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 And David said to Ahimelech the Priest, The [b]King hath commanded me a certain thing, and hath said unto me, Let no man know whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such places.
3 Now therefore if thou hast ought under thine hand, give me five cakes of bread, or what cometh to hand.
4 And the Priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but here is (A)hallowed bread, if the young men have kept themselves, at least from [c]women.
5 David then answered the Priest, and said unto him, Certainly women have been separate from us these two or three days since I came out: and the [d]vessels of the young men were holy, though the way were profane, and how much more then shall every one [e]be sanctified this day in the vessel?
6 So the Priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there, save the showbread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread there, the day that it was taken away.
7 (And there was the same day one of the servants of Saul [f]abiding before the Lord, named Doeg the Edomite, the [g]chiefest of Saul’s herdmen.)
8 And David said unto Ahimelech, Is there not here under thine hand a spear or a sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor mine harness with me, because the king’s business required haste.
9 And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the (B)valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the [h]Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other save that here: And David said, There is none to that, give it me.
10 And David arose and fled the same day from the [i]presence of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the (C)King of the land? did they not sing unto him in dances, saying, (D)Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand?
12 And David [j]considered these words, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and [k]scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is beside himself, wherefore have ye brought him to me?
15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? [l]shall he come into mine house?
22 1 David hideth himself in a cave. 2 Many that were in trouble came unto him. 9 Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 18 Saul causeth the Priests to be slain. 20 Abiathar escapeth.
1 David therefore departed thence, and saved himself in the cave [m]of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
2 And there gathered unto him all men that were in trouble, and all men that were in debt, and all those that were vexed in mind, and he was their [n]prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
3 ¶ And David went thence to Mizpah in [o]Moab, and said unto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father and my mother come and abide with you, till I know what God will do for me.
4 And he [p]brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in [q]the hold.
5 And the Prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold, but depart and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed and came into the forest of Hereth.
6 ¶ And Saul heard that David was [r]discovered, and the men that were with him, and Saul remained in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him.
7 And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, the sons [s]of Benjamin, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards: will he make you all captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds:
8 That all ye have conspired against me, and there is none that telleth me that my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse? and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth me, that my [t]son hath stirred up my servant to lie in wait against me, as appeareth this day?
9 ¶ Then answered Doeg the Edomite, (who was appointed over the servants of Saul) and said, I saw the son of Jesse, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub,
10 Who asked counsel of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and he gave him also the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 Then the King sent to call Ahimelech the Priest the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, to wit, [u]the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all to the King.
12 And Saul said, Hear now thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.
13 Then Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him victual, and a sword, and hast asked counsel of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lie in wait as appeareth this day?
14 And Ahimelech answered the King, and said, Who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, being also the king’s son-in-law, and goeth at thy commandment, and is honorable in thine house?
15 [v]Have I this day first begun to ask counsel of God for him? be it far from me, let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less nor more.
16 Then the King said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.
17 And the King said unto the [w]sergeants that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and showed it not unto me. But the servants of the King [x]would not move their hands to fall upon the Priests of the Lord.
18 Then the King said to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the Priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran upon the Priests, and slew that same day fourscore and five persons, that did wear a linen Ephod.
19 Also Nob the city of the Priests smote he with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, both child and suckling, both ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub (whose name was Abiathar) [y]escaped and fled after David.
21 And Abiathar showed David, that Saul had slain the Lord’s Priests.
22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.
23 Abide thou with me, and fear not: for [z]he that seeketh my life, shall seek thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
23 5 David chaseth the Philistines from Keilah. 13 David departeth from Keilah, and remaineth in the wilderness of Ziph. 16 Jonathan comforteth David. 28 Saul’s enterprise is broken in pursuing David.
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against [aa]Keilah, and spoil the barns.
2 Therefore David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord answered David, Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 And David’s men said unto him, See, we be afraid here in [ab]Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against the host of the Philistines?
4 Then David asked counsel of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 ¶ So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter: thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 (And when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech (E)fled to David to Keilah, he brought an [ac]Ephod [ad]with him.)
7 ¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah, and Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a city that hath gates and bars.
8 Then Saul called all the people together to war for to go down to Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.
9 ¶ And David having knowledge that Saul imagined mischief against him, said to Abiathar the Priest, [ae]Bring the Ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the lords of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? and will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.
12 Then said David, Will the [af]lords of Keilah deliver me up, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.
13 ¶ Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went [ag]whither they could. And it was told Saul, that David was fled from Keilah, and he left off his journey.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in the [ah]holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God [ai]delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out for to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
16 ¶ And Jonathan Saul’s son arose and went to David into the wood, and comforted [aj]him in God,
17 And said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee, and thou shalt be [ak]king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.
18 So they twain made a covenant before the Lord: and David did remain in the wood: but Jonathan went to his house.
19 ¶ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself by us in holds, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side [al]of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliver him into the King’s hands.
21 Then Saul said, [am]Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye have had compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, and prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he [an]haunteth, and who hath seen him there: for it is said to me, He is subtle, and crafty.
23 See therefore and know all the secret places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and if he be in the [ao]land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the right hand of Jeshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him, and they told David: wherefore he came down unto a rock, and abode in the wilderness of [ap]Maon. And when Saul heard that, he followed after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountain: and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about, to take them.
27 But there came a [aq]messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines have invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, [ar]Sela Hammahlekoth.
24 1 David hid in a cave spareth Saul. 10 He showeth to Saul his innocency. 18 Saul acknowledgeth his fault. 22 He causeth David to swear unto him to be favorable to his.
1 And David went thence, and dwelt in [as]holds at En Gedi.
2 When Saul was turned from the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of [at]En Gedi.
3 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks among the wild goats.
4 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way where there was a cave, and Saul went in [au]to do his easement: and David and his men sat in the [av]inward parts of the cave.
5 And the men of David said unto him, See, the day is [aw]come, whereof the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good to thee. Then David arose and cut off the lap of Saul’s garment privily.
6 And afterward David [ax]was touched in his heart, because he had cut off the lap which was on Saul’s garment.
7 And he said unto his men, The Lord keep me from doing that thing unto my master the Lord’s anointed, to lay mine hand upon him: for he is the Anointed of the Lord.
8 So David overcame his servants with these words, and suffered them not to arise against Saul: for Saul rose up out of the cave and went away.
9 ¶ David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, O my lord the King. And when Saul looked behind him, David inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
10 And David said to Saul, [ay]Wherefore givest thou an ear to men’s words, that say, Behold, David seeketh evil against thee?
11 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen, that the Lord had delivered thee this day into mine hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hand on my master: for he is the Lord’s Anointed.
12 Moreover my father, behold: behold, I say, the lap of thy garment in mine hand: for when I cut off the lap of thy garment, I killed thee not. Understand and see, that there is neither evil nor wickedness in me, neither have I sinned against thee, yet thou huntest after my soul, to take it.
13 The Lord be judge between thee and me, and the Lord avenge me of thee, and let not mine hand be upon thee.
14 According as the [az]old proverb saith, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not upon thee.
15 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea?
16 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between thee and me, and see, and plead my cause, and [ba]deliver me out of thine hand.
17 When David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, [bb]Is this thy voice, my son David? and Saul lift up his voice, and wept,
18 And said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rendered me good, and I have rendered thee evil.
19 And thou hast showed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not.
20 For who shall find his enemy, and let him depart [bc]free? wherefore the Lord render thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
21 For now behold, I [bd]know that thou shalt be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be stablished in thine hand.
22 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, and that thou wilt not abolish my name out of my father’s house.
23 So David swore unto Saul, and Saul went home: but David and his men went up unto the hold.
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