Old/New Testament
22 That is how David escaped, and from there, he went to the cave of Adullam to hide. When his brothers and the rest of his family heard he was there, they went down to be with him. 2 A group gathered around him, composed of those who were in debt or who were not content with Saul or who were in trouble. Soon David was captain of about 400 such men.
3 David traveled then to Mizpah in Moab, the homeland of his great-grandmother, Ruth, to address the king of Moab.
David: Please allow my mother and father to remain here until I can see what it is that the True God has in store for me.
4 So David left his parents there, and they remained with the king of Moab as long as David remained in the stronghold.
5 David was visited later by Gad the prophet.
Gad (to David): Do not stay here in the stronghold. Leave here, and go to the land of the tribe of Judah.
So David left that place and went into the forest of Hereth.
6 Meanwhile Saul was sitting, spear in hand, under a gnarled and bushy tamarisk tree on the crest of a high hill in Gibeah. His servants were standing around him when he heard the news that David and his followers had been located.
Saul (to his servants): 7 Listen up, all you men of Benjamin. Will Jesse’s son, David, do for you what I have? Will he give each of you fields and vineyards? Will he make each of you commander over thousands or over hundreds? 8 Is that why all of you have betrayed me? None of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you are sorry for me or let me know that my son had stirred up my servant to challenge me, to lie in ambush, just as he is doing at this moment.
9 Doeg the Edomite stood among Saul’s servants.
Doeg: I saw the son of Jesse when he came to Nob to speak with the priest, Ahimelech son of Ahitub. 10 Ahimelech asked the Eternal One questions on David’s behalf, gave him provisions, and even gave him the legendary sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 So the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, and for all his family who were the priests at Nob, and they came before Saul.
Saul: 12 Pay attention, son of Ahitub.
Ahimelech: I am listening, my lord.
Saul: 13 Why have you plotted against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and speaking to the True God on his behalf, so that he should rise up to fight against me? At this moment he must be lying in ambush.
Ahimelech: 14 Which of your servants, good king, is so faithful as David? Isn’t he the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your guard? Hasn’t he always been quick to do the king’s bidding and honored in the king’s household? 15 Is this the first time I have inquired of God for David? Of course not! Do not, O king, imagine that I, your servant, or anyone in my family has intended wrong against the king, for we know next to nothing about your affairs.
Saul (to Ahimelech): 16 You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all of your family.
Saul may be truly at his worst. He fails to have reverence for God’s priests and orders them to be killed for harboring David. Not even Saul’s servants can support this horrid behavior, and they refuse to come under God’s curse by striking down His priests.
The king turned to his guards.
Saul: 17 Kill them, kill all of these priests of the Eternal because they have given their support to David. They knew he was running away, and they did not tell me.
But the servants of the king refused to attack the priests of the Eternal. Saul was furious, so he turned to one he could trust.
Saul (to Doeg): 18 Carry out my orders. Turn around, and kill these priests.
So Doeg the Edomite attacked them. That day he turned and killed 85 men who wore the priestly linen garment. 19 Then he went after Nob, the city of the priests, with his sword and utterly destroyed everything he found there—all the men, women, children, and infants. Doeg even turned his blade against the oxen, donkeys, and sheep. 20 Only Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub, escaped, and he fled to David for protection. 21 He informed David that Saul had massacred the priests of the Eternal.
David (to Abiathar): 22 I knew, when I saw Doeg the Edomite that day, that he would certainly tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of every person in your family. 23 Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. The one who seeks my life also seeks yours; you will certainly be safe with me.
23 When David heard that the Philistines had attacked Keilah, ransacking the threshing floors and stealing the grain, 2 he prayed and asked God for guidance.
David (to the Lord): Should I attack these Philistines?
Eternal One: Yes. Save Keilah, and defeat the Philistines.
David’s Men (objecting): 3 We have a lot to fear even as we sit here in Judah. Think how much worse it will be if we go to fight the armies of the Philistines in Keilah.
4 So David asked the Eternal again just to make sure.
Eternal One: Yes, defend Keilah. I will grant you victory over the Philistines.
5 So David and his men went down to Keilah and fought the Philistines, carried away their livestock, and slaughtered them. This is how David saved the people of Keilah.
6 When Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, came to David at Keilah, he had fled carrying a sacred priestly garment. 7 When Saul heard that David had gone to rescue Keilah, he was hopeful.
Saul: Surely the True God has sent David into my trap because he has entered into a city with gates and bars.
8 So Saul summoned the people to go down to Keilah and besiege David and his men. 9 When David heard that Saul was coming to attack him, he asked Abiathar to bring him the priestly vest so that he could ask the True God for direction.
David: 10 Eternal God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul the king is coming to Keilah to destroy the city since I am here. 11 Will the leaders of Keilah hand me over to save their lives? Is what I heard true? Is Saul really coming? I beg of You, please tell Your servant.
Eternal One: He will come.
David: 12 Then will the men of Keilah hand me over along with my men to Saul when he arrives?
Eternal One: They will do this.
13 So David and his followers, who now numbered about 600, left Keilah going wherever they could. When Saul heard that David had left Keilah, he gave up the chase because the trail was now cold. 14 David hid out in secure places in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph in the land of the tribe of Judah. Every day, Saul sent out spies to find him and kill him, but the True God did not allow Saul to capture or kill David.
15 While David was in the wilderness of Ziph at a place called Horesh, he heard that Saul was looking for him. 16 Then Jonathan, son of Saul, figured out where David was and went out to meet him at Horesh. Although David and his men were in a tight spot, Jonathan reassured David’s faith in the True God.
Jonathan: 17 Don’t be afraid. My father Saul will not get his hands on you today or any other day. Someday you will be king over all Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.
18 Then the two of them made a sacred covenant before the Eternal One. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan returned to his home.
19 At that time, some of the people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him David was hiding in some of the secure places at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah to the south of Jeshimon.
People of Ziph: 20 Now, O king, come down whenever you desire, and we will do our part by handing him over to you.
Saul: 21 May the Eternal One favor you for having compassion on me! 22 Check one more time to be sure; find out where he is exactly and who has seen him there because I hear that he is crafty. 23 Look around, find out all his hiding places, and come back to me when you are certain of your information. Then I will go back with you, and if he is still in the land, I will find him among the tribe of Judah no matter how many thousands of people there are.
24 They set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Meanwhile David and his followers were hiding in the wilderness of Maon, in the desert plain[a] to the south of Jeshimon. 25 When Saul and his men went to search for them, David found out and went to the rock in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 At one point, Saul and his men were on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other. David and his men picked up the pace, trying to escape, but Saul and his forces were closing in fast and hoped to capture them.
27 Then a messenger arrived and spoke to Saul.
Messenger: Come quickly! A Philistine raiding party is in the land!
28 So Saul stopped his pursuit of David and went to fight the Philistines, which is why that place is known as the Rock of Escape.
29 From there David went up and lived in the narrow canyons and cliffs of Engedi.
24 After Saul had returned from chasing the Philistines, he was told that David had gone to the wilderness of Engedi. 2 He gathered 3,000 hardened fighting men from across Israel and sought David in the vicinity of the Rocks of Wild Goats. 3 When he came to the sheep shelters beside the road, a cave was there, and Saul went inside to relieve himself. Unguarded, he was especially vulnerable to attack.
Now Saul didn’t know it, but David and his men were hiding in the recesses of that very cave. David’s guards thought it was the perfect time to strike.
It seems as if much of the First Book of Samuel is taken up with Saul trying to kill David and David escaping; and when David catches Saul in the most vulnerable position, his men urge him to kill Saul. It would be nothing more than self-defense. Wouldn’t Saul kill David if Saul caught him with his pants down? Isn’t Saul turning over every stone in the wilderness looking for David so he can kill him?
David settles for a symbolic victory—he cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe while Saul is otherwise occupied—but then he feels ashamed. If David is supposed to be king someday, God will make that happen. But until that time, who is he to bring shame on the king whom God anointed as his ruler?
The exchange between David and Saul shows both men at their best. At times, David could be a schemer; Saul’s obsession and possible mental illness could obscure the good qualities that caused God to choose him in the first place. But in this exchange, each acknowledges the other. Saul sees that David could have killed him and chose not to; for the moment, he sees the truth about their relationship. In return Saul acknowledges what he knows in his heart to be true: David will someday be the king, and not he or his sons. And as Eli did earlier, Saul here accepts God’s plan, even though it will be the destruction of his line. Saul doesn’t always keep this understanding, and he will pursue David again. But Saul has his good—even noble—qualities, especially as his time grows short.
David’s Men: 4 This must be the very day the Eternal One told you about: “Watch! I will give your enemy to you, and you will do whatever you please with him.”
David crept forward quietly and moved in so close he was able to cut a corner from Saul’s robe. 5 But immediately afterward, David felt awful about what he had done.
David (to his men): 6 God forbid that I do any harm to my lord, the one chosen by the Eternal to rule. How could I even pretend to assault him, knowing he is the Eternal’s anointed king?
7 David reprimanded his men, refusing to allow them to attack Saul. At last Saul finished and went outside the cave.
8 David followed him at a safe distance. When Saul exited the cave, David called out.
David: My lord, the king!
Saul turned around to see David bowing low, his face touching the ground to show his respect.
David: 9 My lord, why do you listen to those who say I plan to harm you? 10 Look! Today the Eternal One placed you at my mercy in that cave. I could have done anything to you, and some said I should kill you. But I refused. I said, “I will not raise my hand against my lord, the Eternal’s anointed king.”
11 Father, do you see what I am holding in my hand? It is the corner of your robe. Recognize and understand that I have not committed evil or treason against you—that I cut this off and did not kill you. I have not wronged you, even though you are hunting me and trying to kill me.
12 May the Eternal One judge between us. If the Eternal chooses to avenge me and punish you, then let Him, but I will not take revenge against you. 13 As the old proverb says, “From the wicked flows wickedness.” But I will not harm you.
14 Whom did the king of Israel come out in pursuit of, anyway? A dead dog? A lone flea? Someone as insignificant as I am? 15 May the Eternal One judge between us. May He see who has done wrong and argue my case and uphold justice on my behalf.
16 David’s voice fell silent. Saul could hardly believe his eyes and ears.
Saul: Is that really you, David my son? (weeping loudly) 17 It’s true that you are more righteous than I am—you have repaid me with good when I handed you only evil. 18 Today you demonstrated how you dealt kindly with me by not killing me when the Eternal gave you power over me. 19 Who has ever come across his enemy in such a vulnerable position and yet allowed him to go away safely? So may the Eternal reward you richly for the good you have done for me today.
20 Now I know that you will surely be king someday, and that you will establish the kingdom of Israel. 21 So swear to me—by the Eternal One—that when that time comes, you will not destroy my descendants, and you won’t wipe my name from my family tree.
22 David swore this to Saul. Saul went home, and David and his men returned to their hideout.
12 The crowds at this time were packed in so tightly that thousands of people were stepping on each other. Jesus spoke to His disciples, knowing that the crowds could overhear.
Jesus: Guard yourselves from the yeast that puffs up the Pharisees—hypocrisy, false appearance, trying to look better than you really are.
2 Nothing is covered up that won’t be discovered; nothing is hidden that won’t be exposed. 3 Whatever a person says in the dark will be published in the light of day, and whatever a person whispers in private rooms will be broadcast from the housetops.
4 Listen, My friends, if people are trying to kill you, why be afraid? After you’re dead, what more can they do? 5-6 Here’s whose opinion you should be concerned about: the One who can take your life and then throw you into hell! He’s the only One you should fear! But don’t misunderstand: you don’t really need to be afraid of God, because God cares for every little sparrow. How much is a sparrow worth—don’t five of them sell for a few cents?[a] 7 Since you are so much more precious to God than a thousand flocks of sparrows, and since God knows you in every detail—down to the number of hairs on your head at this moment—you can be secure and unafraid of any person, and you have nothing to fear from God either.
8 That’s why I keep telling you not to be intimidated. If you identify unashamedly with Me before others, I, the Son of Man, will affirm you before God and all the heavenly messengers. 9 But if you deny Me before others, you will be denied before God and all the heavenly messengers. 10 People can speak a word against Me, the Son of Man, and the sin is forgivable. But they can go too far, slandering the testimony of the Holy Spirit by rejecting His message about Me, and they won’t be forgiven for that.
11 So you can anticipate that you will be put on trial before the synagogues and religious officials. Don’t worry how you’ll respond, and don’t worry what you should say. 12 The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say at the moment when you need them.
In the kingdom of God, money is valued in a very different way. In fact, concern for money can easily turn the spiritual life into a lukewarm, halfhearted affair.
13 A person in the crowd got Jesus’ attention.
Person in the Crowd: Teacher, intervene and tell my brother to share the family inheritance with me.
Jesus: 14 Since when am I your judge or arbitrator?
15 Then He used that opportunity to speak to the crowd.
Jesus: You’d better be on your guard against any type of greed, for a person’s life is not about having a lot of possessions.
16 (then, beginning another parable) A wealthy man owned some land that produced a huge harvest. 17 He often thought to himself, “I have a problem here. I don’t have anywhere to store all my crops. What should I do? 18 I know! I’ll tear down my small barns and build even bigger ones, and then I’ll have plenty of storage space for my grain and all my other goods. 19 Then I’ll be able to say to myself, ‘I have it made! I can relax and take it easy for years! So I’ll just sit back, eat, drink, and have a good time!’”
20 Then God interrupted the man’s conversation with himself. “Excuse Me, Mr. Brilliant, but your time has come. Tonight you will die. Now who will enjoy everything you’ve earned and saved?”
21 This is how it will be for people who accumulate huge assets for themselves but have no assets in relation to God.
22 (then, to His disciples) This is why I keep telling you not to worry about anything in life—about what you’ll eat, about how you’ll clothe your body. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than fancy clothes. 24 Think about those crows flying over there: do they plant and harvest crops? Do they own silos or barns? Look at them fly. It looks like God is taking pretty good care of them, doesn’t it? Remember that you are more precious to God than birds! 25 Which one of you can add a single hour to your life or 18 inches[b] to your height by worrying really hard? 26 If worry can’t change anything, why do you do it so much?
27 Think about those beautiful wild lilies growing over there. They don’t work up a sweat toiling for needs or wants—they don’t worry about clothing. Yet the great King Solomon never had an outfit that was half as glorious as theirs!
28 Look at the grass growing over there. One day it’s thriving in the fields. The next day it’s being used as fuel. If God takes such good care of such transient things, how much more you can depend on God to care for you, weak in faith as you are. 29 Don’t reduce your life to the pursuit of food and drink; don’t let your mind be filled with anxiety. 30 People of the world who don’t know God pursue these things, but you have a Father caring for you, a Father who knows all your needs.
31 Since you don’t need to worry—about security and safety, about food and clothing—then pursue God’s kingdom first and foremost, and these other things will come to you as well.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.