Saul replied, “I saw the troops were scattering. You didn’t come when you said you would, and the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. 12So I thought, ‘Now, the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, but I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ I felt pressured into sacrificing the burnt offering.”
1 Samuel 14
Jonathan Defeats the Philistines
1One day Saul’s son Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Let’s go to the Philistine military post on the other side.” But Jonathan didn’t tell his father ⌞he was going⌟.
2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree at Migron. He had with him about 600 men 3in addition to Ahijah, the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, who was the son of Phinehas and the grandson of Eli, the Lord’s priest at Shiloh. Ahijah was wearing the priestly ephod. (Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.)
The troops didn’t know Jonathan had left. 4There was a cliff on each side of the mountain pass where Jonathan searched for a way to cross over to attack the Philistine military post. The name of one ⌞cliff⌟ was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. 5One cliff stood like a pillar on the north facing Michmash, the other stood south facing Geba.
6Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Let’s go to the military post of these uncircumcised people. Maybe the Lord will act on our behalf. The Lord can win a victory with a few men as well as with many.”
7His armorbearer answered him, “Do whatever you have in mind. Go ahead! I agree with you.”
8Jonathan continued, “Listen, we’ll cross over to the Philistines and show ourselves to them. 9If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are until we come to you,’ then we’ll stay where we are and not go up to them. 10But if they say to us, ‘Come up here,’ then we’ll go up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has handed them over to us.”
11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine troops. The Philistines said, “Look, some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in.”
12“Come up here,” the men of the military post said to Jonathan and his armorbearer. “We have something to show you.”
Jonathan told his armorbearer, “Follow me up ⌞to the military post⌟ because the Lord has handed the troops over to Israel.”
13Jonathan climbed up ⌞the cliff⌟, and his armorbearer followed him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. His armorbearer, who was behind him, finished killing them. 14In their first slaughter Jonathan and his armorbearer killed about twenty men within about a hundred yards. 15There was panic among the army in the field and all the troops in the military post. The raiding party also trembled ⌞in fear⌟. The earth shook, and there was a panic sent from God.
16Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin could see the crowd ⌞in the Philistine camp⌟ dispersing in all directions.
17“Look around,” Saul told the troops who were with him, “and see who has left ⌞our camp⌟.” They looked and found that Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the priestly ephod,” because Ahijah carried the ephod in front of Israel that day. (Greek; Masoretic Text problematic: “Bring the ark of God because the ark of God that day and the sons of Israel.”) 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew worse and worse. Then Saul said to the priest, “Remove your hand ⌞from the ephod⌟.” 20Saul and all the troops with him assembled and went into battle. They found Philistine soldiers killing their fellow soldiers in wild confusion. 21The Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before this and had been stationed in the camp now joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22When all the men of Israel who had been hiding in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also pursued the Philistines in battle. 23So the Lord saved Israel that day.
Saul’s Curse
Now, the battle moved beyond Beth Aven. 24Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his troops tasted any food. 25The entire land had honeycombs, (Or “The entire land came into the woods.”) and there was honey on the ground. 26When the troops entered the woods, the honey was flowing. But no one put his hand to his mouth, because the troops were afraid of violating their oath.
27Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father forced the troops to take an oath. So he stretched out the tip of the staff he had in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he put it to his mouth, his eyes lit up. 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father forced the troops to take a solemn oath: ‘Cursed is anyone who eats food today.’ ”
Now, the army was exhausted. 29Jonathan answered, “My father has brought trouble to the country. See how my eyes lit up when I tasted a little of this honey? 30If only the troops had eaten some of the enemies’ food, which they found today. We would have killed more Philistines.”
31That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the troops were thoroughly exhausted. 32So the troops seized the Philistines’ belongings. They took sheep, cows, and calves, and butchered them on the ground. The troops ate the meat with blood still in it. 33Some ⌞soldiers⌟ told Saul, “The troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.”
Saul replied, “You have been unfaithful. Roll a large rock over to me now.” 34Then Saul said, “Spread out through the troops, and tell them, ‘Each of you, bring me your ox or your sheep, and butcher it here, and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.’ ”
So each of the soldiers brought his ox with him that night and butchered it there.
35Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord.
36Saul said ⌞to his men⌟, “Let’s attack the Philistines tonight and take their possessions until the light of dawn. And let’s not leave any of them ⌞alive⌟.”
“Do whatever you think is best,” they responded.
But the priest said, “Let’s consult God first.”
37Then Saul asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But he received no answer that day.
38So Saul ordered all the leaders of the troops, “Come here! Find out what sin was committed today. 39I solemnly swear, as the Lord and Savior of Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan ⌞who did it⌟, he must die.” But not one of the soldiers replied.
40Saul told all Israel, “You stand on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.”
“Do whatever you think is best,” the troops responded to Saul.
41Then Saul said to the Lord, “O God of Israel, why didn’t you answer me today? If this sin is mine or my son Jonathan’s, Lord God of Israel, ⌞let the priest⌟ draw Urim. But if it is in your people Israel, (“Why didn’t you … your people Israel” Greek, Latin; Masoretic Text omits these words.)⌞let him⌟ draw Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, and the people were freed ⌞from guilt⌟.
42“Choose between me and my son Jonathan,” Saul said. Then Jonathan was chosen.
43“Tell me,” Saul asked Jonathan. “What did you do?”
So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey on the tip of the staff I had in my hand. And for that I am to die?”
44Saul said, “May God do worse things to me than are in this curse if you do not die, Jonathan!”
45The troops asked Saul, “Should Jonathan die after he has won this great victory in Israel? That would be unthinkable! We solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground, because he has done this with God’s help today.” So the troops rescued Jonathan from death. 46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines. So the Philistines returned to their own land.
Summary of Saul’s Reign
47When Saul had taken over the kingdom of Israel, he fought against his enemies on every side—against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he was victorious. 48He acted forcefully and defeated Amalek. He rescued Israel from the enemies who looted their possessions.
49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab (the firstborn daughter) and Michal (the younger daughter). 50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner. 51Kish (Saul’s father) and Ner (Abner’s father) were the sons of Abiel.
52There was intense warfare with the Philistines as long as Saul lived. Whenever any warrior or any skilled fighting man came to Saul’s attention, Saul would enlist him in the army.
1 Samuel 15
Saul Disobeys the LORD
1Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to the Lord’s words. 2This is what the Lord of Armies says: I will punish Amalek for what they did to Israel. They blocked Israel’s way after the Israelites came from Egypt. 3Now go and attack Amalek. Claim everything they have for God by destroying it. Don’t spare them, but kill men and women, infants and children, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
4Saul organized the troops, and he counted them at Telaim: 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah. 5Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. 6Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Get away from the Amalekites so that I won’t destroy you with them. You were kind to all the Israelites when they came from Egypt.” So the Kenites left the Amalekites.
7Saul attacked the Amalekites from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt. 8He captured King Agag of Amalek alive. But he claimed all the people for God by destroying them. 9Saul and the army spared Agag and the best sheep and cows, the fattened animals, the lambs, and all the best ⌞property⌟. The army refused to claim them for God by destroying them. But everything that was worthless and weak the army did claim for God and destroy.
The LORD Rejects Saul
10Then the Lord spoke to Samuel: 11“I regret that I made Saul king. He turned away from me and did not carry out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he prayed to the Lord all night. 12Early in the morning he got up to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel to set up a monument in his honor. Then he left there and went to Gilgal.”
13Samuel came to Saul, who said, “The Lord bless you. I carried out the Lord’s instructions.”
14However, Samuel asked,
“But what is this sound of sheep in my ears
and this sound of cows that I hear?”
15Saul answered, “The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to the Lord your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed.”
16“Be quiet,” Samuel told Saul, “and let me tell you what the Lord told me last night.”
“Speak,” Saul replied.
17Samuel said, “Even though you don’t consider yourself great, you were the head of Israel’s tribes. The Lord anointed you king of Israel. 18And the Lord sent you on a mission. He said, ‘Claim those sinners, the Amalekites, for me by destroying them. Wage war against them until they’re wiped out.’ 19Why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why have you taken their belongings and done what the Lord considers evil?”
20“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul told Samuel. “I went where the Lord sent me, brought ⌞back⌟ King Agag of Amalek, and claimed the Amalekites for God. 21The army took some of their belongings—the best sheep and cows were claimed for God—in order to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
22Then Samuel said,
“Is the Lord as delighted with burnt offerings and sacrifices
as he would be with your obedience?
To follow instructions is better than to sacrifice.
To obey is better than sacrificing the fat of rams.
23 The sin of black magic is rebellion.
Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance.
Because you rejected the Lord’s word,
he rejects you as king.”
24Then Saul told Samuel, “I have sinned by not following the Lord’s command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them. 25Now please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.”
26Samuel told Saul, “I will not go back with you because you rejected what the Lord told you. So the Lord rejects you as king of Israel.” 27When Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel told him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today. He has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. 29In addition, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind, because he is not a mortal who changes his mind.”
30Saul replied, “I have sinned! Now please honor me in front of the leaders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me, and let me worship the Lord your God.” 31Then Samuel turned and followed Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32“Bring me King Agag of Amalek,” Samuel said.
Agag came to him trembling. (Or “Agag came to him in shackles.”) “Surely, the bitterness of death is past,” Agag said.
33But Samuel said, “As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of the Lord at Gilgal.
34Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went to his home at Gibeah. 35Samuel didn’t see Saul again before he died, though Samuel mourned over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king of Israel.
1 Samuel 16
David Chosen to Be King
1The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I’ve selected one of his sons to be king.”
2“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears about it, he’ll kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do, and you will anoint for me the one I point out to you.”
4Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, “May peace be with you.”
5“Greetings,” he replied, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, “Certainly, here in the Lord’s presence is his anointed king.”
7But the Lord told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. (Greek; Masoretic Text “Not that which humans see.”) Humans look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks into the heart.”
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”
9Then Jesse had Shammah come to Samuel. “The Lord has not chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 10So Jesse brought seven ⌞more⌟ of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen ⌞any of⌟ these. 11Are these all the sons you have?”
“There’s still the youngest one,” Jesse answered. “He’s tending the sheep.”
Samuel told Jesse, “Send someone to get him. We won’t continue until he gets here.”
12So Jesse sent for him. He had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go ahead, anoint him. He is the one.” 13Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. The Lord’s Spirit came over David and stayed with him from that day on. Then Samuel left for Ramah.
David Plays the Lyre for Saul
14Now, the Lord’s Spirit had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15Saul’s officials told him, “An evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Your Majesty, why don’t you command us to look for a man who can play the lyre well? When the evil spirit from God comes to you, he’ll strum a tune, and you’ll feel better.”
17Saul told his officials, “Please find me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”
18One of the officials said, “I know one of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem who can play well. He’s a courageous man and a warrior. He has a way with words, he is handsome, and the Lord is with him.”
19Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
20Jesse took six bushels of bread, a full wineskin, and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. 21David came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much and made David his armorbearer. 22Saul sent ⌞this message⌟ to Jesse, “Please let David stay with me because I have grown fond of him.”
23Whenever God’s spirit came to Saul, David took the lyre and strummed a tune. Saul got relief ⌞from his terror⌟ and felt better, and the evil spirit left him.
1 Samuel 17
David and Goliath
1The Philistines assembled their armies for war. They assembled at Socoh, which is in Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. 2So Saul and the army of Israel assembled and camped in the Elah Valley. They formed a battle line to fight the Philistines. 3The Philistines were stationed on a hill on one side, and the Israelites were stationed on a hill on the other side. There was a ravine between the two of them.
4The Philistine army’s champion came out of their camp. His name was Goliath from Gath. He was ten feet tall. (Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek “seven feet tall.”) 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze coat of armor scales weighing 125 pounds. 6On his legs he had bronze shin guards and on his back a bronze javelin. 7The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of 15 pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him.
8Goliath stood and called to the Israelites, “Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and aren’t you Saul’s servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to ⌞fight⌟ me. 9If he can fight me and kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I overpower him and kill him, then you will be our slaves and serve us.” 10The Philistine added, “I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so that we can fight each other.” 11When Saul and all the Israelites heard what this Philistine said, they were gripped with fear.
12David was a son of a man named Jesse from the region of Ephrath and the city of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s day he was an old man. (Greek; Masoretic Text “he came a leader among men.”) 13Jesse’s three oldest sons joined Saul’s army for the battle. The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, the third was Shammah, 14and David was the youngest. The three oldest joined Saul’s army. 15David went back and forth from Saul’s camp to Bethlehem, where he tended his father’s flock.
16Each morning and evening for 40 days, the Philistine came forward and made his challenge.
17Jesse told his son David, “Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. Take them to your brothers in the camp right away. 18And take these ten cheeses to the captain of the regiment. See how your brothers are doing, and bring back some news about them. 19They, along with Saul and all the soldiers of Israel, are in the Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”
20David got up early in the morning and had someone else watch ⌞the sheep⌟. He took ⌞the food⌟ and went, as Jesse ordered him. He went to the camp as the army was going out to the battle line shouting their war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines formed their battle lines facing each other. 22David left the supplies behind in the hands of the quartermaster, ran to the battle line, and greeted his brothers. 23While he was talking to them, the Philistine champion, Goliath from Gath, came from the battle lines of the Philistines. He repeated his words, and David heard them. 24When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him because they were terrified. 25The men of Israel said, “Did you see that man coming ⌞from the Philistine lines⌟? He keeps coming to challenge Israel. The king will make the man who kills this Philistine very rich. He will give his daughter to that man to marry and elevate the social status of his family.”
26David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and gets rid of Israel’s disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should challenge the army of the living God?”
27The soldiers repeated ⌞to David⌟ how the man who kills Goliath would be treated.
28Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. Then Eliab became angry with David. “Why did you come here,” he asked him, “and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how overconfident and headstrong you are. You came here just to see the battle.”
29“What have I done now?” David snapped at him. “Didn’t I ⌞merely⌟ ask a question?” 30He turned to face another man and asked the same question, and the other soldiers gave him the same answer.
31What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, who then sent for him. 32David told Saul, “No one should be discouraged because of this. I will go and fight this Philistine.”
33Saul responded to David, “You can’t fight this Philistine. You’re just a boy, but he’s been a warrior since he was your age.”
34David replied to Saul, “I am a shepherd for my father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. If it attacked me, I took hold of its mane, struck it, and killed it. 36I have killed lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has challenged the army of the living God.” 37David added, “The Lord, who saved me from the lion and the bear, will save me from this Philistine.”
“Go,” Saul told David, “and may the Lord be with you.”
38Saul put his battle tunic on David; he put a bronze helmet on David’s head and dressed him in armor. 39David fastened Saul’s sword over his clothes and tried to walk, but he had never practiced doing this. “I can’t walk in these things,” David told Saul. “I’ve never had any practice doing this.” So David took all those things off.
40He took his stick with him, picked out five smooth stones from the riverbed, and put them in his shepherd’s bag. With a sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. 41The Philistine, preceded by the man carrying his shield, was coming closer and closer to David. 42When the Philistine got a good look at David, he despised him. After all, David was a young man with a healthy complexion and good looks.
43The Philistine asked David, “Am I a dog that you come to ⌞attack⌟ me with sticks?” So the Philistine called on his gods to curse David. 44“Come on,” the Philistine told David, “and I’ll give your body to the birds.”
45David told the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the army of Israel, whom you have insulted. 46Today the Lord will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And this day I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals. The whole world will know that Israel has a God. 47Then everyone gathered here will know that the Lord can save without sword or spear, because the Lord determines every battle’s outcome. He will hand all of you over to us.”
48When the Philistine moved closer in order to attack, David quickly ran toward the opposing battle line to attack the Philistine. 49Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, hurled it from his sling, and struck the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and he fell to the ground on his face. 50So using ⌞only⌟ a sling and a stone, David proved to be stronger than the Philistine. David struck down and killed the Philistine, even though David didn’t have a sword in his hand. 51David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took Goliath’s sword, pulled it out of its sheath, and made certain the Philistine was dead by cutting off his head.
When the Philistines saw their hero had been killed, they fled. 52Then the soldiers of Israel and Judah rose up, shouted a battle cry, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines lay on the road to Shaaraim and all the way to Gath and Ekron. 53When the Israelites came back from their pursuit of the Philistines, they looted all the goods in the Philistine camp. 54David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath’s armor in his tent.
55As Saul watched David going out against the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?”
Abner answered, “I solemnly swear, as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.”
56The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”
57When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul. David had the Philistine’s head in his hand.
58Saul asked him, “Whose son are you, young man?”
“The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David answered.
1 Samuel 18
David’s Love for Jonathan
1David finished talking to Saul. After that, Jonathan became David’s closest friend. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. 2(From that day on Saul kept David ⌞as his servant⌟ and didn’t let him go back to his family.) 3So Jonathan made a pledge of mutual loyalty with David because he loved him as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. 4Jonathan took off the coat he had on and gave it to David along with his battle tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
5David was successful wherever Saul sent him. Saul put him in charge of the fighting men. This pleased all the people, including Saul’s officials.
David’s Success Makes Saul Jealous
6As they arrived, David was returning from a campaign against the Philistines. Women from all of Israel’s cities came to meet King Saul. They sang and danced, accompanied by tambourines, joyful music, and triangles. 7The women who were celebrating sang,
“Saul has defeated thousands
but David tens of thousands!”
8Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. “To David they credit tens of thousands,” he said, “but to me they credit ⌞only⌟ a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom.” 9From that day on Saul kept an eye on David.
10The next day an evil spirit from God seized Saul. He began to prophesy in his house while David strummed a tune on the lyre as he did every day. Now, Saul had a spear in his hand. 11He raised the spear and thought, “I’ll nail David to the wall.” But David got away from him twice.
12Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. 13So he kept David away. He made David captain of a regiment. David led the troops out ⌞to battle⌟ and back again. 14He was successful in everything he undertook because the Lord was with him. 15Saul noticed how very successful he was and became ⌞even more⌟ afraid of him. 16Everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in and out ⌞of battle⌟.
17Finally, Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” (Saul thought, “I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.”)
18“Who am I?” David asked Saul. “And how important are my relatives or my father’s family in Israel that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”
19But when the time came to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was married to Adriel from Meholah. 20However, Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David. When Saul was told about it, the news pleased him. 21Saul thought, “I’ll give her to David. She will trap him, and the Philistines will get him.” So he said to David a second time, “You will now be my son-in-law.”
22Saul ordered his officers, “Talk to David in private. Tell him, ‘The king likes you, and all his officers are fond of you. Become the king’s son-in-law.’ ”
23When Saul’s officers made it a point to say this, David asked, “Do you think it’s easy to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor and unimportant person.”
24When the officers told Saul what David had said, 25Saul replied, “Tell David, ‘The king doesn’t want any payment for the bride except 100 Philistine foreskins so that he can get revenge on his enemies.’ ” In this way Saul planned to have David fall into the hands of the Philistines. 26When his officers told David this, David concluded that it was acceptable to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the time was up, 27David and his men went out and struck down 200 Philistines. David brought the foreskins, and they counted them out for the king so that David could become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife. 28Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David. 29Then Saul was even more afraid of David, and so Saul became David’s constant enemy.
30The Philistine generals still went out ⌞to fight Israel⌟. But whenever they went out ⌞to fight⌟, David was more successful than the rest of Saul’s officers. So David gained a good reputation.
1 Samuel 19
Saul’s Plan to Kill David
1Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officers to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan was very fond of David, 2so he reported to David, “My father Saul is trying to kill you. Please be careful tomorrow morning. Go into hiding, and stay out of sight. 3I’ll go out and stand beside my father in the field where you’ll be. I’ll speak with my father about you. If I find out anything, I’ll tell you.”
4So Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. “You should not commit a sin against your servant David,” he said. “He hasn’t sinned against you. Instead, he has done some very fine things for you: 5He risked his life and killed the Philistine Goliath, and the Lord gave all Israel a great victory. When you saw it, you rejoiced. Why then should you sin by shedding David’s innocent blood for no reason?”
6Saul listened to Jonathan, and he promised, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, he will not be killed.” 7Jonathan told David all of this. Then Jonathan took David to Saul. So David was returned to his former status in Saul’s court.
Saul Tries to Kill David
8When war broke out again, David went to fight the Philistines. He defeated them so decisively that they fled from him. 9Then an evil spirit from the Lord came over Saul while he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. David was strumming a tune. 10Saul tried to nail David to the wall with his spear. But David dodged it, and Saul’s spear struck the wall. David fled, escaping ⌞from Saul⌟ that night.
11Saul sent messengers to watch David’s house and kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, advised him, “If you don’t save yourself tonight, you’ll be dead tomorrow!” 12So Michal lowered David through a window, and he ran away to escape. 13Then Michal took some idols, laid them in the bed, put a goat-hair blanket at its head, and covered the idols with a garment.
14When Saul sent messengers to get David, Michal said, “He’s sick.” 15Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David themselves. Saul told them, “Bring him here to me in his bed so that I can kill him.” 16The messengers came, and there in the bed were the idols with the goat-hair blanket at its head.
17Saul asked Michal, “Why did you betray me by sending my enemy away so that he could escape?”
Michal answered, “He told me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’ ”
18David escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah. He told Samuel everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to the pastures and lived there.
19When it was reported to Saul that David was in the pastures at Ramah, 20Saul sent messengers to get David. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying with Samuel serving as their leader, God’s Spirit came over Saul’s messengers so that they also prophesied. 21When they told Saul ⌞about this⌟, he sent other messengers, but they also prophesied. Saul even sent a third group of messengers, but they also prophesied. 22Then he went to Ramah himself. He went as far as the big cistern in Secu and asked ⌞the people⌟, “Where are Samuel and David?”
He was told, “Over there in the pastures at Ramah.” 23As he went toward the pastures at Ramah, God’s Spirit came over him too. He continued his journey, prophesying until he came to the pastures at Ramah. 24He even took off his clothes as he prophesied in front of Samuel and lay there naked all day and all night. This is where the saying, “Is Saul one of the prophets?” came from.
1 Samuel 20
David Makes a Promise to Jonathan
1David fled from the pastures at Ramah, came to Jonathan, and asked, “What have I done? What crime am I guilty of? What sin have I committed against your father that he’s trying to kill me?”
2Jonathan answered, “That’s unthinkable! You’re not going to die! My father does nothing without telling me, whether it’s important or not. Why should my father hide this from me? It’s just not that way.”
3But David took an oath, saying, “Your father certainly knows that you support me, so he said ⌞to himself⌟, ‘Jonathan must not know about this. It will bring him distress.’ But I solemnly swear, as the Lord and you live, I’m only one step away from death.”
4Jonathan said to David, “I’ll do whatever you say.”
5David replied, “Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, when I should sit and eat at the king’s ⌞table⌟. But let me go and hide in the countryside for two more nights. 6If your father really misses me, tell him, ‘David repeatedly begged me to let him run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because his relatives are offering the annual sacrifice there.’ 7If he says, ‘Good!’ then I will be safe. But if he gets really angry, then you’ll know for sure that he has decided to harm me. 8Now, be kind to me. After all, you forced me into an agreement with the Lord. If I have committed any crime, kill me yourself. Why bother taking me to your father?”
9Jonathan answered, “That’s unthinkable! If I knew for sure that my father had decided to harm you, I would have told you about it.”
10Then David asked, “Who will tell me whether or not your father gives you a harsh answer?”
11Jonathan said, “Let’s go out into the country.” So they went out into the country.
12“As the Lord God of Israel ⌞is my witness⌟,” Jonathan continued, “I’ll find out in the next two or three days how my father feels about you. If he does feel kindly toward you, then I will send someone to tell you. 13If my father plans to harm you and I fail to tell you and send you away safely, may the Lord harm me even more. May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. 14But as long as I live, ⌞promise me that you will⌟ show me kindness because of the Lord. And even when I die, 15never stop being kind to my family. The Lord will wipe each of David’s enemies off the face of the earth. 16At that time, if Jonathan’s name (Greek; Masoretic Text omits “name.”) is cut off from David’s family, then may the Lord punish David’s house.” (Ancient scribal tradition; Masoretic Text “punish David’s enemies.” At times some scribes would alter the text when they thought it was disrespectful.)
17Once again Jonathan swore an oath to David because of his love for David. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself. 18“Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival,” Jonathan told him, “and you will be missed when your seat is empty. 19The day after tomorrow you will be missed even more. So go to the place where you hid on that other occasion, and stay by the rock. 20I will shoot three arrows from beside it toward a target. 21Then I will send out a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ Now, if I tell the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are next to you; get them,’ then come ⌞back with me⌟. You will be safe, and there will be no trouble. I swear it, as the Lord lives. 22But if I tell the boy, ‘The arrows are next to you,’ then go, because the Lord has sent you away. 23We have made a promise to each other, and the Lord is ⌞a witness⌟ between you and me forever.”
24So David hid in the countryside. When the New Moon Festival came, King Saul sat down to eat the festival meal. 25He sat in his usual seat by the wall, while Jonathan stood. Abner sat beside Saul, but David’s place was empty. 26Saul didn’t say anything that day, thinking, “Something has happened to him so that he’s unclean. (“Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.) He must be unclean.” 27But on the second day of the month, David’s place was still empty.
Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t Jesse’s son come to the meal either yesterday or today?”
28Jonathan answered Saul, “David repeatedly begged me ⌞to let him go⌟ to Bethlehem. 29David said to me ‘Please let me go. Our relatives will offer a sacrifice in the city, and my brother ordered me to be there. If you will permit it, please let me go to see my brothers.’ This is why he hasn’t come to your banquet.”
30Then Saul got angry with Jonathan. “Son of a crooked and rebellious woman!” he called Jonathan. “I know you’ve sided with Jesse’s son. You have no shame. ⌞You act⌟ as if you are your mother’s son but not mine. 31As long as Jesse’s son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Now, send some men to bring him to me. He’s a dead man!”
32Jonathan asked his father, “Why should he be killed? What has he done?”
33Saul raised his spear to strike him. Then Jonathan knew his father was determined to kill David. 34Jonathan got up from the table very angry and ate nothing that second day of the month. He was worried sick about David because Jonathan had been humiliated by his own father.
35In the morning Jonathan went out to the country to the place he and David had agreed on. Jonathan had a young boy with him. 36“Run,” he told the boy, “please find the arrows I shoot.”
The boy ran, and Jonathan shot the arrow over him. 37When the boy reached the place where Jonathan’s arrow ⌞had landed⌟, Jonathan called after him, “The arrows are next to you!” 38Jonathan added, “Quick! Hurry up! Don’t stand there!” Jonathan’s young servant gathered the arrows and came to his master. 39The boy had no idea what was going on, but Jonathan and David understood. 40Then Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy. He told the boy, “Take them back into town.”
41When the boy had left, David came out from the south side ⌞of the rock⌟ and quickly bowed down three times with his face touching the ground. Then they kissed each other and cried together, but David cried the loudest.
42“Go in peace!” Jonathan told David. “We have both taken an oath in the Lord’s name, saying, ‘The Lord will be ⌞a witness⌟ between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’ ” (1 Samuel 20:42b in English Bibles is 1 Samuel 21:1 in the Hebrew Bible.)
So David left, and Jonathan went into the city.
1 Samuel 21
David at Nob
1 (1 Samuel 21:1–15 in English Bibles is 1 Samuel 21:2–16 in the Hebrew Bible.)David went to the priest Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech was trembling as he went to meet David. “Why are you alone?” he asked David. “Why is no one with you?”
2“The king ordered me to do something,” David answered the priest Ahimelech, “and he told me, ‘No one must know anything about this mission I’m sending you on and about the orders I’ve given you. I’ve stationed (Dead Sea Scrolls, Greek; Masoretic Text “I’ve informed.”) my young men at a certain place.’ ” 3⌞David added,⌟ “Now, what do you have ⌞to eat⌟? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever you can find.”
4“I don’t have any ordinary bread,” the chief priest answered David. “But there is holy bread for the young men if they haven’t had sexual intercourse ⌞today⌟.”
5David answered the priest, “Of course women have been kept away from us as usual when we go ⌞on a mission⌟. The young men’s bodies are kept holy even on ordinary campaigns. How much more then will their bodies be holy today?”
6So the priest gave him holy ⌞bread⌟ because he only had the bread of the presence which had been taken from the Lord’s presence and replaced with warm bread that day.
7That same day one of Saul’s servants who was obligated to stay in the Lord’s presence was there. His name was Doeg. A foreman for Saul’s shepherds, he was from Edom.
8David asked Ahimelech, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I didn’t take either my spear or any other weapon because the king’s business was urgent.”
9The chief priest answered, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Elah Valley, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the priestly ephod. (Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.) If you want to take it, take it. There’s no other weapon here.”
David said, “There’s none like it. Let me have the sword.”
David at Gath
10That day David left. He was ⌞still⌟ fleeing from Saul when he came to King Achish of Gath. 11Achish’s officers asked, “Isn’t this David, the king of ⌞his⌟ country? He’s the one they used to sing about in the dances:
‘Saul has defeated thousands
but David tens of thousands.’ ”
12When David realized what they had said, he was terrified of King Achish of Gath. 13So he changed his behavior ⌞when he was⌟ in their presence and acted insane ⌞as long as he was⌟ under their authority. He scribbled on the doors of the city gate and let his spit run down his beard.
14Achish said to his officers, “Look at him! Don’t you see ⌞that he’s⌟ insane? Why bring him to me? 15Do I have such a shortage of lunatics that you bring this man so that he can show me he is insane? Does this man have to come into my house?”
1 Samuel 22
David in Judah and Moab
1So David escaped from that place and fled to the cave at Adullam. When his brothers and all ⌞the rest⌟ of his family heard about it, they went to him. 2Then everyone who was in trouble, in debt, or bitter about life joined him, and he became their commander. There were about four hundred men with him.
3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He asked the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4He brought them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was living in his fortified camp.
5“Don’t live in your fortified camp,” the prophet Gad told David. “Go to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.
Saul Massacres the Priests at Nob
6Saul heard that David and his men had been found. Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree at the worship site (Greek; Masoretic Text “at Ramah.”) with his spear in his hand and all his officials standing around him. 7He said to his officials, “Listen here, men of Benjamin! Will Jesse’s son give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers over a regiment or a battalion of soldiers? 8All of you are plotting against me, and no one informed me when my son entered into a loyalty pledge with Jesse’s son. No one felt sorry for me and informed me that my son has encouraged my servant David to ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
9Then Doeg from Edom, standing with Saul’s officials, answered him, “I saw Jesse’s son when he came to Ahimelech, Ahitub’s son, in Nob. 10Ahimelech prayed to the Lord for David and gave him food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, who was Ahitub’s son, and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. 12Saul said, “Listen here, son of Ahitub!”
“Yes, sir?” he responded.
13Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword and prayed to God for him so that he can rise up against me and ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
14Ahimelech asked the king, “But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he’s your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He’s honored in your own household. 15Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You shouldn’t blame me or anyone in my family for this. I knew nothing at all about this.”
16Saul said, “Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.”
17“Turn and kill the Lord’s priests because they support David,” the king said to the runners standing around him. “When they knew David was fleeing, they didn’t inform me.” But the king’s men refused to attack the Lord’s priests.
18So the king said to Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg from Edom turned and attacked the priests, and that day he killed 85 men wearing the linen priestly ephod. (Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.) 19He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using ⌞his⌟ sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.
20But Ahimelech, Ahitub’s son, had one son who escaped. His name was Abiathar. He fled to David. 21Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests.
22David told Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg from Edom was there that he would be certain to tell Saul. I am the one responsible (Greek; Masoretic Text “I turned.”) for all the lives of your family. 23Stay with me. Don’t be afraid. The one who is seeking my life is ⌞also⌟ seeking your life. However, you will be under my protection.”
1 Samuel 23
David Saves the City of Keilah
1David was asked, “Did you know that the Philistines are fighting against Keilah? They are robbing the threshing floors.” (A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks.)
2David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?”
“Go,” the Lord told David, “attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
3David’s men told him, “We’re afraid of staying here in Judah. How much more ⌞afraid do you think we’ll be⌟ if we go to Keilah against the Philistine army?”
4David asked the Lord again, and the Lord answered him. He said, “Go to Keilah. I’m giving you the power to defeat the Philistines.”
5David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines, drove off their livestock, and decisively defeated them. So David rescued the people who lived in Keilah.
6When Ahimelech’s son Abiathar fled to David at Keilah, Abiathar brought a priestly ephod (Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.) with him.
7When Saul was told that David went to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hands. He has trapped himself by going into a city which has ⌞a gate with⌟ a double door ⌞held shut by⌟ a bar.” 8So Saul called together all the troops to go to war and blockade Keilah, where David and his men were.
9When David learned that Saul was planning to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar, “Bring the ephod.” 10Then David said, “Lord God of Israel, I have actually heard that Saul is going to come to Keilah and destroy the city on account of me. 11Will the citizens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come here as I have heard? Lord God of Israel, please tell me.”
“He will come,” the Lord answered.
12“Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?” David asked.
“They will hand you over,” the Lord answered.
13So David and his men, about six hundred (Masoretic Text; Greek “four hundred.”) in all, left Keilah. They went wherever they could go. Then Saul was told, “David has escaped from Keilah!” So he gave up the campaign. 14David lived in fortified camps in the desert, and he lived in fortified camps in the mountains of the desert of Ziph. Saul was always searching for him, but God didn’t let him capture David.
David in the Desert of Ziph
15David was afraid because (Or “David saw that.”) Saul had come to kill him at Horesh in the desert of Ziph. 16Saul’s son Jonathan came to David at Horesh. He strengthened David’s ⌞faith⌟ in the Lord. (Dead Sea Scrolls, Greek; Masoretic Text “in God.”) 17“Don’t be afraid,” he told David, “my father Saul won’t find you. You will rule Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18Both of them made a pledge in the Lord’s presence. David stayed in Horesh, and Jonathan went home.
19Then the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah. They said, “David is hiding with us in fortified camps at Horesh on the hills of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon. 20Come, Your Majesty, whenever you want. We will hand him over to you.”
21Saul responded, “The Lord bless you for feeling sorry for me! 22Please make more plans, and watch where he goes. Who has seen him there? I’m told he’s very clever. 23Watch and learn about all the hiding places where he may be hiding, and come back to me with the facts. Then I’ll go with you, and if he’s in the country, I’ll search for him among all the families of Judah.” 24They left for Ziph ahead of Saul.
David in the Desert of Maon
David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plains south of Jeshimon. 25When Saul and his men came to look for him, David was told the news. So he went to his mountain stronghold in the desert of Maon. Saul heard about it and pursued David into the desert of Maon. 26Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, and Saul and his men were going around ⌞the mountain⌟ toward David and his men, trying to capture them. 27Then a messenger came to Saul and said, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the country.”
28Saul gave up pursuing David and went to fight the Philistines. So that place was called Slippery Rock. (1 Samuel 23:29 in English Bibles is 1 Samuel 24:1 in the Hebrew Bible.) 29From there David went to stay in the fortified camps of En Gedi.
1 Samuel 24
David Spares Saul’s Life
1 (1 Samuel 24:1–22 in English Bibles is 1 Samuel 24:2–23 in the Hebrew Bible.)When Saul came back from ⌞fighting⌟ the Philistines, he was told “Now David is in the desert near En Gedi.” 2Then Saul took 3,000 of the best-trained men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3He came to some sheep pens along the road where there was a cave. Saul went into ⌞it⌟ to relieve himself while David and his men were sitting further back in the cave.
4David’s men told him, “Today is the day the Lord referred to when he said, ‘I’m going to hand your enemy over to you. You will do to him whatever you think is right.’ ”
David quietly got up and cut off the border of Saul’s robe. 5But afterward, David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the border of Saul’s robe. 6He said to his men, “It would be unthinkable for me to raise my hand against His Majesty, the Lord’s anointed king, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7So David stopped his men by saying this to them and didn’t let them attack Saul.
Saul left the cave and went out onto the road. 8Later, David got up, left the cave, and called to Saul, “Your Majesty!” When Saul looked back, David knelt down with his face touching the ground. 9David asked Saul, “Why do you listen to rumors that I am trying to harm you? 10Today you saw how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you, I spared you, saying, ‘I will not raise my hand against Your Majesty because you are the Lord’s anointed.’ 11My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! Since I cut off the border of your robe and didn’t kill you, you should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you, but you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life. 12May the Lord decide between you and me. May the Lord take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you. 13It’s like people used to say long ago, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ But I will not lay a hand on you. 14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? One flea? 15So the Lord must be the judge. He will decide between you and me. He will watch and take my side in ⌞this⌟ matter and set me free from you.”
16When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, my servant David?” and Saul cried loudly. 17He told David, “You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly. 18Today you have proved how good you’ve been to me. When the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me. 19When a person finds an enemy, does he send him away unharmed? The Lord will repay you completely for what you did for me today. 20Now I know that you certainly will rule as king, and under your guidance the kingdom of Israel will prosper. 21Swear an oath to the Lord for me that you will not wipe out my descendants or destroy my name in my father’s family.”
22So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went home, and David and his men went to their fortified camp.
1 Samuel 25
Samuel Dies
1Samuel died, and all Israel gathered to mourn for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went to the desert of Paran.
David, Nabal, and Abigail
2Now, there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very rich man. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was sensible and beautiful, but he was harsh and mean. He was a descendant of Caleb.
4While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5So David sent ten young men and told them, “Go to Carmel, visit Nabal, and greet him for me. 6Say to him, ‘May you live ⌞long⌟! May you, your home, and all you have prosper! 7I hear that your sheepshearers are with you. Your shepherds have been with us, ⌞and⌟ we have not mistreated them. Nothing of theirs has been missing as long as they’ve been in Carmel. 8Ask your young men, and let them tell you. Be kind to my young men, since we have come on a special occasion. Please give us and your son David anything you can ⌞spare⌟.’ ”
9When David’s young men came to Nabal, they repeated all of this to him for David, and then they waited.
10“Who is David?” Nabal answered David’s servants. “Who is Jesse’s son? So many servants nowadays are leaving their masters. 11Should I take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to men coming from who knows where?”
12David’s young men returned and told him all this.
13“Each of you put on your swords!” David told his men. And everyone, including David, put on his sword. About four hundred men went with David, while two hundred men stayed with the supplies.
14One of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master, who yelled at them. 15Those men were very good to us. They didn’t mistreat us, and we found that nothing was missing wherever we went with them when we were in the fields. 16They were a wall protecting us day and night as long as we were watching the sheep near them. 17Now, consider what you should do because our master and his whole household are doomed. And he’s such a worthless man that it’s useless to talk to him.”
18So Abigail quickly took 200 loaves of bread, 2 full wineskins, 5 butchered sheep, a bushel of roasted grain, 100 bunches of raisins, and 200 fig cakes and loaded them on donkeys. 19“Go on ahead,” she told her young men, “and I’ll follow you.” But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal about it.
20She was riding on her donkey down a hidden mountain path when she met David and his men coming toward her. 21David had thought, “I guarded this man’s stuff in the desert for nothing! Not one of his possessions was missing. Yet, he has paid me back with evil when I was good to him. 22May God punish me (Greek; Masoretic Text “To David’s enemies.”) if I leave even one of his men (Hebrew uses a coarse term for “men” here and at verse 34.) alive in the morning.”
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got down from her donkey. She immediately bowed down in front of David with her face touching the ground. 24After she bowed at his feet, she said, “Sir, let me be held responsible for this wrong. Please let me speak with you. Please listen to my words. 25You shouldn’t take this worthless person Nabal seriously. He is like his name. His name is Nabal [Godless Fool], and he’s foolish. But I didn’t see the young men you sent.
26“The Lord has kept you from spilling innocent blood and from getting a victory by your own efforts. Now, sir, I solemnly swear, as the Lord and you live, may your enemies and those who are trying to harm you end up like Nabal. 27Here is a gift I am bringing to you. May it be given to the young men who are in your service. 28Please forgive my offense. The Lord will certainly give you, sir, a lasting dynasty, because you are fighting the Lord’s battles. May evil never be found in you as long as you live. 29Even though someone pursued you and sought your life, your life is wrapped in the bundle of life which comes from the Lord your God. But he will dispose of the lives of your enemies like stones thrown from a sling. 30When the Lord does all the good he promised and makes you ruler of Israel, 31you shouldn’t have a troubled conscience because you spilled blood for no good reason and claimed your own victory. When the Lord has given you success, remember me.”
32David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me. 33May your good judgment be blessed. Also, may you be blessed for keeping me from slaughtering people today and from getting a victory by my own efforts. 34But I solemnly swear—as the Lord God of Israel, who has kept me from harming you, lives—if you hadn’t come to meet me quickly, Nabal certainly wouldn’t have had one of his men left at dawn.”
35Then David accepted what she brought him and told her, “Go home in peace. I’ve listened to what you’ve said and granted your request.”
36When Abigail came to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his home. It was like a king’s banquet. He was in a good mood and very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything until dawn. 37But in the morning, when the effects of the wine had worn off, his wife told him what had happened. Nabal’s heart failed, and he could not move. 38About ten days later the Lord made him even more sick, and Nabal died.
39When David heard Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who defended me against the insults of Nabal and kept me from doing wrong. The Lord has turned Nabal’s own wickedness back on him.”
Then David sent men ⌞on his behalf⌟ to propose marriage to Abigail. 40When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they told her, “David has sent us to you so that we can take you to him to be his wife.”
41She bowed down with her face touching the ground. “I am ready to serve,” she said. “I am ready to wash the feet of my master’s servants.” 42Then Abigail quickly got up and rode on a donkey with five of her female servants following her. So she went with David’s messengers and became his wife.
43David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. Both she and Abigail were his wives. 44Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti, Laish’s son, who was from Gallim.
1 Samuel 26
Saul’s Final Pursuit of David
1The people of Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah. “David is hiding at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon,” they said.
2Saul went to the desert of Ziph, taking with him 3,000 of Israel’s best-trained men to search for David. 3Saul camped by the road at the hill of Hachilah near Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he realized Saul had come to the desert for him, 4David sent spies to confirm that Saul had arrived.
5Then David went to the place where Saul had camped. David saw the place where Saul and Ner’s son Abner, the commander of the army, were lying. Saul was lying in the camp, and the troops were camped around him.
6David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, who was Zeruiah’s son and Joab’s brother, “Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?”
Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
7So David and Abishai went among ⌞Saul’s⌟ troops that night. Saul was lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8Abishai said to David, “Today God has turned your enemy over to you. Please let me nail him to the ground with one stab of the spear. I won’t have to do it twice!”
9“Don’t kill him!” David told Abishai. “No one has ever attacked the Lord’s anointed king and remained free of guilt. 10I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” David added, “the Lord will strike him. Either his time will come when he’ll die ⌞naturally⌟, or he’ll go into battle and be swept away. 11It would be unthinkable for me to attack the Lord’s anointed king. But please take that spear near his head and that jar of water, and let’s go.”
12David took the spear and the jar of water near Saul’s head, and they left. All of them were asleep. No one saw them, knew about it, or woke up. The Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13David went over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away. (There was a wide space between them.) 14Then David called to the troops and to Ner’s son Abner. “Won’t you answer, Abner?” he asked.
“Who is calling the king?” Abner asked.
15David asked Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Is there anyone like you in Israel? Then why didn’t you guard your master, the king? Someone came to kill His Royal Majesty. 16What you’ve done isn’t good. I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you are dead men. You didn’t guard your master, the Lord’s anointed king. Look at the king’s spear and the jar of water that were near his head.”
17Saul recognized David’s voice. “Is that your voice, my servant David?” he asked.
“It is my voice, Your Royal Majesty,” David answered. 18“Why are you pursuing me?” he added. “What have I done? What crime have I committed? 19Your Majesty, please listen to my words. If the Lord has turned you against me, let him be satisfied with an offering. But if mere mortals ⌞have turned you against me⌟, let them be cursed by the Lord. They have prevented me from having a share of the Lord’s inheritance. ‘Go and serve other gods,’ they tell me. 20Don’t let my blood fall to the ground, away from the Lord’s presence. The king of Israel has come to search for one flea like someone hunting a partridge in the hills.”
21“My servant David,” Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back. I will not harm you again, because you valued my life today. I’ve acted like a fool and made a terrible mistake.”
22David responded, “Here’s the king’s spear. One of the young men should come over and get it. 23The Lord will reward any person who is righteous and faithful. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to attack the Lord’s anointed king. 24As I placed great value on your life today, may the Lord place great value on my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
25Then Saul said, “Blessed are you, my servant David. You will accomplish many things and certainly will succeed.”
So David went his way, while Saul returned home.
1 Samuel 27
David at Ziklag
1David said to himself, “One of these days Saul will sweep me away. The best thing for me to do is to make sure that I escape to Philistine territory. Then Saul will give up looking all over Israel for me, and I’ll escape from him.” 2So David went with his 600 men to King Achish of Gath, Moach’s son. 3David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each one had his family, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. 4When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he didn’t search for him anymore.
5David said to Achish, “If you will permit me, let me have a place in one of the outlying towns so that I can live there. Why should I live in the royal city with you?” 6So Achish immediately gave him Ziklag. (This is why Ziklag still belongs to the kings of Judah today.)
7David stayed in Philistine territory for one year and four months. 8Then David and his men went to raid the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (They lived in the territory which extends from Telaim (Greek; Masoretic Text “lived in the country for a long time.”) to Shur and Egypt.) 9Whenever David attacked the territory, he left no man or woman alive. He also took sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing and returned to Achish.
10Achish would ask, “Whom did you raid today?” (Dead Sea Scrolls, Greek; Masoretic Text “Did you raid today?”)
And David would answer, “the Negev in Judah,” or “the portion of the Negev where the descendants of Jerahmeel live,” or “the portion of the Negev where the Kenites live.” 11He did not bring a single man or woman back to Gath alive. He thought, “They could tell Achish what I ⌞really⌟ did.” This was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12And Achish believed David. Achish thought, “He has definitely made his own people in Israel despise him. He’ll be my servant from now on.”
1 Samuel 28
1At that time the Philistines had gathered their army to fight against Israel. Then Achish said to David, “You need to know that you and your men will be going with me into battle.”
2“Very well,” David responded to Achish, “you will then know what I can do.”
“Very well,” Achish told David, “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”
Saul’s Sin—the Occult
3Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his hometown Ramah. (Saul had rid the land of mediums and psychics.)
4The Philistines assembled and camped in Shunem. Saul also assembled the whole Israelite army, and they camped at Gilboa. 5When Saul looked at the Philistine army, he was very afraid—terrified. 6He prayed to the Lord, but the Lord didn’t answer him through dreams, the Urim, (The Urim and Thummim were used by the chief priest to determine God’s answer to questions.) or prophets. 7Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who conjures up the dead. Then I’ll go to her and ask for her services.”
His officers told him, “There is a woman at Endor who conjures up the dead.”
8After disguising himself by putting on other clothes, Saul left with two men and came to the woman that night. He said to her, “Please consult with a dead person for me. Conjure up the person I request.”
9The woman told him, “You know that Saul rid the land of mediums and psychics. Why are you trying to trap me and have me killed?”
10But Saul took an oath in the Lord’s name, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you will not be harmed if you do this.”
11“Whom should I conjure up for you?” the woman asked.
“Conjure up Samuel for me,” he answered.
12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly and asked, “Why did you deceive me? You’re Saul!”
13“Don’t be afraid,” the king said to her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god rising from the ground,” the woman answered.
14“In what form?” he asked her.
She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew it was Samuel. Saul knelt down with his face touching the ground.
15Samuel asked Saul, “Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?”
Saul answered, “I’m in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn’t answer me anymore—either by the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what to do.”
16Samuel said, “Why are you asking me when the Lord has turned against you and become your enemy? 17The Lord has done to you ⌞exactly⌟ what he spoke through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hands and given it to your fellow Israelite David. 18The Lord is doing this to you today because you didn’t listen to him or unleash his burning anger on Amalek. 19For the same reasons the Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And then the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”
20Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was frightened by Samuel’s words. He also had no strength left, because he hadn’t eaten anything all day or all night. 21The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was terrified. “I listened to you,” she told him, “and I took my life in my hands when I did what you told me to do. 22Now please listen to me. I will serve you something to eat. Eat it so that you will have strength when you leave.”
23But he refused. “I don’t want to eat,” he said. Nevertheless, his officers and the woman kept urging (Greek; Masoretic Text “the woman broke through.”) him until he listened to them. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24The woman immediately butchered a fattened calf that she owned. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread. 25Then she served it to Saul and his officers. They ate and left that ⌞same⌟ night.
1 Samuel 29
The Philistines Reject David
1The Philistines assembled their whole army at Aphek, and Israel camped at the spring in Jezreel. 2The Philistine leaders were marching by with their companies and regiments. David and his men were marching in the rear with Achish.
3The Philistine officers asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”
Achish asked the Philistine officers, “Isn’t this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me now for a year or two? I’ve found nothing wrong with him from the day he defected until now.”
4But the Philistine officers were angry with Achish. “Send the man back,” the Philistine officers told him. “Return him to the place you assigned him. He shouldn’t go with us into battle. He shouldn’t ⌞be allowed to⌟ become our enemy during the battle. Is this man going to try to regain his master’s favor? He’ll do it with the lives of our men! 5Isn’t this David of whom people sing in dances:
‘Saul has defeated thousands
but David tens of thousands’?”
6Then Achish called David and told him, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, you are a dependable man. I consider your campaigning with me a good thing, because I’ve never found anything wrong with you from the day you came to me until now. But the rulers don’t approve of you. 7So leave peacefully without doing anything to displease the Philistine rulers.”
8“What have I done?” David asked Achish. “What have you learned about me from the time I came to you until now? Why shouldn’t I fight your enemies, Your Majesty?”
9Achish answered David, “I admit that in my judgment you’re as good as God’s Messenger. However, the Philistine officers said, ‘He shouldn’t go into battle with us.’ 10Get up early in the morning with Saul’s servants who came with you, and go to the place I have assigned to you. Don’t worry about the unkind words, because I still approve of you. (“and go … approve of you” Greek; Masoretic Text omits these words.) Get up in the morning, and leave when it’s light.”
11Early the next morning David and his men returned to Philistine territory, while the Philistines went to Jezreel.
1 Samuel 30
David Defeats the Amalekites
1Two days later, when David and his men came to Ziklag, the Amalekites had raided the Negev, including Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it. 2Although they captured the young and old women who were there, they killed no one. Instead, they had taken ⌞the women and other prisoners⌟ and gone away. 3By the time David and his men came to the town, it had been burned down, and their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 4Then David and his men cried loudly until they didn’t have the strength to cry anymore. 5The Amalekites also captured David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. 6David was in great distress because the people in their bitterness said he should be stoned. (They were thinking of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.)
7David told the priest Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the priestly ephod.” (Ephod is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.) So Abiathar brought David the ephod.
8Then David asked the Lord, “Should I pursue these troops? Will I catch up with them?”
“Pursue them,” the Lord told him. “You will certainly catch up with them and rescue the captives.”
9So David and his 600 men went to the Besor Valley, where some were left behind. 10David and 400 men went in pursuit, while 200 men who were too exhausted to cross the Besor Valley stayed behind.
11David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and took him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink. 12They gave him a slice of fig cake and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived. (He hadn’t eaten any food or drunk any water for three whole days.) 13David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where do you come from?”
“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” the young man answered. “My master left me behind because I got sick three days ago. 14We raided the portion of the Negev where the Cherethites live, the territory of Judah, the portion of the Negev where Caleb settled, and we burned down Ziklag.”
15“Will you lead me to these troops?” David asked him.
He answered, “Take an oath in front of God that you won’t kill me or hand me over to my master, and I’ll lead you to these troops.”
16The Egyptian led him ⌞to them⌟. They were spread out all over the land, eating, and drinking. They were celebrating because they had taken so much loot from Philistine territory and from the land of Judah. 17From dawn until evening the next day, David attacked them. No one escaped except 400 young men who rode away on camels. 18David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19Nothing was missing—young or old, sons or daughters, the loot or anything else they had taken with them. David brought back everything. 20He took all the sheep and the cattle. His men drove the animals ahead of him and said, “This is David’s loot.”
21David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had stayed in the Besor Valley. They came to meet David and the people with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them. 22Then every wicked and worthless man who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, they shouldn’t be given any of the loot we recovered. Each of them should take only his wife and children and leave.”
23But David said, “My brothers, don’t do that with the things which the Lord has given us. He has protected us and handed the troops that attacked us over to us. 24Besides, who is going to pay attention to what you have to say in this matter? Certainly, the share of those who go into battle must be like the share of those who stay with the supplies. They will all share alike.” 25From that time on he made this a rule and a custom in Israel as it is to this day.
26When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah. He said, “Here is a gift for you from the loot ⌞taken from⌟ the Lord’s enemies.” 27There were shares for those in Bethel, Ramoth in the Negev, Jattir, 28Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29Racal, the cities belonging to the Jerahmeelites, the cities belonging to the Kenites, 30Hormah, Borashan, Athach, 31Hebron, and to all the places David and his men visited from time to time.
1 Samuel 31
The Death of Saul
(1 Chronicles 10:1–14)
1When the Philistines were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and were killed in battle on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines caught up to Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. 3The heaviest fighting was against Saul. When the archers got him in their range, he was badly wounded by them.
4Saul told his armorbearer, “Draw your sword! Stab me, or these godless men will come, stab me, and make fun of me.” But his armorbearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5When the armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that day.
7When the people of Israel on the other side of the valley and across the Jordan River saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities. So the Philistines came to live in these cities.
8The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. 9They cut off his head and stripped off his armor. Then they sent men throughout Philistine territory to tell the people this good news in their idols’ temples. 10They put his armor in the temple of their goddesses—the Asherahs—and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth Shan.
11When the people living in Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12all the fighting men marched all night and took the dead bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan. They came back to Jabesh and burned the bodies there. 13They took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted seven days.