1 Samuel 13:1-30:7

New Catholic Bible

The Reign of Saul and the Introduction of David

Chapter 13

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice. ¹ Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he ruled over Israel for forty-two years. ² Saul chose three thousand of the men of Israel for himself. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash in the hill country of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah in Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their homes.

³ Jonathan attacked an outpost of the Philistines at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Saul had trumpets blown all throughout the land and proclaimed, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ All of Israel heard the report: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become abhorrent to the Philistines.” The people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines were assembled to fight against Israel. They had thirty thousand chariots,^[a] six thousand charioteers, and so many men that they seemed like the sand on the shore of the sea. They went up and camped outside of Michmash, to the east of Beth-haven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble for the people were being hard pressed, they hid themselves in caves, in thickets, among the rocks, in cellars, and in cisterns. ⁷ Some Hebrews even crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul was still in Gilgal, and all of the people who were following him trembled with fear. ⁸ He waited for seven days, the time period that Samuel had established, and yet Samuel had not yet arrived. The people began to drift away. ^9 [b]So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offerings and the peace offerings,” and he offered up the burnt offerings. ¹⁰ Just as he finished offering up the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him. ¹¹ Samuel asked him, “What have you done?” Saul answered, “I did it because the people were drifting away from me, and you had not arrived at the established time, and the Philistines were assembled at Michmash. ¹² I thought, ‘The Philistines are coming down against me at Gilgal, and I have not yet made entreaty to the Lord.’ I felt compelled to offer up a burnt offering.”

¹³ Samuel responded to Saul, “You have acted foolheartedly, you have not observed the command of the Lord, your God. If you had, the Lord would have established your reign over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your reign shall not endure because you have not observed what the Lord commanded you. The Lord has sought a man after his own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as leader over his people.”

¹⁵ Preparations for War. Samuel got up and left Gilgal for Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted those who were with him, and there were around six hundred men. ¹⁶ Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were with him stayed in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped outside of Michmash.

¹⁷ Raiders went out from the camp in Michmash in three groups. One went toward Ophrah into the land of Shual, ¹⁸ another went toward Beth-horon, and the third went toward the border that lay over the Valley of Zeboim near the desert.

¹⁹ There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel for the Philistines had reasoned, “Otherwise the Hebrews might make swords or spears.” ²⁰ So all of the Israelites had to travel down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, their hoes, their axes, and their sickles sharpened. ²¹ The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and hoes, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and pointing the goads.^{[c] 22} This is why on the day of the battle not a sword or a spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and Jonathan, his son, had them. ²³ Now a force of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

Chapter 14

Jonathan Defeats the Philistines.^{[d] 1} One day Jonathan, Saul’s son, said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let us cross over to the other side to that outpost of Philistines,” but he did not tell his father.

² Saul had remained in the upper part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree that is in Migron. There were around six hundred men with him. ³ Abijah, the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, was the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, and he wore an ephod. Now, the people did not know that Jonathan had left.

⁴ Along the passes through which Jonathan was traveling to go over to the Philistine outpost, there was a rocky cliff on one side and there was a rocky cliff on the other side. They were called Bozez and Seneh. ⁵ One of them faced the north toward Michmash, and the other faced the south toward Gibeah. ⁶ Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come on, let us cross over to that outpost of uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will be with us, for nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether it be by many or by few.” ⁷ His armor-bearer said to him, “Do what you have in mind, my heart is with you.”

⁸ Jonathan said, “Let us cross over to those men and show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say to us, ‘Wait where you are until we come over to you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go over to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come here to us,’ then we will go, because the Lord has delivered them into our hands, and this is a sign to us.”^[e]

¹¹ So the two of them showed themselves to the Philistine force, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming up out of the holes in which they have hidden themselves.” ¹² Then the men of that force said to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come over to us and we will show you something.” Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come, follow me, for the Lord has delivered them into Israel’s hands.”

¹³ Jonathan climbed up using his hands and his feet, and his armor-bearer followed him. They fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer also put them to death after him. ¹⁴ That first time Jonathan and his armor-bearer slaughtered about twenty of them, all within half the area an ox could plow.

¹⁵ The army in the fields and all the people in the outposts and the raiding parties were seized with panic, and they were shaking so much that even the ground quaked, for it was a tremendous panic.

¹⁶ Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁷ Saul said to the people who were with him, “Take stock and see who has left us.” They took stock, and Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. ¹⁸ Saul said to Abijah, “Bring the Ark of God here” (for the Ark of God was then with the Israelites). ¹⁹ While Saul was talking with the priest, the noise that was rising up from the Philistine army kept getting louder. Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” ²⁰ Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled and went into battle. There was great confusion, each man attacking his neighbor with his sword. ²¹ Furthermore, those Hebrews who had previously sided with the Philistines and who had gone up into their camp changed sides to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² When all of the Israelites who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they joined them in battle, chasing closely after them. ²³ Thus the Lord saved Israel on that day, and the fighting continued on through Beth-haven.

²⁴ Saul’s Oath. The men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul placed the people under an oath which said, “Whoever eats any food before this evening, before I have had the chance to seek vengeance upon my enemies, will be cursed,” Therefore, no one ate anything.

²⁵ All of them entered a woodland, and there was some honey on the ground. ²⁶ When they entered the woods, they saw honey oozing out, but no one put his hand to his mouth because they feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard about the oath with which his father had bound the people, so he stuck out the end of the staff that was in his hand and he dipped it in the honeycomb. He then put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

²⁸ Jonathan’s Violation of the Oath. One of the men shouted out, “Your father has put the people under an oath saying, ‘Whoever eats food today will be under a curse.’ ” By now, the people were faint. ²⁹ Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble into the land. Look how my eyes brightened up just because I ate a little bit of this honey. ³⁰ The slaughter among the Philistines has not been all that great. How much larger would it have been today if the people had eaten freely of their enemies’ plunder that they had found?”

³¹ That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very weary. ³² The people rushed upon the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and they slaughtered them upon the ground. The people ate them along with blood.

³³ They spoke to Saul saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord for they are eating food with the blood still in it.” He said, “You have acted treacherously. Roll this large rock over toward me.” ³⁴ Saul then said, “Go among the people and say to them, ‘Let each man bring his ox and his sheep to me here. They can slay them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating it with its blood still in it.’ ” Each man brought his ox there, and they slaughtered them there that night. ³⁵ Saul built an altar to the Lord. It was the first time that he built an altar to the Lord.^[f]

³⁶ Jonathan Is Saved from Death. Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night. We can prey upon them until the morning and not leave one of them alive.” They said, “Do whatever you think best,” but the priest approached and said, “Let us inquire of God.” ³⁷ So Saul sought counsel from God asking, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into Israel’s hands?” But he did not answer that day.

³⁸ So Saul said, “Let all of the leaders of the people draw near so that we can know and find out what sin has been committed today. ³⁹ As the Lord who delivers Israel lives, even if it be Jonathan, my son, that man will surely die.” But none of the people answered him.

⁴⁰ He then said to all of Israel, “You stand on one side, I and Jonathan my son will stand on the other.” The people said to Saul, “Do what you think is best.” ⁴¹ Saul then said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give me the complete truth.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen by lot, but the people escaped. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast lots to choose between me and Jonathan, my son.” Jonathan’s lot was chosen.

⁴³ Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of my staff that was in my hand. Must I now die?” ⁴⁴ Saul answered, “May God do this to me and even more, for, Jonathan, you must surely die.” ⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, the one who brought about this victory in Israel? Never! As the Lord lives, not one hair from his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” This is how the people rescued Jonathan^[g] that day, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶ Saul’s Reign Summarized. Saul returned from his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their homes. ^47 [h]Thus Saul established his reign over Israel. He fought against all of his surrounding enemies, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. He punished them on every side. ⁴⁸ He assembled an army and struck down the Amalekites, delivering Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

⁴⁹ Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malkishua. The older of his two daughters was named Merab, and the younger was named Michal. ⁵⁰ His wife’s name was Ahinoam, and she was the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, who was Saul’s uncle. ⁵¹ Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were the sons of Abiel.

⁵² There was bitter fighting against the Philistines all throughout the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw a strong or brave man, he took him into his service.

Chapter 15^[i]

Saul’s Disobedience. ¹ Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Therefore, hearken to the sound of the words of the Lord. ² Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will remember what the Amalekites did to Israel when they waylaid them as they were coming up out of Egypt. ³ Go now, and attack Amalek. Wipe out everything that belongs to them. Do not spare any of them, kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”

⁴ Saul summoned the people and counted them at Telaim. There were two hundred thousand soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. ⁵ Saul went to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the valley.

⁶ Saul said to the Kenites, “Go away, leave the Amalekites, so that I not destroy you along with them. You were kind to all of the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.^[j]

⁷ Saul then struck down the Amalekites from Havilah down to Shur which lies to the east of Egypt. ⁸ He captured Agag, the king of the Amalekites alive, but he put all of the people to the sword. ⁹ Saul and the people spared Agag, all of the best of the sheep and oxen, the fat calves and lambs, everything that was good. Yet, everything that was weak and useless they totally destroyed.

¹⁰ Samuel Rebukes Saul. The word of the Lord came to Samuel saying, ¹¹ “I am sorry that I appointed Saul as king, for he has turned away from me by not observing my commandments.” Samuel was disturbed, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. ¹² Early in the morning, Samuel went out to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. He set up a monument there for himself, so he turned around and traveled on, going down to Gilgal.”^[k]

¹³ Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “May you be blessed. I have fulfilled the command of the Lord.” ¹⁴ Samuel responded, “Then what is the bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” ¹⁵ Saul answered, “They have brought them from the Amalekites. The people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to the Lord, your God. We have totally destroyed the rest of it.” ¹⁶ Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me tonight.” He said, “Keep speaking.” ¹⁷ Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own opinion, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? Has the Lord not anointed you as king over Israel? ¹⁸ The Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites. Fight against them until they are wiped out.’ ¹⁹ Why did you not heed the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil, doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

²⁰ Saul answered Samuel, “But I did hearken to the voice of the Lord. I went on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have wiped out Agag, the king of Amalek, and the Amalekites. ²¹ The people took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the dedicated things, to sacrifice them to the Lord, your God, in Gilgal.”

^22 [l]But Samuel replied, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in heeding the voice of the Lord? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, being attentive is better than the fat of rams. ²³ Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

²⁴ Saul Asks for Pardon. Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned against the command of the Lord and against your instruction because I was afraid of the people and I listened to their complaints. ²⁵ Now, I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, so that I can worship the Lord.” ²⁶ But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you because you have rejected the word of the Lord. The Lord has rejected you as king over Israel.”

²⁷ As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed on to the hem of his garment and tore it. ²⁸ Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn away the kingdom of Israel from you today. He has given it to one of your neighbors, someone who is better than you. ²⁹ He who is the strength of Israel does not lie nor does he repent, for he is not a man that he should change his mind.”

³⁰ He said, “I have sinned. Please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so that I might worship the Lord, your God.” ³¹ Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

³² Agag’s Death. Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” Agag came before him cheerfully, for Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” ³³ Then Samuel said, “As your sword made women childless, so among women your mother will be childless.” Samuel then hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord.

³⁴ After this Samuel traveled to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵ Samuel did not go back to visit Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel mourned for Saul. The Lord regretted that he had appointed Saul as king over Israel.

Chapter 16

¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you continue to mourn for Saul, for I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and go, I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem. I have seen a king for myself among his sons.” ² But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I am going to make a sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You will anoint for me whomever I point out to you.”

David Is Anointed as King. ⁴ Samuel did what the Lord had said. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city came out to him trembling with fear. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” ⁵ Samuel answered, “Yes. In peace I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he purified Jesse and his sons, and he invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they arrived, he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely his anointed one stands before the Lord.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or how tall he stands, for the Lord has rejected him. He does not see the way that men see, for men look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

⁸ Jesse then summoned Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. He said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Then Jesse had Shammah pass by. He said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ¹⁰ Jesse made his seven sons pass in front of Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these either.”

¹¹ Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all of the children?” He said, “There is still the youngest; he is watching the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him and fetch him. We will not sit down until he has arrived.”

¹² And so he sent for and brought him. He was ruddy, with a fine and handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Rise up and anoint him, for he is the one.” ¹³ Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward, and Samuel then returned to Ramah.

¹⁴ Saul’s Armor-Bearer.^[m][n]Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit oppressed him.^{[o] 15} Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold, an evil spirit from God is troubling you. ¹⁶ Let our lord command your servants to seek out someone who is talented in playing the harp. When an evil spirit from God descends upon you, he can play and you will feel better.” ¹⁷ Saul said to his servants, “Find someone for me who plays well and bring him to me.” ¹⁸ One of his servants said, “I have seen a son of Jesse from Bethlehem who is talented at playing. He is strong and a brave warrior. He is prudent in his speech and handsome, and the Lord is with him.” ^19 [p]So Saul sent messengers to Jesse saying, “Send me David, your son, who is tending the sheep.”

²⁰ Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and he sent them with David, his son, to Saul. ²¹ David came to Saul and entered into his service. He loved him very much, and he became his armor-bearer.

²² Saul sent to Jesse saying, “Please let David be in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” ²³ Whenever an evil spirit came upon Saul, David took a harp and played it. Saul revived and he felt better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

Chapter 17

David and Goliath. ¹ The Philistines assembled their armies, and they were gathered at Socoh in Judah. They were camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the Israelites gathered together and camped in the Valley of Elah. They arranged themselves in order for battle against the Philistines. ³ The Philistines stood on one side of a mountain, and Israel stood on the mountainside facing them, with the valley in between them.

⁴ Then a champion named Goliath of Gath came forth out of the camp of the Philistines. He was six cubits and a span high.^{[q] 5} He wore a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore armor, a coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶ On his legs he wore bronze leg armor, and he had a bronze javelin slung on his back. ⁷ His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of the spear weighed six hundred iron shekels. His shield-bearer walked before him.

⁸ He stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, “Why do you not come out arrayed in battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your slaves. But if I defeat and kill him, then you will be our slaves and serve us.” ¹⁰ Then the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today. Give me a man so that we can fight each other.”

¹¹ When Saul and all of Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were dismayed and terrified.

¹² David Arrives in the Camp.^[r] Now David was the son of Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah, an Ephrathite. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was already old and well on in years. ¹³ Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul into battle. The names of the three sons who had gone into battle were: Eliab, the oldest, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the next oldest. ¹⁴ David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul. ¹⁵ David went back and forth to Saul in order to tend to his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

¹⁶ For forty days, each morning and each evening, the Philistine presented himself.

¹⁷ Jesse said to David, his son, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. Rush this out to your brothers’ camp. ¹⁸ Also take along these ten cheeses for the commander of their group of one thousand. See how your brothers are faring, and bring back news from them.”

¹⁹ They and Saul and all of the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah fighting against the Philistines. ²⁰ David rose early the next morning, left the sheep with someone to tend them, took the things and left as Jesse had instructed him. He came to the outskirts of the camp just as the army was going forth into battle, shouting their war cries. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines were lined up for battle, one army facing the other. ²² David left his things in the care of the keeper of supplies. He ran to the battle line and came to his brothers whom he greeted.

²³ As he was talking with them, Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines, came forth from the Philistine lines, and he shouted the same taunt, and David heard it. ²⁴ When all the Israelites saw the man, they ran away from him in great fear.

²⁵ Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? Surely he comes out to defy Israel. The king will give a great reward to the man who kills him. He will even give him his daughter in marriage, and he will exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel.”

²⁶ David spoke to the men who were standing by him saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”^{[s] 27} The people answered him saying something like, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

²⁸ When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking to the men, Eliab became very angry at David. He said, “Why have you come down here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know about your pride and the wickedness of your heart, for you only came down here to see the battle.” ²⁹ David answered, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”

³⁰ Then he turned away from him and spoke to another man, asking the same thing. The people answered him the same way they had before. ³¹ When the words that David had spoken were heard, they were repeated to Saul who summoned him.

³² David Accepts the Challenge. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of him. Your servant will go out and fight with this Philistine.” ³³ Saul said to David, “You cannot go out against the Philistine and fight with him. You are only a boy, and he has been a warrior since he was young.” ³⁴ David said to Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and carry a lamb away from the flock, ³⁵ I would chase after it and strike it and rescue it from out of its mouth. When it would rise up against me, I would seize it by its fur and strike and kill it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed lion and bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has defied the army of the living God.” ³⁷ David continued, “The Lord who has delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me out of the hands of this Philistine.” Saul then said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

³⁸ David Prepares for the Encounter. Saul dressed David in his own armor. He put a bronze helmet on his head and covered him with a coat of mail. ³⁹ David fastened his sword over his armor, and he tried to walk around in it, but he was not used to it. David said to Saul, “No! I cannot walk in these, because I am not used to them.” David then took them off.

⁴⁰ He took his staff in his hand, and he chose five smooth stones from out of the stream. He put them in a pouch in his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.

⁴¹ David’s Victory. Meanwhile, the Philistine drew nearer to David, his shield-bearer preceding him. ⁴² The Philistine looked David over, and he held him in contempt, for he was only a youth, ruddy, and handsome. ⁴³ The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come out to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴ The Philistine said to David, “Come over to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” ⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin. I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ The Lord will deliver you into my hands today. I will strike you down and take off your head. Today I will give the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Thus, everyone on the earth will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All of those who are gathered in assembly here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you over into our hands.”

⁴⁸ When the Philistine got up and approached David, David ran quickly to meet the Philistine in battle. ⁴⁹ David reached into his bag and pulled out a stone. He launched it with the sling and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell face first to the earth.

⁵⁰ David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David struck down the Philistine and killed him, even without carrying a sword in his hand. ⁵¹ David ran over to the Philistine and stood over him. He took hold of his sword and drew it out from the sheath. He killed the Philistine and cut off his head with it.

The Philistines Flee. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵² The men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted. They pursued the Philistines until they arrived at the entrance to Gath and the gates of Ekron. The Philistines who had been struck down were all along the Shaaraim road even up to Gath and Ekron. ⁵³ When the Israelites returned from chasing after the Philistines, they plundered their tents. ⁵⁴ David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he placed his armor in his tent.^[t]

⁵⁵ David Is Presented to Saul. When Saul watched David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Whose son is this young man?” Abner answered, “As surely as you live, I do not know.” ⁵⁶ The king said, “Ask around whose son this young man is.” ⁵⁷ When David returned after having killed the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head in his hand. ⁵⁸ Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “Your servant is the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite.”

Chapter 18

David and Jonathan. ¹ When David finished speaking with Saul, David’s soul was bonded with Jonathan’s soul. Jonathan loved him more than he loved himself. ² From that day on, Saul would not permit him to return to his father’s house.

³ Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him more than he loved himself. ⁴ Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing, and he gave it to David, even giving him his sword, his bow, and his belt. ⁵ Whatever Saul sent David to do, he did it so wisely that he placed him in charge of warriors. This pleased all of the people, and even Saul’s servants.

Saul’s Jealousy. ⁶ When David returned after having struck down the Philistine, the women came out from the cities of Israel to greet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, tambourines, and lutes. ^7 [u]As the women danced, they sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his ten thousands.” ⁸ Saul was very angry at this for the saying displeased him. He said, “They give David tens of thousands, and me they only give thousands. What else is he lacking but the kingdom?” ⁹ From that time on, Saul kept an eye on David.

¹⁰ The next morning an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied right inside of the house. David played on the harp, as he did every day. In the meantime, Saul had a javelin in his hand.^{[v] 11} Saul cast the javelin, saying to himself, “I will pin David to the wall,” but David eluded him twice. ¹² Saul feared David, for the Lord was with him, but he had departed from Saul.

¹³ Saul sent him away, giving him command over a thousand men. He would go out and come back publicly. ¹⁴ David prospered in everything he did, for the Lord was with him. ¹⁵ When Saul saw that he was very successful, he grew to dread him. ¹⁶ But Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came back publicly.

¹⁷ David’s Marriage. Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter, Merab, I will give her to you in marriage, only be a brave warrior and fight the Lord’s battles.” Saul thought, “It will not be by my hand, but let it be by the hands of the Philistines.” ¹⁸ David said to Saul, “Who am I? What is my life or my father’s family worth in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”^{[w] 19} When Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given instead to Adriel, the Meholathite, as his wife.

²⁰ Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When Saul was informed about this, he was pleased. ²¹ Saul thought, “I will give her to him so that she might be a trap for him and so that the hands of the Philistines will be against him.” Saul said to David, “You have a second chance to be my son-in-law.” ²² Saul ordered his servants, “Speak in confidence to David saying, ‘The king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. You should become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” ²³ Saul’s servants said these things to David, and David answered, “Do you think it is a light matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I am only a poor man and not highly esteemed.”

²⁴ Saul’s servants told him, “David was speaking about this thing.” ²⁵ Saul said, “This is what you are to say to David, ‘The king does not want a dowry, he only wants one hundred Philistine foreskins, so he might be avenged on the king’s enemies.’ ” Saul planned to have David fall at the hands of the Philistines.^{[x] 26} When his servants told David these things, David was well-pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the allotted time had expired, ²⁷ David went out with his men and killed two hundred Philistines. David brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, in marriage.

²⁸ When Saul saw and realized that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, his daughter, loved him, ²⁹ Saul dreaded him all the more, and Saul was David’s enemy for the rest of his life. ³⁰ The Philistine leaders continued to go out to battle, and whenever they went out, David would encounter them with more success than all of Saul’s other servants, so that his name became well known.

Chapter 19

Jonathan Defends David.^{[y] 1} Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants that they should kill David, but Jonathan, Saul’s son, was very fond of David. ² Jonathan informed David about it saying, “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning. Stay in some secret place and hide there. ³ I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are. I will speak to him about you, and I will tell you what I discover.”

⁴ Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul. He said to him, “May the king not wrong his servant David, for he has not wronged you. What he has done has only been to your benefit. ⁵ He risked his life when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all of Israel. You saw it and you rejoiced. Why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”

⁶ Saul listened to Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he will not be killed.” ⁷ Jonathan then called David, and Jonathan informed him about all these things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as he had been before.

⁸ War broke out again, and David went out to fight against the Philistines. He struck them down, slaughtering many, and they fled from him.

David Is Saved by Michal. ⁹ Now an evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, and he was sitting in his house, holding a javelin in his hand while David was playing some music. ¹⁰ Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the javelin, but he eluded Saul, and he drove the javelin into the wall. That night David fled and escaped.

^11 [z]Saul sent deputies to David’s house to watch for him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not save yourself tonight, you will be killed tomorrow.” ¹² So Michal lowered David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.

¹³ Michal took a teraphim and laid it on the bed, and she placed a goat’s hair pillow where his head would be, and she covered it over with clothes.^{[aa] 14} When Saul sent deputies to seize David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Saul sent the deputies back to look for David saying, “Bring him back to me on a litter so I can kill him.” ¹⁶ When the deputies arrived, they found the teraphim in the bed with the pillow of goat’s hair where the head would be.

¹⁷ Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me by sending away my enemy so that he could escape?” Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go or I will kill you.’ ”

¹⁸ David, Samuel, and Saul in Ramah. When David had fled and made his escape, he went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went to Naioth and they stayed there.

¹⁹ Saul heard that David was in Naioth in Ramah. ^20 [ab]He sent deputies to capture David. They saw a band of prophets there prophesying, and Samuel was their leader. The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul’s deputies, and they prophesied as well. ²¹ Saul was told about it, and he sent other deputies, but they prophesied as well. A third time Saul sent deputies, but they also prophesied.

²² Saul and the Prophets. Finally, he himself went to Ramah, and he came to the great well in Secu. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” Someone told him, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.” ²³ So he went to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, too. He walked along, prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth. ²⁴ He stripped off his clothes and he prophesied as he had in Samuel’s presence. He laid down naked all that day and all that night. This is why they say, “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”

Chapter 20

David and Jonathan’s Friendship. ¹ David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he went to Jonathan and said, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father that he is trying to take my life?” ² He answered him, “You will surely not die! Everything that my father does, whether it is important or insignificant, he confides to me. Why would my father hide this from me? It is just not so.” ³ But David swore an oath saying, “Your father knows very well that you like me, so he said to himself, ‘I will not let Jonathan know about it, lest he be grieved by it.’ As the Lord lives and as you live, there is only one step between me and death.”

⁴ So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do for you, I will do it.” ⁵ David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon celebration,^[ac] and I am supposed to dine with the king. Let me go and hide myself in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. ⁶ If your father should miss me, tell him, ‘David begged me for permission to hurry to Bethlehem because they are offering an annual sacrifice there for the whole clan.’ ⁷ If he says, ‘That is fine,’ then your servant is safe. But if he becomes very angry, you can be sure that he is plotting harm. ⁸ Deal kindly with your servant, for you have entered into a covenant before the Lord with your servant. If I am guilty, kill me yourself, why should you hand me over to your father?”

⁹ Jonathan answered, “Never! If I knew for sure that my father was planning to harm you, would I not tell you?” ¹⁰ David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father’s answer is harsh?” ¹¹ Jonathan said, “Come. Let us go out into the field.” So they went out into the field together. ¹² Jonathan said to David, “By the Lord, the God of Israel, by this time on the day after tomorrow, I will have sounded out my father. If he is well disposed toward David, will I not send word to you to let you know? ¹³ Otherwise, may the Lord do this and more to Jonathan. But if my father wishes to harm you, I will send you away so that you can be safe. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. ¹⁴ Only will you not treat me with the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I not be killed? ¹⁵ Never cease being kind to my family, even when the Lord has eliminated all of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on all of David’s enemies.” ¹⁷ Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him more than he loved himself.

¹⁸ Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is a new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹ The day after tomorrow, hurry down to the place where you hid yourself when this trouble began, and stay by the stone of Ezel. ²⁰ I will shoot three arrows off to the side of it, as if I were shooting at a target. ²¹ Then I will send a boy out saying, ‘Go and find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you. Bring them,’ then, as the Lord lives, you are safe, there is no danger. ²² But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are ahead of you,’ then go on your way, for the Lord is sending you. ²³ The Lord is a witness between me and you forever in regard to the things about which we have spoken.”

²⁴ David’s Absence. So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon celebration began and the king sat down to eat, ²⁵ the king sat in his usual place by the wall. Jonathan sat facing him, and Abner was sitting by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. ²⁶ Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, “Something must have happened to him so that he is impure, surely he is unclean.”^[ad]

²⁷ But the next day, the second day of the month, David’s place was still empty. Saul asked Jonathan, his son, “Why did the son of Jesse not come to eat yesterday nor today?” ²⁸ Jonathan answered Saul, “David begged me for permission to go to Bethlehem. ²⁹ He said to me, ‘Please let me go, for our family is offering a sacrifice in the city. My brother has told me to be there. If I have found favor with you, please, let me leave to go to see my brothers.’This is why he has not come to the king’s table.” ³⁰ Saul became angry at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman. I knew that you sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and the shame of your mother’s nakedness. ³¹ For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be stable. Send for him and bring him to me, for he must die.”^{[ae] 32} Jonathan answered Saul, his father, saying, “Why must he die? What has he done?” ³³ Saul cast a javelin at him to kill him. Jonathan thus knew that his father intended to kill David.

³⁴ Jonathan was enraged and he got up from table. He did not eat on the second day of the month because he was angry at his father for the shameful way he had treated David.

³⁵ Jonathan Warns David. The next morning, Jonathan went out into the field at the time he had arranged with David. He had a small boy with him. ³⁶ He said to the boy, “Run, find the arrows that I shoot.” The boy ran off, and he shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷ When the boy arrived at the place that Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan said, “Is the arrow not ahead of you?” ³⁸ Then Jonathan cried out to the boy, “Hurry, run, do not stop!” The boy picked up Jonathan’s arrows and returned to his master. ³⁹ (The boy did not know anything about this, only Jonathan and David knew what was happening.)

⁴⁰ Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said, “Go, carry them into the city.” ⁴¹ After the boy had left, David got up from the south side of the place, and he bowed down three times before him, face to the ground. They kissed one another, and they wept over one another, David more so. ⁴² Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord saying, ‘May the Lord be between me and you, between my descendants and your descendants, forever.’ ” He got up and left, and Jonathan went back into the city.

Chapter 21

The Priest and the Holy Band. ¹ David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech was afraid when he encountered David and he said to him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” ² David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king sent me on some business, and he said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about this task on which I am sending you or what I commanded you to do.’ I have sent my young men to such and such a place. ³ Now, therefore, what do you have at hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”

⁴ The priest answered David saying, “I do not have any regular bread at hand, but there is consecrated bread, if the young men have abstained from being with women.” ⁵ David answered the priest saying, “We have assuredly abstained from being with women these three days since I set out. The young men’s gear is consecrated even on missions that are not consecrated. How much more is their gear consecrated today.”

⁶ So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, because there was no other bread than the shewbread. The shewbread had been removed from before the Lord and taken away when it was replaced by the hot bread.^[af]

⁷ One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg, the Edomite, and he was Saul’s chief shepherd.

Goliath’s Sword. ⁸ David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or a sword at hand? I did not bring either my sword nor any other weapon because the king’s mission had to be done in haste.” ⁹ The priest answered, “The sword of Goliath, the Philistine whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod.^[ag] If you want it, take it, because it is the only one here.” David said, “There is none like it, give it to me.”

¹⁰ That day David rose up and fled because he was afraid of Saul. He went to Achish, the king of Gath. ¹¹ The servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Is he not the one they sing about as they dance, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, David has killed his ten thousands.’ ”

¹² David Pretends Insanity. David took these words to heart, and he was terrified of Achish, the king of Gath. ¹³ He pretended to be out of his mind in front of them. While he was on his hands he would pound on the doors to the gate, and he would drool down his beard. ¹⁴ Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is out of his mind! Why did you bring him to me? ¹⁵ Am I so in need of people who are out of their mind that you brought me this man who is acting so strange? Must this man come into my house?”

Chapter 22

David Flees. ¹ David left and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all of his father’s household heard, they went down to him there. ² Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.^[ah]

³ From there, David traveled to Mizpah in Moab. He said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you until I know what God will do with me.” ⁴ He brought them to the king of Moab, and they lived with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.

⁵ But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold.^[ai] Leave, and go to the land of Judah.” David left and went into the forest of Hareth.

Doeg Betrays Ahimelech. ⁶ Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. Saul, holding a spear in his hand, was sitting in Gibeah under the tree of Ramah, and all of his servants were standing around him. ⁷ Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites. Will each of you give fields and vineyards to the son of Jesse? Will you all be officers of thousands and officers of hundreds? ⁸ Is that why all of you have conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me today.”

⁹ But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s servants, said, “I saw the son of Jesse go to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. ¹⁰ Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him, and he gave him provisions, and he gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

¹¹ Saul Slays the Priests. The king summoned Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, the priest, as well as all of his father’s family in Nob who were also priests. All of them came to the king. ¹² He said, “Listen now, O son of Ahitub.” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” ¹³ Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired with the son of Jesse against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You inquired of God whether he should lie in wait for me today.”

¹⁴ Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all of your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, who goes about at your bidding, and who is respected in your house? ¹⁵ Was that the first time I inquired of the Lord for him? No! Let the king not accuse your servant or any of my father’s family, for your servant knows absolutely nothing about any of this.”

¹⁶ The king said, “You must die, Ahimelech, you and all of your father’s family.” ¹⁷ The king said to the guards who were standing around him, “Turn around and kill the priests of the Lord, for they are in league with David. They knew about his fleeing, and they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not stretch out their hands to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ So the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and fall upon the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned around, and he fell upon the priests, killing eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod that day. ¹⁹ He put Nob, the city of the priests, to the sword: men, women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

²⁰ Abiathar Escapes. Now one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, escaped. He was named Abiathar, and he fled to David. ²¹ Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. ²² David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when I saw that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of everyone in your father’s family. ²³ Stay with me, and do not be afraid. The same man who seeks my life seeks your life as well, but you will be safe with me.”^[aj]

Chapter 23

David Rescues Keilah. ¹ Some people then spoke to David saying, “Look, the Philistines are attacking Keilah and they are robbing the threshing floors.” ² David inquired of the Lord saying, “Shall I go to attack these Philistines?” The Lord said to David, “Go attack the Philistines and rescue Keilah.” ³ David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more would we be if we went to Keilah to fight against the armies of the Philistines?” ⁴ David inquired of the Lord once again, and the Lord said, “Rise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

⁵ David and his men went to Keilah and they fought with the Philistines. They slaughtered many of them, and they brought away their livestock. Thus David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

⁶ When Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to David at Keilah, he went down with an ephod in his hand.

Saul Chases David.^{[ak] 7} Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hands for he has trapped himself behind gates and bars.” ⁸ Then Saul assembled all of the people for war, to go down to Keilah and lay siege to David and his men.

⁹ David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” ¹⁰ David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has truly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on account of me. ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hands? Will Saul come down here as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, I beg you to tell your servant.” The Lord said, “He will come down.” ¹² Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul?” The Lord answered, “They will deliver you over.”

¹³ So David and his men (there were around six hundred of them) left Keilah and went wherever they could go. Saul heard that David had left Keilah, so he halted the pursuit.

¹⁴ David stayed in the wilderness strongholds, and he remained in the hill country of the Desert of Ziph. Saul sought him every single day, but God did not deliver him into his hands. ¹⁵ David realized that Saul was coming out to seek his life while he was in the Desert of Ziph at Horesh.

¹⁶ Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in Horesh and encouraged him in God. ¹⁷ This is what he said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul, my father, is not going to find you. You will be the king over Israel, and I will be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” ¹⁸ The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan returned home.

¹⁹ The Ziphites then came up to Saul in Gibeah saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, on the hill of Hachilah which is to the south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ Therefore, come down as you wish to, O king, come down, and for our part we will deliver him into the king’s hands.” ²¹ Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. ²² Go, please, and prepare yourselves. Investigate and reconnoiter where he is hidden and find out who has seen him there, for I have been told that he is very clever. ²³ See, therefore, and find out about all the places where he is hiding, then come back to me with certain information. Then I will go with you, and if he is in the land, I will search for him all throughout the thousands of Judah.”

²⁴ Escape from Saul. They rose up and preceded Saul to Ziph. David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. ²⁵ Saul and his men were searching, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. Saul heard about this and pursued David in the Desert of Maon.

²⁶ Saul was on one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. David, out of fear, hurried to get away. Saul and his men were trying to surround David and his men to capture them.

²⁷ A messenger came to Saul saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have invaded the land.” ²⁸ Saul broke off his pursuit of David and he left to fight against the Philistines. This is why they called that place the Rock of Escape.

Chapter 24

David Spares Saul’s Life. ¹ David went up from there and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi. ² When Saul returned from pursuing after the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the desert in En-gedi.” ³ Saul took three thousand chosen men from out of all of Israel, and he went out and sought David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.

⁴ He came to the sheepfolds along the way, and there was a cave there. Saul entered it to relieve himself, and David and his men stayed in the recesses of the cave. ⁵ David’s men said to him, “This is the day that the Lord spoke of when he said, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your hands, you may do to him as you see fit.’ ” David got up and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶ But David’s conscience began to bother him because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁷ He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, lifting my hand against the Lord’s anointed, for he is the Lord’s anointed.” ^8 [al]With these words David rebuked his servants, and he would not let them rise up against Saul.

Saul rose from the cave and went on his way. ⁹ David also arose and left the cave. He cried out after Saul saying, “My lord, the king.” Saul looked back and saw David bowed down, face to the ground, lying prostrate. ¹⁰ David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men who say, ‘David is trying to harm you?’ ¹¹ Behold, you have seen for yourself today how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not raise up my hand against my lord, for he is an anointed one of the Lord.’ ¹² Look, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. I cut off the corner of your robe, but I did not kill you. So see and understand that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but yet you hunt me to take my life. ¹³ May the Lord be the judge between me and you. May the Lord take my vengeance upon you, but I will not raise my hand against you. ¹⁴ As the old proverb states, ‘Evil deeds come from evil doers,’ but I will not raise my hand against you. ¹⁵ Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea? ¹⁶ May the Lord be a judge and decide between me and you. May he examine my cause and plead it; may he deliver me out of your hands.”

¹⁷ Saul’s Apology to David. When David had finished saying these things to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son, David?” And Saul cried out and wept. ¹⁸ He said to David, “You are more righteous than I am, for you have treated me well, but I have treated you poorly. ¹⁹ Today you have revealed to me how you have treated me well, for the Lord had delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. ²⁰ When a man finds his enemy, does he allow him to walk away unharmed? May the Lord richly reward you for what you have done to me today. ²¹ Truly, now I know that the kingdom of Israel will be firmly placed in your hands. ²² Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, nor will you eliminate my name from my father’s family.”

²³ David swore an oath to Saul, and Saul returned to his home. David and his men went up into the stronghold.

Chapter 25

Death of Samuel. ¹ Now Samuel died, and all of Israel gathered to mourn for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. David then went down into the Desert of Paran.^[am]

Nabal and Abigail. ² There was a certain man from Maon who had property in Carmel, for he was very wealthy. He owned three thousand sheep and one thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³ His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was a good woman, intelligent and beautiful, but her husband, who was a Calebite, was difficult and disagreeable in his dealings.

⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep. ⁵ David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel and approach Nabal, greeting him in my name. ⁶ Say to him, ‘May you have a long and pleasant life, and may your household prosper, and may all that you own multiply. ⁷ I have heard that you were shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harm them nor did anything that belonged to them go missing the whole time they were at Carmel. ⁸ Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore, show your favor to these young men, for we are here on a feast day. Please give your servants and your son David whatever comes to hand.’ ”

⁹ When David’s young men arrived, they said all of these things to Nabal in David’s name. Then they waited. ¹⁰ Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many slaves these days who have run away from their masters. ¹¹ Why should I take my bread and my water, and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers, and give them to men when I do not even know from where they have come?”

¹² David’s young men turned and went on their way. They came back and told him all these things. ¹³ David said to his men, “Let each man put on his sword.” Each man put on his sword, and David also put on his sword. About four hundred men went up with David while the other two hundred remained with the supplies.

¹⁴ One of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers into the wilderness to greet our master, and he insulted them. ¹⁵ But they have treated us well, and they have not harmed us, nor did anything go missing when we were wandering about in the fields near them. ¹⁶ Night and day, the whole time that we were with them tending the sheep, they were like a wall around us. ¹⁷ Now think about it and figure out what you will do, for certain disaster is awaiting our master and his entire household. He is a son of Belial, and no one can speak to him.”

¹⁸ Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred fig cakes, and she loaded it all on donkeys. ¹⁹ She then said to her servants, “Go on ahead, I will follow you.” But she did not tell this to her husband.

²⁰ As she was riding along on the donkey, she went down into a mountain ravine, and there was David and his men coming down the other side, and she met them. ²¹ David had been saying, “Surely it was in vain that I watched over all of his things in the wilderness so that nothing that he owned went missing. He has paid me back evil for good. ²² May God do this to David, and even more, if by morning I have left alive even one male who belongs to him.”

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, and she fell down before David, bowing her face to the ground. ²⁴ She fell at his feet and said, “Let the blame be upon me, my lord. Please permit your handmaid to speak to you, hear what your handmaid has to say to you.

²⁵ “May my lord not pay attention to this man of Belial, Nabal. He is just like his name. His name means fool, and folly is his companion. But as for me, I, your handmaid, did not see the young men whom you sent.^[an]

²⁶ “Now, my lord, as the Lord lives and you live, the Lord has kept you from coming to shed blood and avenging yourself with your own hands. May your enemies and all who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. ²⁷ Now, may this gift that your handmaid has brought my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.

²⁸ “I beg you, forgive your handmaid’s offense, for the Lord will surely establish an enduring dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. May no wrongdoing be found in you all of your days. ²⁹ Even though someone should rise up to pursue you to seek your life, my lord’s life will be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord, your God. He will launch out as from the pocket of a sling the lives of your enemies.

³⁰ “When the Lord has fulfilled all of the good things which he has said to you, my lord, and he has established you as ruler over Israel, ³¹ then there will have no staggering burden of guilt upon my lord’s conscience for either having shed blood without cause or for my lord having sought his own revenge. When the Lord has brought my lord success, remember your handmaid.”

³² David then said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today. ³³ May you be blessed for your good advice, for today you have prevented me from coming to shed blood and seeking vengeance for myself with my own hands. ³⁴ For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who kept me from harming you, if you had not hurried out to meet me, then by morning there would not have been even one male left to Nabal.”

³⁵ David accepted the things that she had brought him out of her hands. He said to her, “Return home in peace. See, I have listened to what you said and I have granted your request.”

³⁶ Nabal’s Death. When Abigail returned to Nabal, he was in his house feasting as if he were at a king’s banquet. Nabal was in high spirits, for he was very drunk. She, therefore, did not tell him a thing until daybreak. ³⁷ In the morning, when Nabal was no longer under the influence of the wine, his wife told him these things. His heart failed him, and he became like a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal down and he died.

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has upheld my cause against Nabal for having treated me with scorn. He has kept his servant from wrongdoing, and the Lord has repaid Nabal’s wrongdoing upon his own head.”

David’s Marriage to Abigail. David sent word to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. ⁴⁰ David’s servants came to Abigail in Carmel and they said to her, “David has sent us to you so that he could take you as his wife.” ⁴¹ She bowed down with her face to the ground, and she said, “Behold your handmaid, a servant to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

⁴² Abigail quickly got up and rode on a donkey, accompanied by five of her women. She followed David’s messengers, and she became David’s wife. ⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, so both of them were his wives. ⁴⁴ But Saul gave Michal, his daughter, David’s wife, to Paltri, the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

Chapter 26

David Spares Saul Again.^{[ao] 1} Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” ² Saul rose up and went down into the Desert of Ziph. He had three thousand of the chosen men of Israel with him, and he sought David in the Desert of Ziph.

³ Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon. David was staying in the desert, and he saw Saul pursuing him in the desert. ⁴ David had sent out spies and discovered that Saul had indeed come.

⁵ David arose and went to the place where Saul was camped. David detected the place where Saul was lying, alongside of Abner, the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Now Saul was lying within the fortifications, and the people were encamped all around him. ⁶ David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai, Joab’s brother, the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go with you.”

⁷ So David and Abishai went among the people by night, and they found Saul asleep within the fortifications, his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the people were lying all around him. ⁸ Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hands today. Let me strike him once, pinning him to the ground. I will not have to strike him twice.” ⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Do no violence to him. Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” ¹⁰ David continued, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his time will come, or he will simply die, or he will go into battle and be killed. ¹¹ The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Now take the spear that is by his head and the water jar, and let us leave.”

¹² David took the spear that was by Saul’s head and the water jar and they left. No one had seen them, and no one knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They all kept sleeping, for the Lord had caused them to fall into a deep sleep.

¹³ David then crossed over to the other side, and he stood on the top of a distant hill, so that there was quite a space between them. ¹⁴ David cried out to the people and to Abner, the son of Ner, “Will you not answer me Abner?” Abner said, “Who are you that you call out to the king?” ^15 [ap]David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why have you not kept guard over your lord, the king? Someone came in to kill the king, your lord. ¹⁶ You have not done well. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, for you have not protected your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around now for the king’s spear and the water jar that were at his head.”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice, and he said, “Is this the voice of my son David?” David answered, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” ¹⁸ He continued, “Why is my lord chasing after his servant? What have I done? What wrongdoing have I committed? ¹⁹ Now may my lord, the king, listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he now accept an offering.^[aq] If it was done by humans, may they be cursed by the Lord. They have driven me out of the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go serve other gods.’ ²⁰ Do not let my blood fall to the earth in the presence of the Lord. My king has come out to search for a flea, like one who goes out to hunt a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Saul responded, “I have sinned. Come back, David, my son, for I will not try to harm you again because you considered my life to be precious. I have played the fool and made a terrible mistake.” ²² David said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of your young men come over and fetch it. ²³ The Lord rewards each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. ²⁴ May the Lord value my life as much as I have valued your life today. May he deliver me from all of my difficulties.” ²⁵ Saul said to David, “May you be blessed David, my son, for you will accomplish many things and you will triumph.” David went his way, and Saul returned to his home.

Chapter 27

David’s Flight to the Philistines.^{[ar] 1} David thought to himself, “One of these days I will perish at Saul’s hands. I might as well escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul will give up hope of catching me anywhere in the territory of Israel, and I will escape out of his hand.”

² David and his six hundred followers went over to Achish, the son of Maoch, the king of Gath. ³ David stayed with Achish at Gath. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, Nabal’s wife, of Carmel. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he did not go out after him anymore.

⁵ David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your sight, then let me be given a place in one of your country towns to live. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” ⁶ That day Achish gave him Ziklag. Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah up to the present. ⁷ David lived in the territory of the Philistines for one year and four months.

David’s Raids. ⁸ David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. (From the days of old these were the people who lived in the land running from Shur down to the land of Egypt.) ⁹ When David attacked a place, he did not leave a man or a woman alive. He took the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and clothes, and he would then return to Achish.

^10 [as]When Achish would ask, “Where have you gone raiding today,” David would say to him, “To the south of Judah, or to the south of the Jerahmeelites, or to the south of the Kenites.”

¹¹ David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring them to Gath, for he thought they might say, “This is what David did.” He did this the whole time that he was living among the Philistines. ¹² Achish trusted David saying, “He has become so utterly hateful to his people, Israel, that he will be my servant forever.”

Chapter 28

¹ In those days the Philistines gathered together their armies to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Know that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.” ² David said to Achish, “Then you will know for sure what your servant can do.” Achish said to David, “You will, therefore, be my bodyguard from now on.”

³ Samuel was dead, and all of Israel had mourned for him and had buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled mediums and wizards from out of the land. ⁴ The Philistines assembled together and went and camped at Shunem. Saul gathered together all of Israel and they camped at Gilboa. ^5 [at]When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid, and his heart trembled. ⁶ Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams, or by the Urim, or through the prophets.

Saul and the Medium. ⁷ Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium so that I can go to her and inquire of her.” His servants answered, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.” ⁸ Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes. He went with two men, and they came to the woman by night. He said, “Please consult a spirit for me, bring up the one whose name I give you.” ⁹ But the woman said to him, “You surely know what Saul has done, how he has expelled mediums and wizards out of the land. Why would you set a trap for my life, bringing on my death?” ¹⁰ Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord saying, “As the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.” ¹¹ The woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you,” and he answered, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

¹² Samuel Appears. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice, and the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me, Saul?” ¹³ The king said to her, “Do not be afraid! What did you see?” She said to Saul, “I saw a spirit coming up from the earth.” ¹⁴ He said to her, “What does he look like?” She said, “An old man wearing a robe came up.” Saul realized that it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated his face to the ground.

¹⁵ Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you bothered me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress. The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned against me. He does not answer me anymore, either by prophets or by dreams. I have called upon you so that you can make known to me what I should do.” ¹⁶ Samuel said, “Why do you question me now that the Lord has turned against you and has become your enemy? ¹⁷ The Lord has done for himself exactly what he predicted through me. The Lord has ripped the kingdom out of your hand, and he has given it to your neighbor, to David. ¹⁸ You did not heed the voice of the Lord nor enact his fierce rage against Amalek. Therefore, the Lord has done this thing to you today. ¹⁹ The Lord will hand over both you and Israel into the hands of the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

²⁰ The Medium Feeds Saul. Saul fell full length upon the ground for he was terrified because of what Samuel had said. His strength was gone, for he had not eaten anything all day and night. ²¹ When the woman came up to Saul and saw that he was greatly troubled, she said to him, “Look, your handmaid has obeyed your command. I have taken my life in my hands when I did what you had ordered me to do. ²² Therefore, please heed the voice of your handmaid. Let me give you something to eat, and then you will have the strength to go on your way.” ^23 [au]He refused and said, “I will not eat!”

But both his servants and the woman kept urging him, and he finally listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the couch. ²⁴ The woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she quickly killed it. She took some flour, kneaded it, and baked it into loaves of unleavened bread. ²⁵ She set it before Saul and his servants. They ate, and then they got up and went on their way that night.

Chapter 29

The Philistines Reject David. ¹ The Philistines gathered all of their forces together at Aphek. The Israelites camped by the spring in Jezreel. ² The lords of the Philistines were marching along with their units of hundreds and thousands while David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

³ The lords of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied to the lords of the Philistines, “Is this not David, a servant of Saul, the king of the Israel? He has been with me these days, these years. I have found no fault in him since he came to me up until the present.”

⁴ The lords of the Philistines were angry with him, and the lords of the Philistines said to him, “Send that man back, let him go back to the place where you have assigned him. Do not let him go into battle with us, lest he turn against us during the battle. What other way could he reconcile to his master if not with the heads of these men? ⁵ Is this not the David of whom they sang while they were dancing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his ten thousands.’ ”

⁶ So Achish summoned David and said, “As the Lord lives, you have been upright with me. You have done well in your going out and your coming back with your army. From the day you came to me up to the present, I have found nothing wrong in you. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you. ⁷ Therefore, go back, and leave in peace, so that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

⁸ David said to Achish, “But what have I done? As long as I have been with you, up until now, have you found anything in your servant that would explain why I am not able to go to fight against the enemies of my lord, the king?” ⁹ Achish answered David, “I consider you to be as good as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the lords of the Philistines have said, ‘He will not go up with us into battle.’ ¹⁰ Now, therefore, rise up early in the morning with your master’s servants who have come with you. Get up at daybreak and depart.”

¹¹ David and his men arose in the morning, and they left for the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Chapter 30

Ziklag Destroyed. ¹ Three days later David and his men arrived in Ziklag. The Amalekites had invaded the Negeb and Ziklag; Ziklag was attacked and burned down. ² The women who were there, young and old, were taken captive. They did not kill any of them, but they carried them off and went on their way.

³ When David and his men arrived in Ziklag, they found it burned to the ground and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. ⁴ David and his men with him wept out loud until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel were also taken captive.

⁶ David was greatly distressed because the people were talking about stoning him. Every single one of them was embittered because of his sons and his daughters, but David found strength in the Lord, his God.

⁷ David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod out here.” Abiathar brought the ephod out to David.^[av]