New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jonathan and David

1 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

2 Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.

3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

4 Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.

5 So David went out wherever Saul sent him,andprospered; and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

6 It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and withmusical instruments.

7 The women sang as they played, and said,

“Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands.”

8 Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”

9 Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

Saul Turns against David

10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playingthe harpwith his hand, as usual; and a spearwasin Saul’s hand.

11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.

12 Now Saul was afraid of David, for the Lordwas with him but had departed from Saul.

13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence and appointed him as his commander of a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

14 David was prospering in all his ways for the Lordwaswith him.

15 When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife, only be a valiant man for me and fight the Lord’sbattles.” For Saul thought, “My hand shall not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my lifeormy father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son-in-law?”

19 So it came about at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

David Marries Saul’s Daughter

20 Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him.

21 Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.”

22 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.'”

23 So Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?”

24 The servants of Saul reported to him according to these wordswhichDavid spoke.

25 Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.'” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days had expired

27 David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.

28 When Saul saw and knew that the Lordwas with David, andthatMichal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,

29 then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines went outto battle,and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/18-42846e62c5887d31eb4ecb364f4a290c.mp3?version_id=100—

David Protected from Saul

1 Now Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to put David to death. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.

2 So Jonathan told David saying, “Saul my father is seeking to put you to death. Now therefore, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you; if I find out anything, then I will tell you.”

4 Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Do not let the king sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deedshave beenvery beneficial to you.

5 For he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the Lordbrought about a great deliverance for all Israel; you sawitand rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause?”

6 Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul vowed, “As the Lordlives, he shall not be put to death.”

7 Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as formerly.

8 When there was war again, David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with great slaughter, so that they fled before him.

9 Now there was an evil spirit from the Lordon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playingthe harpwithhishand.

10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, so that he stuck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, in order to put him to death in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death.”

12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went out and fled and escaped.

13 Michal took the household idol and laiditon the bed, and put a quilt of goats’hairat its head, and covereditwith clothes.

14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Then Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me on his bed, that I may put him to death.”

16 When the messengers entered, behold, the household idolwason the bed with the quilt of goats’hairat its head.

17 So Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I put you to death?'”

18 Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

19 It was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standingandpresiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” Andsomeonesaid, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.”

23 He proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/19-1ed150c8279035ab1f523ccc92fff66b.mp3?version_id=100—

David and Jonathan Covenant

1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?”

2 He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. So why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

3 Yet David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.’ But truly as the Lordlives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”

4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly askedleaveof me to run to Bethlehem his city, because it is the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’

7 If he says, ‘It is good,’ your servantwill besafe; but if he is very angry, know that he has decided on evil.

8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lordwith you. But if there is iniquity in me, put me to death yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”

9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?”

10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”

11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out to the field.

12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel,be witness!When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow,orthe third day, behold, if there is goodfeelingtoward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you?

13 If it please my fatherto doyou harm, may the Lorddo so to Jonathan and more also, if I do not make it known to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And may the Lordbe with you as He has been with my father.

14 If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die?

15 You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lordcuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

16 So Jonathan made acovenantwith the house of David,saying,”May the Lordrequireitat the hands of David’s enemies.”

17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

18 Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.

19 When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain by the stone Ezel.

20 I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target.

21 And behold, I will send the lad,saying,’Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the lad, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come; for there is safety for you and no harm, as the Lordlives.

22 But if I say to the youth, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, for the Lordhas sent you away.

23 As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lordis between you and me forever.”

24 So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

25 The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.

26 Nevertheless Saul did not speak anything that day, for he thought, “It is an accident, he is not clean, surelyhe isnot clean.”

27 It came about the next day, the seconddayof the new moon, that David’s place was empty; so Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”

28 Jonathan then answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of meto goto Bethlehem,

29 for he said, ‘Please let me go, since our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to attend. And now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me get away that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”

Saul Is Angry with Jonathan

30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”

32 But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

33 Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.

34 Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him.

35 Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field for the appointment with David, and a little ladwaswith him.

36 He said to his lad, “Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” As the lad was running, he shot an arrow past him.

37 When the lad reached the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”

38 And Jonathan called after the lad, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s lad picked up the arrow and came to his master.

39 But the lad was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.

40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, “Go, bringthemto the city.”

41 When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but Davidweptthe more.

42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in safety, inasmuch as we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lordwill be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'” Then he rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/20-172509fd4bf49de2b22f6e4bb44b332f.mp3?version_id=100—

David Takes Consecrated Bread

1 Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone and no one with you?”

2 David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’

3 Now therefore, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

4 The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”

5 David answered the priest and said to him, “Surely women have been kept from us as previously when I set out and the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then today will their vesselsbe holy?”

6 So the priest gave him consecratedbread;for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the Lord, in order to put hot breadin its placewhen it was taken away.

7 Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

8 David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s matter was urgent.”

9 Then the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, takeit.For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

10 Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath.

11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

12 David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath.

13 So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.

14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me?

15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/21-b932cdae4fe85e0db39fd79377da322c.mp3?version_id=100—

The Priests Slain at Nob

1 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heardof it,they went down there to him.

2 Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.

3 And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother comeand staywith you until I know what God will do for me.”

4 Then he left them with the king of Moab; and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

5 The prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

6 Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

7 Saul said to his servants who stood around him, “Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?

8 For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who discloses to me when my son makesa covenantwith the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, asit isthis day.”

9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing by the servants of Saul, said, “I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 He inquired of the Lordfor him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king.

12 Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.” And he answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

13 Saul then said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he would rise up against me by lying in ambush asit isthis day?”

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king’s son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house?

15 Did Ijustbegin to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything to his servantorto any of the household of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all of this whole affair.”

16 But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

17 And the king said to the guards who were attending him, “Turn around and put the priests of the Lordto death, because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hands to attack the priests of the Lord.

18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

19 And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheephe struckwith the edge of the sword.

20 But one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.

21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord.

22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have brought aboutthe deathof every person in your father’s household.

23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you are safe with me.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/22-297d64c5c1c5bbf515293165f0e2db11.mp3?version_id=100—

David Delivers Keilah

1 Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.”

2 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lordsaid to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?”

4 Then David inquired of the Lordonce more. And the Lordanswered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.”

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah,thathe came downwithan ephod in his hand.

7 When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.”

8 So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10 Then David said, “O LordGod of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.

11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O LordGod of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lordsaid, “He will come down.”

12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lordsaid, “They will surrender you.”

13 Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.

14 David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

Saul Pursues David

15 Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.

16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, andencouraged him in God.

17 Thus he said to him, “Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.”

18 So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.

19 Then Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south ofJeshimon?

20 Now then, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to do so; and our partshall beto surrender him into the king’s hand.”

21 Saul said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, for you have had compassion on me.

22 Go now, make more sure, and investigate and see his place where his haunt is,andwho has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.

23 So look, and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”

24 Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.

25 When Saul and his men went to seekhim,they told David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heardit,he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain; and David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.

27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.”

28 So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.

29 David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/23-d10efd2ad1d670f05d0c4e4b85ad2a7e.mp3?version_id=100—

David Spares Saul’s Life

1 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where therewasa cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.

4 The men of David said to him, “Behold,this isthe day of which the Lordsaid to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.'” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.

5 It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’srobe.

6 So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lordthat I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’sanointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’sanointed.”

7 David persuaded his men withthesewords and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went onhisway.

8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?

10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lordhad given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, butmy eyehad pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’sanointed.’

11 Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it.

12 May the Lordjudge between you and me, and may the Lordavenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness’; but my hand shall not be against you.

14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?

15 The Lordtherefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.

18 You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lorddelivered me into your hand andyetyou did not kill me.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely? May the Lordtherefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.

20 Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

21 So now swear to me by the Lordthat you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s household.”

22 David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/24-95314715f72730915f53f9b5f7524022.mp3?version_id=100—

Samuel’s Death

1 Then Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

Nabal and Abigail

2 Nowthere wasa man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel

3 (now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil inhisdealings, and he was a Calebite),

4 that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name;

6 and thus you shall say, ‘Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.

7 Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel.

8 Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore letmyyoung men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.'”

9 When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in David’s name; then they waited.

10 But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?”

12 So David’s young men retraced their way and went back; and they came and told him according to all these words.

13 David said to his men, “Eachof yougird on his sword.” So each man girded on his sword. And David also girded on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David while two hundred stayed with the baggage.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he scorned them.

15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we miss anything as long as we went about with them, while we were in the fields.

16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.

17 Now therefore, know and consider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him.”

Abigail Intercedes

18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundredloavesof bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loadedthemon donkeys.

19 She said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 It came about as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them.

21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have guarded all that thismanhas in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good.

22 May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leaveas much asone male of any who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face before David and bowed herself to the ground.

24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant.

25 Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

26 “Now therefore, my lord, as the Lordlives, and as your soul lives, since the Lordhas restrained you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be as Nabal.

27 Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord.

28 Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the Lordwill certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

29 Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lordyour God; but the lives of your enemies He will sling out as from the hollow of a sling.

30 And when the Lorddoes for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel,

31 this will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the Lorddeals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LordGod of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me,

33 and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

34 Nevertheless, as the LordGod of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning lightas much asone male.”

35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and granted your request.”

36 Then Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she did not tell him anything at all until the morning light.

37 But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he becameasa stone.

38 About ten days later, the Lordstruck Nabal and he died.

David Marries Abigail

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept back His servant from evil. The Lordhas also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent a proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife.

40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you to take you as his wife.”

41 She arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

42 Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.

44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/25-ebf59624d28127885aa542472045c3eb.mp3?version_id=100—

David Again Spares Saul

1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah,which isbeforeJeshimon?”

2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search for David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah, which is beforeJeshimon, beside the road, and David was staying in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,

4 David sent out spies, and he knew that Saul was definitely coming.

5 David then arose and came to the place where Saul had camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army; and Saul was lying in the circle of the camp, and the people were camped around him.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people were lying around him.

8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’sanointed and be without guilt?”

10 David also said, “As the Lordlives, surely the Lordwill strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.

11 The Lordforbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’sanointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”

12 So David took the spear and the jug of water frombesideSaul’s head, and they went away, but no one saw or knewit,nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from the Lordhad fallen on them.

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distancewitha large area between them.

14 David called to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

15 So David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy the king your lord.

16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lordlives,allof you must surely die, because you did not guard your lord, the Lord’sanointed. And now, see where the king’s spear is and the jug of water that was at his head.”

17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.”

18 He also said, “Why then is my lord pursuing his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?

19 Now therefore, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If the Lordhas stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it is men, cursed are they before the Lord, for they have driven me out today so that I would have no attachment with the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

20 Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

22 David replied, “Behold the spear of the king! Now let one of the young men come over and take it.

23 The Lordwill repay each manforhis righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lorddelivered you intomyhand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the Lord’sanointed.

24 Now behold, as your life was highly valued in my sight this day, so may my life be highly valued in the sight of the Lord, and may He deliver me from all distress.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/26-e151888c5776090e26d1103beb4305b0.mp3?version_id=100—

David Flees to the Philistines

1 Then David said to himself, “Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.”

2 So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household,evenDavid with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s widow.

4 Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

5 Then David said to Achish, “If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

6 So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

7 The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

9 David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.

10 Now Achish said, “Where have you made a raid today?” And David said, “Against theNegev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites.”

11 David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘So has David done and sohas beenhis practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'”

12 So Achish believed David, saying, “He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/27-d090f8b532f9651bbdbce2825b8b1523.mp3?version_id=100—