Study Desk

You have explained today how you have treated me well. The Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.

The man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. She was both wise and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. He was a Calebite.

But Nabal responded to David's servants, "Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters!

But one of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail, "David sent messengers from the desert to greet our lord, but he screamed at them.

and said to her servants, "Go on ahead of me. I will come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Now David had been thinking, "In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the desert. I didn't take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil.

Falling at his feet, she said, "My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant!

My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,' and he is indeed foolish! But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent.

When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling's pocket!

Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hakilah near Jeshimon, but David was staying in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come to the desert to find him,

But David said to Abishai, "Don't kill him! Who can extend his hand against the Lord 's chosen one and remain guiltless?"

But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord 's chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul's head and the jug of water, and let's get out of here!"

So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in an offering. But if men have instigated this, may they be cursed before the Lord ! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord 's inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!'

So Saul inquired of the Lord , but the Lord did not answer him—not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.

But the woman said to him, "Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?"

But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord , "As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!"

But he refused, saying, "I won't eat!" Both his servants and the woman urged him to eat, so he gave in. He got up from the ground and sat down on the bed.

But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said to him, "Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don't let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?

Isn't this David, of whom they sang as they danced, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands'?"

So Achish summoned David and said to him, "As surely as the Lord lives, you are an honest man, and I am glad to have you serving with me in the army. I have found no fault with you from the day that you first came to me until the present time. But in the opinion of the leaders, you are not reliable.