Study Desk

Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he defied the battle lines of the living God."

Then David said to the Philistine, "You are coming to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I am coming to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the battle lines of Israel, whom you have defied!

This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head! Then I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of heaven and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God who is for Israel.

On the next day, the evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. Now David was playing the lyre with his hand on that day as usual, and the spear was in Saul's hand.

Then Michal took the household god and put it on the bed and put a quilt of goat's hair at its head and covered it with the clothes.

So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as chief over them, then the Spirit of God came upon Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied.

So he went there to Naioth in Ramah and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

Then Jonathan said to David, "Yahweh the God of Israel is my witness that I will question my father by this time the day after tomorrow. And look, if he is well disposed toward you, will I not send word to you and disclose it to you?

And David went up from there to Mizpah of 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 for me."

Then Saul said to him, "Why did you conspire against me, you and the son of Jesse, when you gave to him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him so that he might arise against me to ambush me as has been done this day?"

Only today I began to inquire of God for him. Far be it from me that the king should impute anything against his servant or against my father's household, for your servant has not known any of this matter, little or much."

When it was told to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, "God has given him into my hand, because he has shut himself in by going into a city with two barred gates.

And David said, "O Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.

Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, please tell your servant!" And Yahweh said, "He will come down."

David remained in the wilderness, in the strongholds, and in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually, but God did not give him into his hand.

So Jonathan the son of Saul got up and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him through God.

May God severely punish the enemies of David and again do thus if I leave behind anything that is his until the morning, not even one male!"

Should a man arise to pursue you and to seek your life, may the life of my lord be wrapped in the pouch of the living with Yahweh your God. But as for the life of your enemy, he will sling it from within the pocket of the sling!

Then David said to Abigail, "Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who has sent you this day to meet me!

But as Yahweh lives, the God of Israel who has prevented me from harming you, if you had not hurried and come to meet me, surely there would not have been one male left alive for Nabal by the light of morning!"