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

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 battle lines of the Philistines?"

But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

And 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 give him into his hand.

And 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, but Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to seize them.

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

Behold, this day your eyes have seen that Yahweh had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not send forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Yahweh.'

May Yahweh judge between you and me, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

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

So David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the fortress.

(now the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And the woman was good in insight and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite),

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.

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 rushed at them angrily.

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

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

And 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 Yahweh your God; but the lives of your enemies He will sling out as from the hollow of a sling.

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 became as a stone.

But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can send forth his hand against the anointed of Yahweh and be without guilt?"

Yahweh forbid that I should send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go."

So David took the spear and the jug of water from beside Saul's head, and they went away, but no one saw or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a sound sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.