Study Desk

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

Now Yahweh will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for Yahweh gave you into my hand today, but I was not willing to send forth my hand against the anointed of Yahweh.

So Saul asked of Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.

But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?"

And the king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth."

But he refused and said, "I will not eat." However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man return, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of these men?

And David said to Achish, "But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

But Achish answered and said to David, "I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.'

Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people said to stone him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through and abuse me." But his armor bearer was not willing, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

So Abner said to him, "Turn to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil." But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. Now the sun was going down, and they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

But Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner's men, so that 360 men died.

Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was long; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.

And he said, "Good! I will cut a covenant with you, but I ask one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

But her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go, return." So he returned.

And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.