Study Desk

So the king said to the runners who were stationed around him, "Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh, because they also support David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of the king were not willing to raise their hand to attack the priests of Yahweh.

Then the king said to Doeg, "You turn and attack the priests!" So Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests himself, and on that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And Yahweh said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

So David again inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him and said, "Get up, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand."

So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. They drove off their livestock and dealt them a heavy blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

So David and his men got up, about six hundred men, and went out from Keilah and wandered wherever they could go. When it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped his pursuit.

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

So then, O king, whenever you want to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the hand of the king."

And Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

So Saul returned from pursuing David, and he went to confront the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place the Rock of Division.

So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and he and his men went to search for David in the direction of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.

And David's men said to him, "Look, today is the day about which Yahweh said to you, ‘See, I am giving your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems good to you.'" So David got up and secretly cut the hem of Saul's robe.

So David rebuked his men with the words and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave, and he went on his way.

So now then, look, I know that you will certainly be king and the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.

So then, swear to me by Yahweh that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not wipe out my name from my father's house."

So David swore this on oath to Saul, and Saul went to his house, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

So David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, "Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal; you will greet him in my name.

So David's young men came and they spoke all these words to Nabal in the name of David. Then they waited.

So David's young men turned on their way and returned and came and told him according to all these words.

Then David said to his men, "Each man strap on his sword!" So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.