Study Desk

So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.

When Saul and his men went to seek him, they informed David, and he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard about it, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.

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

Then Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. And David set out and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

'Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.'"

So David's young men made their way back and returned; and they came and informed him in accordance with all these words.

"They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.

David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both became his wives.

So David took the spear and the jug of water that were at Saul's head, and they left; and no one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone awaken, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

Now David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt.

And David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'"

So the Philistines assembled and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they camped in Gilboa.

Then Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Consult the spirit for me, please, and bring up for me the one whom I shall name for you."

She then served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that night.

"Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?"

and they took captive the women and all who were in it, from the small to the great, without killing anyone, and drove them off and went their way.

So David left, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where some who were left behind stayed.

Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink.

They also gave him a slice of fig cake and two cakes of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.

Now when he had brought him down, behold, they were dispersed over all the land, eating and drinking and celebrating because of all the great plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.