Study Desk

So turning back from going after David, Saul went against the Philistines: so that place was named Sela-hammah-lekoth.

So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up and went on his way.

So let the Lord be judge, and give a decision between me and you, and see and give support to my cause, and keep me from falling into your hands.

If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today.

So give me your oath by the Lord, that you will not put an end to my seed after me or let my name be cut off from my father's family.

If your young men are questioned they will say the same thing. So now, let my young men have grace in your eyes, for we are come at a good time; please give anything you may have by you to your servants and to your son David.

So David's young men, turning away, went back and gave him an account of everything he had said.

So now, give thought to what you are going to do; for evil is in store for our master and all his house: for he is such a good-for-nothing person that it is not possible to say anything to him.

Now David had said, What was the use of my taking care of this man's goods in the waste land, so that there was no loss of anything which was his? he has only given me back evil for good.

May God's punishment be on David, if when morning comes there is so much as one male of his people still living.

Let my lord give no attention to Nabal, that good-for-nothing: for as his name is, so is he, a man without sense: but I, your servant, did not see the young men whom my lord sent.

So now, my lord, by the living God and by your living soul, seeing that the Lord has kept you from the crime of blood and from taking into your hands the punishment for your wrongs, may all your haters, and those who would do evil to my lord, be like Nabal.

For truly, by the living Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from doing you evil, if you had not been so quick in coming to me and meeting me, by dawn there would not have been in Nabal's house so much as one male living.

And Abigail went back to Nabal; and he was feasting in his house like a king; and Nabal's heart was full of joy, for he had taken much wine; so she said nothing to him till dawn came.

And so David sent out watchers, and got word from them that Saul was certainly coming.

So David and Abishai came down to the army by night: and Saul was sleeping inside the ring of carts with his spear planted in the earth by his head: and Abner and the people were sleeping round him.

So David took the spear and the vessel of water from Saul's head; and they got away without any man seeing them, or being conscious of their coming, or awaking; for they were all sleeping because a deep sleep from the Lord had come on them.

And so, as your life was dear to me today, may my life be dear to the Lord, and may he make me free from all my troubles.

And David said to himself, Some day death will come to me by the hand of Saul: the only thing for me to do is to get away into the land of the Philistines; then Saul will give up hope of taking me in any part of the land of Israel: and so I may be able to get away from him.

So David and the six hundred men who were with him went over to Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.