Study Desk

When night came, David and Abishai went into Saul's camp. Saul was asleep in the middle of the circle of men. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the other soldiers were asleep around Saul.

Abishai said to David, "Today God has given your enemy to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with his spear. I'll only do it once!"

So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul's head, and then David and Abishai left Saul's camp. No one knew what had happened. No one saw it. No one even woke up. Saul and all of his soldiers slept because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.

Then Saul said to David, "God bless you, David my son. You will do great things and you will win." David went on his way, and Saul went back home.

So David and his 600 men left Israel and went to Achish son of Maoch. Achish was king of Gath.

David, his men, and their families lived in Gath with Achish. David had his two wives with him—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel. Abigail was the widow of Nabal.

David and his men went to fight the Amalekites and Geshurites who lived in the area from Telem near Shur all the way to Egypt. David's men defeated them and took their wealth.

After Samuel died, all the Israelites mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his hometown. Saul had removed the mediums and fortunetellers from Israel.

The Philistines prepared for war. They came to Shunem and made their camp at that place. Saul gathered all the Israelites together and made his camp at Gilboa.

Saul saw the Philistine army, and he was afraid. His heart pounded with fear.

Finally, Saul said to his officers, "Find me a woman who is a medium. Then I can go ask her what will happen." His officers answered, "There is a medium at Endor."

That night, Saul put on different clothes so that no one would know who he was. Then Saul and two of his men went to see the woman. Saul said to her, "I want you to bring up a ghost who can tell me what will happen in the future. You must call for the ghost of the person I name."

Saul asked, "What does he look like?" The woman answered, "He looks like an old man wearing a special robe." Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down. His face touched the ground.

The woman put the food before Saul and his officers and they ate. Then they got up and left during the night.

The Philistine rulers were marching in divisions of 100 and 1000 men. David and his men were at the back with Achish.

But the Philistine captains were angry with Achish. They said, "Send him back. Let him go back to the city you gave him, but he can't go into battle with us. As long as he is here, we have an enemy in our own camp. He would make his king happy by killing our men.

So David and his men got up early in the morning and went back to the country of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

As soon as David and his men arrived at Ziklag on the third day, they saw that the Amalekites had attacked Ziklag. The Amalekites invaded the Negev area, attacked Ziklag, and burned the city.

When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found the city burning. Their wives, sons, and daughters were all gone. The Amalekites had taken them.

David and the other men in his army cried loudly until they were too weak to cry anymore.