Study Desk

So David's men turned around and went back, and they relayed to him all these words.

And David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So David and all his men put on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

Now David had just finished saying, "In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him, yet he has paid me back evil for good.

May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of his men survive until morning."

When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.

So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David's messengers and became his wife.

David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So she and Abigail were both his wives.

So Saul, accompanied by three thousand choice men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.

So David took the spear and water jug by Saul's head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

So David said to Abner, "You are a man, aren't you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?

So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains."

As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble."

Saul said to him, "May you be blessed, my son David. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.

Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

So Achish trusted David, thinking, "Since he has made himself repugnant to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever."

Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army."

Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her." "There is a medium at Endor," his servants replied.

So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name."

"What does he look like?" asked Saul. "An old man is coming up," she replied. "And he is wearing a robe." So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed facedown in reverence.