Study Desk

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

People told Saul that David had run away to Gath, so Saul stopped looking for him.

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."

Samuel said to Saul, "Why did you bother me? Why did you bring me up?" Saul answered, "I am in trouble! The Philistines have come to fight me, and God has left me. God won't answer me anymore. He won't use prophets or dreams to answer me, so I called you. I want you to tell me what to do."

Samuel said, "The Lord left you and is now your enemy, so why are you asking me for advice?

So Achish called David and said, "As surely as the Lord lives, you are loyal to me. I would be pleased to have you serve in my army. I haven't found anything wrong with you since the day you came to me. The Philistine rulers also think you are a good man.

David asked, "What have I done wrong? Have you found anything wrong with me since the day I came to you? So why won't you let me go to fight the enemies of my lord the king?"

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.

David said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." So Abiathar brought it.

The Egyptian had not had any food or water for three days and nights, so they gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins. He felt better after eating.

There were some troublemakers in the group who went with David who started complaining, "These 200 men didn't go with us, so why should we give them any of the things we took. These men get nothing but their own wives and children."

Saul told the boy who carried his armor, "Take your sword and kill me or else these foreigners will do it and torment me as well!" But Saul's helper was afraid and refused to kill him. So Saul took out his own sword and fell on it.

So Saul, his three sons, and the boy who carried his armor all died together that day.

The Israelites who lived on the other side of the valley saw the Israelite army running away. They saw that Saul and his sons were dead, so they left their cities and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in their cities.

So all the soldiers of Jabesh went to Beth Shan. They marched all night, went to the wall of Beth Shan, and took down the bodies of Saul and his sons. Then they carried them to Jabesh. There the people of Jabesh burned the bodies of Saul and his three sons.

He was hurt so badly that I knew he wouldn't live. So I stopped and killed him. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm and brought them here to you, my lord."

Then David told the Amalekite, "You are responsible for your own death. You said you killed the Lord 's chosen king, so your own words prove you are guilty." Then David called one of his young servants and told him to kill the Amalekite. So the young Israelite killed him.

Jonathan, my brother, I miss you! I enjoyed your friendship so much. Your love for me was wonderful, stronger than the love of women.

So David and his two wives moved to Hebron. (His wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal from Carmel.)

The Lord will be kind and true to you, and so will I.