Study Desk

This song upset Saul and he became very angry. Saul thought, "The women give David credit for killing tens of thousands of the enemy, and they give me credit for only thousands. A little more of this and they will give him the kingdom itself!"

One day Saul said to David, "Here is my oldest daughter, Merab. I will let you marry her. Then you will be like a son to me and you will be a real soldier. Then you will go and fight the Lord 's battles." Saul was really thinking, "Now I won't have to kill David. I will let the Philistines kill him for me."

So when the time came for David to marry Saul's daughter, Saul let her marry Adriel from Meholah.

Saul told them, "Say this to David, ‘David, the king doesn't want you to pay money for his daughter. He wants to get even with his enemy, so the price for marrying his daughter is 100 Philistine foreskins.'" That was Saul's secret plan. He thought the Philistines would kill David.

so he warned him. "Be careful! Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. In the morning go into the field and hide. I will go out into the field with my father. We will stand in the field where you are hiding. I will talk to my father about you, and I will tell you what I learn."

He risked his life when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and you were happy. Why do you want to hurt David? He's innocent. There is no reason to kill him."

If your father notices I am gone, tell him, ‘David wanted to go home to Bethlehem. His family is having its own feast for this monthly sacrifice. David asked me to let him run down to Bethlehem and join his family.'

So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the Lord to hold them responsible for keeping it.

Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself.

Then David hid in the field. The time for the New Moon celebration came, and the king sat down to eat.

When the boy left, David came out from his hiding place on the other side of the hill. David gave a formal greeting by bowing to the ground three times to show his respect for Jonathan. But then David and Jonathan kissed each other and cried together. It was a very sad goodbye, especially for David.

Ahimelech prayed to the Lord for David and gave him some food. He even gave David the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

Saul said to him, "Why did you and Jesse's son make secret plans against me? You gave David bread and a sword. You prayed to God for him. And right now, David is waiting to attack me."

That was not the first time I prayed to God for David. Not at all! Don't blame me or any of my relatives. We are your servants. I know nothing about what is happening."

Then David told Abiathar, "I saw Doeg the Edomite at Nob that day. I knew he would tell Saul! I am responsible for the death of your father's family.

But David's men said to him, "Look, our men are afraid here in Judah. Just think how afraid we will be if we go to Keilah, where the Philistine army is lined up and ready for battle."

Saul called all his army together for battle. They prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.

David went into the desert of Ziph and stayed in the mountains and fortresses there. Saul looked for David the whole time, but the Lord didn't let Saul catch him.

Saul answered, "May the Lord bless you for helping me.

Saul and his men went to look for David, but the people warned him. They told David that Saul was looking for him. So David then went down to "The Rock" in the desert of Maon. Saul heard that David had gone there, so Saul went to that place to find him.