Study Desk

Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul's officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.

Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan delighted greatly in David,

Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, "The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.

He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?"

But as Saul was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, a spirit of distress from the LORD came upon him. While David was playing the harp,

Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear. But the spear struck the wall and David eluded him, ran away, and escaped that night.

But Saul sent the messengers back to see David and told them, "Bring him up to me in his bed, so I can kill him."

Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

If your father misses me at all, tell him, 'David urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.'

And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.

He sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David's place was empty.

But on the day after the New Moon, the second day, David's place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, "Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or today?"

Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.

Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger and did not eat any food that second day of the month, for he was grieved by his father's shameful treatment of David.

Then Jonathan cried out, "Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!" So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.

Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, "Go, take it back to the city."

Now one of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief shepherd for Saul.

But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?"

So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you can see the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?