Study Desk

And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.

Now the king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up and Abner sat down by Saul's side; but David's place was empty.

But it came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David's place was empty again; so Saul said to his son Jonathan, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, "Why must he be put to death? What has he done?"

Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike and kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.

Then Jonathan got up from the table in the heat of anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, because he was worried about David since his father had insulted him.

He said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot." The boy ran, and he shot an arrow past him.

Then Jonathan called after the boy, "Hurry, be quick, do not stay!" And Jonathan's boy picked up the arrow and came to his master.

Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, "Go, bring them to the city."

When the boy was gone, David got up from the south side, then he fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, until David wept immeasurably.

Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in safety, since we have sworn to each other in the name of the LORD, saying, 'The LORD will be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.'" So David set out and went on his way, while Jonathan went into the city.

Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.

But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?"

So he disguised his sanity while in their sight and acted insanely in their custody, and he scribbled on the doors of the gate, and drooled on his beard.

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is behaving like an insane person. Why do you bring him to me?

So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's household heard about it, they went down there to him.

Then Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing in front of him.

Saul said to his servants who were standing in front of him, "Hear now, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse really give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?

Then the king sent a messenger to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king.

"Did I just begin to inquire of God for him today? Far be it from me! Do not let the king impute anything against his servant or against any of the household of my father, because your servant knows nothing at all of this whole affair."