Study Desk

So Saul summoned all the people (soldiers) for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and left Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit.

Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the Wilderness of Ziph [in the woods] at Horesh.

So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed [in the woods] at Horesh and Jonathan went to his house.

"Go now, be very persistent and investigate, and see where his haunt is and who has seen him there; for I am told he is very cunning.

So they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

Then Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed [there] in the Wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard it, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.

Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul, for Saul and his men were surrounding David and his men to capture them.

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to search for David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

On the way he came to the sheepfolds where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the cave's innermost recesses.

He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to put out my hand against him, since he is the anointed of the LORD."

So David strongly rebuked his men with these words and did not let them rise up against Saul. Saul got up, left the cave and went on his way.

Then David also got up afterward and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and lay himself face down.

When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul raised his voice and wept.

"For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? So may the LORD reward you with good in return for what you have done for me this day.

David gave Saul his oath; and Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the mountain stronghold.

Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

Now there was a man in Maon whose business and possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel

(now the man's name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings; he was a Calebite).

David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.