Study Desk

Yonatan, Sha'ul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

They two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Yonatan went to his house.

Plesease go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly.

They arose, and went to Zif before Sha'ul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma`on, in the `Aravah on the south of the desert.

Sha'ul and his men went to seek him. They told David: why he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Ma`on. When Sha'ul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Ma`on.

Sha'ul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Sha'ul; for Sha'ul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

Then Sha'ul took three thousand chosen men out of all Yisra'el, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where was a cave; and Sha'ul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.

He said to his men, the LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed.

So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Sha'ul. Sha'ul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Sha'ul, saying, My lord the king. When Sha'ul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the eretz, and did obeisance.

It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Sha'ul, that Sha'ul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Sha'ul lifted up his voice, and wept.

For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me this day.

David swore to Sha'ul. Sha'ul went home; but David and his men got them up to the stronghold.

Shemu'el died; and all Yisra'el gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

There was a man in Ma`on, whose possessions were in Karmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Karmel.

Now the name of the man was Naval; and the name of his wife Avigayil; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Kalev.

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

Naval answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Yishai? there are many servants now-a-days who break away every man from his master.

David said to his men, Gird you on every man his sword. They girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.