Study Desk

Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one can't speak to him.

It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them.

She fell at his feet, and said, On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid.

Please don't let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Naval; for as his name is, so is he; Naval is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn't see the young men of my lord, whom you did send.

Avigayil came to Naval; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Naval's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

It happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Naval, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

When David heard that Naval was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Naval, and has kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Naval has the LORD returned on his own head. David sent and spoke concerning Avigayil, to take her to him as wife.

Avigayil hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

David also took Achino'am of Yizre`el; and they became both of them his wives.

Now Sha'ul had given Mikhal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Layish, who was of Gallim.

David arose, and came to the place where Sha'ul had encamped; and David saw the place where Sha'ul lay, and Aviner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Sha'ul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.

So David and Avishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Sha'ul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Aviner and the people lay round about him.

David said to Avishai, Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?

David said, As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.

The LORD forbid that I should put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed: but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go.

This thing isn't good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD's anointed. Now see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.

He said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD: for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn't cling to the LORD's inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods.

The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn't put forth my hand against the LORD's anointed.

Then Sha'ul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David: you shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Sha'ul returned to his place.