Study Desk

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know, and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there: for it is told to me [that] he dealeth very subtilly.

And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul 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 Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men around to take them.

Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

And he came to the sheep-cotes by the way, where [was] a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

And he said to his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he [is] the anointed of the LORD.

So David restrained his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose out of the cave, and went on [his] way.

David also rose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, [Is] this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

For if a man findeth his enemy, will he let him go away well? wherefore the LORD reward thee with good, for what thou hast done to me this day.

And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men repaired to the hold.

And Samuel died; and all the Israelites assembled, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

And [there] was a man in Maon, whose possessions [were] in Carmel; and the man [was] very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Now the name of the man [was] Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and [she was] a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man [was] churlish and evil in his doings; and he [was] of the house of Caleb.

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

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who [is] David? and who [is] the son of Jesse? there are many servants in these days that break away every man from his master.

And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And 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 goods.