Study Desk

David sent spies, and he learned that Saul had come for certain.

But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him! For who has stretched out his hand against Yahweh's anointed one and remained blameless?"

So David took the spear and the jar of water from near Saul's head, and they went away. No one saw, no one knew, and no one awakened, for all of them were sleeping because a deep sleep of Yahweh had fallen upon them.

So David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why did you not keep watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came to destroy your lord the king.

Then he said, "Why is my lord pursuing after his servant? For what have I done? And what evil is in my hand?

And so then, please let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant: If Yahweh has incited you against me, may he delight in an offering; but if it is mortals, may they be accursed before Yahweh, for they have driven me away today from sharing in the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!'

And so then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of Yahweh, for the king of Israel has gone out to seek a single flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains."

Then Saul said, "I have sinned! Come back, David my son, for I will not harm you again, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have acted like a fool and have made a terrible mistake."

Yahweh repays to each one his righteousness and his faithfulness, for Yahweh gave you into my hand today, but I was not willing to stretch out my hand against Yahweh's anointed.

Then David thought to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul! There is nothing better for me but that I must certainly escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will desist from searching for me further in all of the territories of Israel, and so I will escape from his hand."

And it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.

Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites, for they had been living in the land for a long time in the direction of Shur and as far as the land of Egypt.

Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, "Certainly you realize that you must go out with me in the army, you and your men."

David said to Achish, "Very well, you will know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."

(Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him, and they had buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had expelled the mediums and the soothsayers from the land.)

So Saul said to his servants, "Search for me a woman who is a medium so that I may go to her and inquire of her." His servants said to him, "Look there is a woman who is a medium in Endor."

So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went with two of his men. And they came to the woman by night and he said, "Please consult a spirit for me through the ritual pit, and bring up for me the one whom I tell you."

But the woman said to him, "Look, you know what Saul did, how he exterminated the mediums and the soothsayers from the land! Why are you setting a trap for my life to kill me?"

Then Saul swore to her by Yahweh, "As Yahweh lives, you will not be punished for this thing."

So the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel for me."