Study Desk

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul said, "I am in distress! For the Philistines are about to make war against me, but God has turned away from me, and he does not answer me any more, not by the prophets or by the dreams. So I called to you to let me know what I should do."

Then Saul immediately fell prostrate to the ground, and he was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; there was no more strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night.

Then the commanders of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with me for days and years? I have not found anything threatening in him from the day of his desertion until this day!"

So Achish called David and said to him, "As Yahweh lives, certainly you were honest, and I am pleased to have you marching with me in the campaign. For I have not found any wrong in you from the day you came to me until this day, but in the eyes of the rulers, you are not good.

So then, rise early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who came with you. When you rise early in the morning and it is light enough for you, leave.

And David was in a very precarious situation, for the people spoke of stoning him, for the souls of all the people were bitter, each one over his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring the ephod here for me." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Should I pursue after this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?" He said to him, "Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue them."

They gave him a slice of fig cake and two raisin cakes; he ate and this revived him, because he had not eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

None of theirs was missing from the smallest to the greatest, even sons and daughters, from the plunder up to everything they had taken for themselves; David brought back everything.

And who would listen to you regarding this matter? For as the share of the one who went down into the battle, so the share of the one who remained with the baggage will be. They will share alike."

So from that day and beyond, he made it a rule and a regulation for Israel until this day.

Then David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the enemies of Yahweh!"

It was for those in Bethel, for those in Ramoth of the Negev, for those in Jattir,

for those in Aroer, for those in Siphmoth, for those in Eshtemoa,

for those in Racal, for those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, for those in the towns of the Kenites,

for those in Hormah, for those in Bor Ashan, for those in Athach,

for those in Hebron, and for all the places where David and his men had roamed.

Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk in Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.

He said to me, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for convulsions have seized me, even though my life is still in me.'