Study Desk

But when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"

Saul refused, saying, "I will not eat." But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with Achish and told him, "Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him. He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the war. What better way for him to regain the favor of his master than with the heads of our men?

So Achish summoned David and told him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright in my sight, and it seems right that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you have no favor in the sight of the leaders.

"But what have I done?" David replied. "What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

Achish replied, "I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He must not go into battle with us.'

They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.

And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.

but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man's wife and children. They may take them and go."

But David said, "My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiders who came against us.

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!" But the armor-bearer refused, because he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Then he begged me, 'Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me but my life still lingers.'

So Abner told him, "Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself." But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

but they had struck down 360 men of Benjamin and Abner.

Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth's accusation. "Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?" he asked. "All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!

"Good," replied David, "I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul's daughter Michal when you come to see me."

Just then David's soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had sent him on his way in peace.