Study Desk

But David vowed again, saying "Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be worried.' But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death."

David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the New Moon [observance], and I should sit at the table to eat [the sacrificial meal] with the king; but let me go, so that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

"If he says, 'All right,' your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, then be certain that he has decided on evil.

"Therefore show kindness to your servant, because you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is iniquity (guilt) in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father [to be killed]?"

"But if it pleases my father to do you harm, may the LORD do so to Jonathan, and more if I do not let you know about it and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And may the LORD be with you as He has been with my father.

"But if I say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go, for the LORD has sent you away.

The king sat on his seat as on previous occasions, on his seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up, and Abner [his commander] sat down by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

But on the next day, the second day of the new moon, David's place was empty [again]; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

But the boy was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter.

As soon as the boy was gone, David got up from the south side [beside the mound of stones] and fell on his face to the ground [in submission and respect], and bowed three times. Then they kissed one another and wept together, but David wept more.

The priest answered David, "There is no ordinary (unconsecrated) bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; [you may have it] if only the young men have kept themselves from women."

But Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered. Now Saul was in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the high place with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.

But Saul said, "Be assured that you shall die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's household (extended family)."

And the king said to the guards who stood around him, "Turn around and kill the priests of the LORD, because their loyalty also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not inform me." But the servants of the king were not willing to put out their hands to attack the LORD'S priests.

But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.

"Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life, but you are safe with me."

But David's men said to him, "Listen, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the battle lines of the Philistines?"

But David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

David stayed in the wilderness in strongholds, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not hand David over to him.

But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, because the Philistines have attacked the land."