Study Desk

Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?"

Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!"

Now David had just finished saying, "In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him, yet he has paid me back evil for good.

My lord should pay no attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord's young men whom you sent.

Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD's battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised and has appointed you ruler over Israel,

When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.

On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, "Blessed be the LORD who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head." Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.

So Saul, accompanied by three thousand choice men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.

But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"

Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains."

May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed.

David, however, said to himself, "One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."

And when Saul learned that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

David did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, "Otherwise they will report us, saying, 'This is what David did.'" And this was David's custom the whole time he lived in Philistine territory.

Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army."

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