Study Desk

May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his loyalty. I wasn't willing to lift my hand against the Lord 's anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.

David said to himself, "One of these days I'll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me everywhere in Israel, and I'll escape from him."

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

David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, "Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.'" This was David's custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory.

By this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city, and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.

Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, "Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you."

But the woman said to him, "You surely know what Saul has done, how he has killed the mediums and spiritists in the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?"

"Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?" the woman asked. "Bring up Samuel for me," he answered.

David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

and David asked the Lord : "Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?" The Lord replied to him, "Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people."

Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived, for he hadn't eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, "Because they didn't go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man's wife and children. They may take them and go."

And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it continues to this very day.

When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, "Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord 's enemies."

Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I'm mortally wounded, but my life still lingers.'

They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord 's people, and the house of Israel.

For David had said to the Amalekite, "Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord 's anointed.'"

David sang the following lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled— the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.

Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things, who decked your garments with gold ornaments.