Study Desk

Then said David, O LORD, the God of Yisra'el, your servant has surely heard that Sha'ul seeks to come to Ke`ilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

He said to him, Don't be afraid; for the hand of Sha'ul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Yisra'el, and I shall be next to you; and that also Sha'ul my father knows.

Sha'ul said, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have had compassion on me.

Plesease go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly.

Sha'ul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Sha'ul; for Sha'ul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

But there came a messenger to Sha'ul, saying, Haste you, and come; for the Pelishtim have made a raid on the land.

Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill you; but [my eye] spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed.

Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it.

He said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rendered to me good, whereas I have rendered to you evil.

For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me this day.

Ask your young men, and they will tell you: therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David.

Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don't know where they come from?

Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow that one can't speak to him.

Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him: and he has returned me evil for good.

Please don't let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Naval; for as his name is, so is he; Naval is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn't see the young men of my lord, whom you did send.

Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you all your days.

For in very deed, as the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, except you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn't have been left to Naval by the morning light so much as one man-child.

Avigayil came to Naval; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Naval's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

David said to Avishai, Don't destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?

So David took the spear and the jar of water from Sha'ul's head; and they got them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen on them.