1 Samuel 22

New King James Version

David’s Four Hundred Men^(A)

22 David therefore departed from there and ^(B)escaped ^(C)to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ²^(D)And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was ^[a]discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about ^(E)four hundred men with him.

³Then David went from there to Mizpah of ^(F)Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” ⁴So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

⁵Now the prophet ^(G)Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

Saul Murders the Priests

⁶When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered—now Saul was staying in ^(H)Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him— ⁷then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse ^(I)give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? ⁸All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that ^(J)my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”

⁹Then answered ^(K)Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to ^(L)Ahimelech the son of ^(M)Ahitub. ¹⁰^(N)And he inquired of the Lord for him, ^(O)gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

¹¹So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. ¹²And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!”

He answered, “Here I am, my lord.”

¹³Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?”

¹⁴So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as ^(P)faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? ¹⁵Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”

¹⁶And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all ^(Q)your father’s house!” ¹⁷Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king ^(R)would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord. ¹⁸And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and ^[b]struck the priests, and ^(S)killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. ¹⁹^(T)Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.

²⁰^(U)Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, ^(V)escaped and fled after David. ²¹And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests. ²²So David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s ^[c]house. ²³Stay with me; do not fear. ^(W)For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe.”

Footnotes

1 Samuel 22:2 Lit. bitter of soul
1 Samuel 22:18 attacked
1 Samuel 22:22 family

Psalm 17

New King James Version

Prayer with Confidence in Final Salvation

A Prayer of David.

17 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
²Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.

³You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
^(A)You have ^[a]tried me and have found ^[b]nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not ^(B)transgress.
⁴Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
⁵^(C)Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.

⁶^(D)I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
⁷Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who ^[c]save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
⁸Keep me as the ^[d]apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
⁹From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.

¹⁰They have closed up their ^(E)fat hearts;
With their mouths they ^(F)speak proudly.
¹¹They have now surrounded us in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth,
¹²As a lion is eager to tear his prey,
And like a young lion lurking in secret places.

¹³Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
¹⁴With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

¹⁵As for me, ^(G)I will see Your face in righteousness;
^(H)I shall be satisfied when I ^(I)awake in Your likeness.

Footnotes

Psalm 17:3 examined
Psalm 17:3 Nothing evil
Psalm 17:7 deliver
Psalm 17:8 pupil

Psalm 35

New King James Version

The Lord the Avenger of His People

A Psalm of David.

35 Plead^[a] my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
²Take hold of shield and ^[b]buckler,
And stand up for my help.
³Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

⁴^(A)Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be ^(B)turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.
⁵^(C)Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the ^[c]angel of the Lord chase them.
⁶Let their way be ^(D)dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
⁷For without cause they have ^(E)hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
⁸^[d]Let ^(F)destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself;
Into that very destruction let him fall.

⁹And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
¹⁰^(G)All my bones shall say,
“Lord, ^(H)who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

¹¹Fierce witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
¹²^(I)They reward me evil for good,
To the sorrow of my soul.
¹³But as for me, ^(J)when they were sick,
My clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting;
And my prayer would return to my own ^[e]heart.
¹⁴I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;
I bowed down ^[f]heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

¹⁵But in my ^[g]adversity they rejoiced
And gathered together;
Attackers gathered against me,
And I did not know it;
They tore at me and did not cease;
¹⁶With ungodly mockers at feasts
They gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷Lord, how long will You ^(K)look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.
¹⁸I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among ^[h]many people.

¹⁹^(L)Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
²⁰For they do not speak peace,
But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.
²¹They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”

²²This You have seen, O Lord;
Do not keep silence.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
²³Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.
²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.
²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be ^(M)clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.

²⁷^(N)Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
²⁸And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.

Footnotes

Psalm 35:1 Contend for me
Psalm 35:2 A small shield
Psalm 35:5 Or Angel
Psalm 35:8 Lit. Let destruction he does not know come upon him,
Psalm 35:13 Lit. bosom
Psalm 35:14 in mourning
Psalm 35:15 limping, stumbling
Psalm 35:18 a mighty

Matthew 5

New King James Version

The Beatitudes^(A)

5 And seeing the multitudes, ^(B)He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. ²Then He opened His mouth and ^(C)taught them, saying:

³“Blessed^(D) are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴^(E)Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
⁵^(F)Blessed are the meek,
For ^(G)they shall inherit the ^[a]earth.
⁶Blessed are those who ^(H)hunger and thirst for righteousness,
^(I)For they shall be filled.
⁷Blessed are the merciful,
^(J)For they shall obtain mercy.
⁸^(K)Blessed are the pure in heart,
For ^(L)they shall see God.
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
¹⁰^(M)Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹^(N)Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of ^(O)evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹²^(P)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for ^(Q)so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Believers Are Salt and Light^(R)

¹³“You are the salt of the earth; ^(S)but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

¹⁴^(T)“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do they ^(U)light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, ^(V)that they may see your good works and ^(W)glorify your Father in heaven.

Christ Fulfills the Law

¹⁷^(X)“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸For assuredly, I say to you, ^(Y)till heaven and earth pass away, one ^[b]jot or one ^[c]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹^(Z)Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds ^(AA)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart^(AB)

²¹“You have heard that it was said to those ^[d]of old, ^(AC)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that ^(AD)whoever is angry with his brother ^[e]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ^(AE)‘Raca!’^[f] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ^[g]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of ^[h]hell fire. ²³Therefore ^(AF)if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴^(AG)leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵^(AH)Agree with your adversary quickly, ^(AI)while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart

²⁷“You have heard that it was said ^[i]to those of old, ^(AJ)‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I say to you that whoever ^(AK)looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹^(AL)If your right eye causes you to ^[j]sin, ^(AM)pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to ^[k]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding^(AN)

³¹“Furthermore it has been said, ^(AO)‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²But I say to you that ^(AP)whoever divorces his wife for any reason except ^[l]sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

³³“Again you have heard that ^(AQ)it was said to those of ^[m]old, ^(AR)‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^(AS)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴But I say to you, ^(AT)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is ^(AU)God’s throne; ³⁵nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of ^(AV)the great King. ³⁶Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷^(AW)But let ^[n]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile^(AX)

³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ^(AY)‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹^(AZ)But I tell you not to resist an evil person. ^(BA)But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹And whoever ^(BB)compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴²Give to him who asks you, and ^(BC)from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies^(BD)

⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ^(BE)‘You shall love your neighbor ^(BF)and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴^[o]But I say to you, ^(BG)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, ^(BH)do good to those who hate you, and pray ^(BI)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for ^(BJ)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶^(BK)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet your ^[p]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ^[q]tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸^(BL)Therefore you shall be perfect, just ^(BM)as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Footnotes

Matthew 5:5 Or land
Matthew 5:18 Gr. iota, Heb. yod, the smallest letter
Matthew 5:18 The smallest stroke in a Heb. letter
Matthew 5:21 in ancient times
Matthew 5:22 NU omits without a cause
Matthew 5:22 Lit., in Aram., Empty head
Matthew 5:22 Gr. More
Matthew 5:22 Gr. Gehenna
Matthew 5:27 NU, M omit to those of old
Matthew 5:29 Lit. stumble or offend
Matthew 5:30 Lit. stumble or offend
Matthew 5:32 Or fornication
Matthew 5:33 ancient times
Matthew 5:37 Lit. your word be yes yes
Matthew 5:44 NU But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Matthew 5:47 M friends
Matthew 5:47 NU Gentiles